Fast Food and Counter Workers Salary in Tennessee
Fast Food and Counter Workers in Tennessee have a median of $27,470 a year, below the national $31,200 (−12%); the state ranks 43rd of 51 states by median. That is 42% less than the median across all occupations in Tennessee ($47,380). Among neighbouring states, Missouri, Virginia and North Carolina pay more (up to $30,390 in Missouri) and Kentucky, Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama and Mississippi pay less (down to $22,610 in Mississippi). Tennessee employs 90,690 fast food and counter workers, 27.7 per 1,000 jobs, the 15th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.12 is close to the national share.
Tennessee vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Tennessee | Hourly | $10.51 | $11.30 | $13.21 | $14.20 | $16.86 | $13.40 | 90,690 | 27.66 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $21,850 | $23,490 | $27,470 | $29,530 | $35,060 | $27,870 | ||||
| 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
- 43rd of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 15th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.12
- Jobs per 1,000
- 27.66
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Tennessee'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 Tennessee
10 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Tennessee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $14.02 | $29,150 | $22,280 | $36,200 | 28,680 | 26.09 | 1.05 |
| Knoxville, TN | $13.33 | $27,720 | $22,630 | $35,700 | 12,730 | 29.97 | 1.21 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $13.21 | $27,490 | $22,310 | $35,310 | 15,320 | 25.05 | 1.01 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $13.05 | $27,140 | $21,700 | $34,320 | 7,770 | 28.93 | 1.17 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $12.97 | $26,990 | $21,670 | $34,360 | 4,000 | 38.75 | 1.56 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $12.93 | $26,890 | $22,250 | $33,830 | 4,170 | 34.87 | 1.41 |
| Morristown, TN | $12.76 | $26,530 | $21,690 | $33,130 | 1,590 | 33.55 | 1.35 |
| Jackson, TN | $12.67 | $26,360 | $21,520 | $33,220 | 2,370 | 28.03 | 1.13 |
| Johnson City, TN | $12.63 | $26,270 | $21,520 | $33,610 | 2,900 | 35.53 | 1.43 |
| Cleveland, TN | $12.57 | $26,140 | $21,580 | $31,750 | 1,830 | 42.66 | 1.72 |
| East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $12.74 | $26,500 | $21,500 | $36,080 | 4,930 | 35.00 | 1.41 |
| North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $12.74 | $26,500 | $21,340 | $33,930 | 4,060 | 35.31 | 1.42 |
| South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $12.58 | $26,170 | $21,310 | $33,220 | 3,370 | 30.60 | 1.23 |
| West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $12.53 | $26,060 | $21,310 | $29,340 | 3,420 | 29.18 | 1.18 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | $13.21 | $27,470 | 90,690 | 1.12 |
| Alabama | $11.40 | $23,700 | 41,460 | 0.79 |
| Arkansas | $12.62 | $26,250 | 35,660 | 1.10 |
| Georgia | $12.94 | $26,920 | 145,030 | 1.20 |
| Kentucky | $13.04 | $27,130 | 41,860 | 0.84 |
| Missouri | $14.61 | $30,390 | 29,360 | 0.40 |
| Mississippi | $10.87 | $22,610 | 31,220 | 1.08 |
| North Carolina | $13.74 | $28,570 | 92,230 | 0.75 |
| Virginia | $14.48 | $30,110 | 104,460 | 1.03 |
See the national page for Fast Food and Counter Workers (every state ranked) and the Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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.