Fast Food and Counter Workers Salary in Missouri
Fast Food and Counter Workers in Missouri have a median of $30,390 a year, below the national $31,200 (−3%); the state ranks 22nd of 51 states by median. That is 36% less than the median across all occupations in Missouri ($47,800). Among neighbouring states, Illinois pays more (up to $33,910 in Illinois) and Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas and Oklahoma pay less (down to $23,430 in Oklahoma). Missouri employs 29,360 fast food and counter workers, 10.0 per 1,000 jobs, the 36th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.40 means it is less common in Missouri than nationally.
Missouri vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Missouri | Hourly | $13.75 | $13.89 | $14.61 | $16.46 | $17.71 | $15.45 | 29,360 | 10.00 | 0.40 |
| Annual | $28,600 | $28,900 | $30,390 | $34,230 | $36,830 | $32,130 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $10.98 | $13.32 | $15.00 | $17.34 | $20.51 | $15.46 | 3,854,050 | – | – |
| Annual | $22,840 | $27,700 | $31,200 | $36,070 | $42,650 | $32,150 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 22nd of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 36th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.40
- Jobs per 1,000
- 10.00
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Missouri's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Missouri
8 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Missouri publish a row for fast food and counter workers, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $15.03 | $31,260 | $29,470 | $36,480 | 19,170 | 14.30 | 0.58 |
| Springfield, MO | $14.40 | $29,950 | $28,600 | $36,820 | 2,560 | 11.46 | 0.46 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $14.33 | $29,810 | $28,600 | $35,360 | 520 | 11.74 | 0.47 |
| Jefferson City, MO | $14.22 | $29,580 | $28,600 | $38,110 | 520 | 6.42 | 0.26 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $14.21 | $29,560 | $23,550 | $35,840 | 20,120 | 18.36 | 0.74 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | $14.15 | $29,430 | $28,600 | $35,360 | 640 | 11.83 | 0.48 |
| Columbia, MO | $14.13 | $29,390 | $28,600 | $36,640 | 1,410 | 13.10 | 0.53 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | $13.81 | $28,730 | $27,270 | $33,920 | 1,130 | 12.99 | 0.52 |
| Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $13.93 | $28,980 | $28,600 | $35,850 | 790 | 9.96 | 0.40 |
| Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $13.81 | $28,720 | $28,600 | $35,140 | 1,490 | 9.03 | 0.36 |
| Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $13.75 | $28,600 | $28,600 | $34,560 | 1,530 | 9.91 | 0.40 |
| North Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $13.75 | $28,600 | $28,600 | $35,200 | 1,190 | 11.22 | 0.45 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | $14.61 | $30,390 | 29,360 | 0.40 |
| Arkansas | $12.62 | $26,250 | 35,660 | 1.10 |
| Iowa | $13.65 | $28,390 | 40,290 | 1.04 |
| Illinois | $16.30 | $33,910 | 127,590 | 0.84 |
| Kansas | $13.26 | $27,580 | 47,140 | 1.32 |
| Kentucky | $13.04 | $27,130 | 41,860 | 0.84 |
| Nebraska | $13.94 | $29,000 | 30,060 | 1.18 |
| Oklahoma | $11.27 | $23,430 | 52,520 | 1.24 |
| Tennessee | $13.21 | $27,470 | 90,690 | 1.12 |
See the national page for Fast Food and Counter Workers (every state ranked) and the Missouri wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Missouri estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.