Fast Food and Counter Workers salary in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
Fast Food and Counter Workers in the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metro area earn a median of $22,500 a year ($10.82 an hour), based on BLS data for 6,570 workers.
Pay ranges from $19,820 for the lowest-paid 10% to $34,010 for the top 10%. That is 28% lower than the national median of $31,200. Pay here is 19% lower than the Texas statewide median of $27,740. There are 42 fast food and counter workers per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 1.7× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $24,860, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for fast food and counter workers in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $19,820 | $9.53 |
| 25th percentile | $21,380 | $10.28 |
| Median | $22,500 | $10.82 |
| 75th percentile | $26,850 | $12.91 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $34,010 | $16.35 |
| Average (mean) | $24,860 | $11.95 |
Half of fast food and counter workers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $1,875 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $937.50 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $865.38 |
| Weekly | $432.69 |
| Hourly | $10.82 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Fast Food and Counter Workers salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $29,310 | 35,000 |
| Midland, TX | $28,650 | 3,240 |
| Odessa, TX | $28,390 | 2,960 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $28,070 | 128,380 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $27,810 | 40,040 |
| Waco, TX | $27,750 | 5,100 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $27,570 | 105,810 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | $27,420 | 5,270 |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | $27,340 | 2,110 |
| Amarillo, TX | $26,880 | 4,820 |
| Longview, TX | $26,730 | 4,220 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $26,630 | 5,050 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | $26,530 | 7,120 |
| Tyler, TX | $26,370 | 4,260 |
| Abilene, TX | $26,310 | 2,930 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $25,630 | 7,870 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | $25,540 | 2,240 |
| Lubbock, TX | $25,250 | 7,930 |
| Eagle Pass, TX | $24,570 | 1,020 |
| Victoria, TX | $24,510 | 1,680 |
| San Angelo, TX | $23,850 | 1,990 |
| El Paso, TX | $23,030 | 13,520 |
| Laredo, TX | $23,030 | 4,620 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | $22,880 | 2,170 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $22,790 | 12,160 |
Highest-paying states for fast food and counter workers
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $42,280 |
| Washington | $37,710 |
| District of Columbia | $37,430 |
| Colorado | $36,270 |
| Vermont | $36,030 |
| Massachusetts | $35,850 |
| Connecticut | $35,380 |
| Hawaii | $35,250 |
| New York | $35,250 |
| Oregon | $35,050 |
See Fast Food and Counter Workers pay in every state or the Texas statewide figures.
Related jobs in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Waiters and Waitresses | $21,010 | $10.10 |
| Bartender | $18,340 | $8.82 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $29,670 | $14.27 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $28,670 | $13.79 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $26,180 | $12.59 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $19,290 | $9.27 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $25,050 | $12.05 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $22,920 | $11.02 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $32,950 | $15.84 |
| Dishwasher | $23,670 | $11.38 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $47,850 | $23.01 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 35-3023. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a fast food and counter workers make in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX?
The median salary for fast food and counter workers in the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metro area is $22,500 a year, or $10.82 an hour. Pay ranges from $19,820 for the lowest-paid 10% to $34,010 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid fast food and counter workers make in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX?
The top 10% of fast food and counter workers in the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metro area earn at least $34,010 a year. The top 25% earn $26,850 or more.
What is the starting pay for fast food and counter workers in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $19,820 a year, and a quarter of fast food and counter workers earn $21,380 or less.
How many fast food and counter workers work in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX?
About 6,570 fast food and counter workers are employed in the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metro area, not counting the self-employed.