SalaryByCity

Fast Food and Counter Workers vs Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive: Salary Comparison (2024)

Side-by-side salary comparison using 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Fast Food and Counter Workers

$30,480

Median annual salary

3,780,930 employed nationally

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

$46,290

Median annual salary

1,737,820 employed nationally

Which Career Pays More?

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive professionals earn $15,810 more per year than Fast Food and Counter Workers professionals — that's 51.9% higher. At the 90th percentile, Fast Food and Counter Workers earns $38,800 compared to $64,150 for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.

Salary Range Comparison

Fast Food and Counter Workers$22,620 – $38,800
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$31,600 – $64,150
$22,620$64,150

Detailed Salary Comparison

PercentileFast Food and Counter WorkersSecretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and ExecutiveDifference
10th Percentile$22,620$31,600$-8,980
25th Percentile$27,150$37,770$-10,620
Median (50th)$30,480$46,290$-15,810
75th Percentile$35,440$55,650$-20,210
90th Percentile$38,800$64,150$-25,350
Mean (Average)$31,350$47,640$-16,290

Employment Numbers

Fast Food and Counter Workers

3,780,930

employed nationwide

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

1,737,820

employed nationwide

Top Paying Cities

Best Cities for Fast Food and Counter Workers

CityMedian
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$42,660
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$40,470
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$38,310
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$37,650
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$36,480

Best Cities for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

CityMedian
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$61,190
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$60,320
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$58,310
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH$56,060
Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT$53,960

Frequently Asked Questions

Who earns more: Fast Food and Counter Workers or Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive?
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive professionals earn more, with a median salary difference of $15,810 (51.9% higher) as of 2024 BLS data.
What is the salary range for Fast Food and Counter Workers?
Fast Food and Counter Workers salaries range from $22,620 (10th percentile) to $38,800 (90th percentile), with a median of $30,480.
What is the salary range for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive?
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salaries range from $31,600 (10th percentile) to $64,150 (90th percentile), with a median of $46,290.
How many Fast Food and Counter Workers and Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive jobs are there?
There are approximately 3,780,930 Fast Food and Counter Workers positions and 1,737,820 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive positions nationwide according to 2024 BLS data.
Is it worth switching from Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive to Fast Food and Counter Workers?
Career decisions depend on many factors beyond salary. Fast Food and Counter Workers has a median salary of $30,480 while Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive earns $46,290. Consider job satisfaction, growth prospects, required education, and work-life balance.

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Data verified March 2026 · Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS