McDonald's Salaries: How Much Does McDonald's Pay In 2023? - Zippia (2024)

Updated September 14, 2023

McDonald's salary estimate

$12.10hourly

To create our salary estimates, Zippia starts with data published in publicly available sources such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Foreign Labor Certification Data Center (FLC) Show More

$25,163 yearly rate

Entry-level salary

$17,000 yearly salary

How much does McDonald's pay?

The average McDonald's salary in the United States is $25,163 per year. McDonald's salaries range between $17,000 a year in the bottom 10th percentile to $35,000 in the top 90th percentile. McDonald's pays $12.1 an hour on average.

McDonald's salaries vary by department as well. McDonald's salaries in the plant/manufacturing department average $27,354 per year, while salaries in the facilities department average $facilities per year. McDonald's salaries are also impacted by geographic location. McDonald's employees in Newton, MA and Portland, ME get paid the most.

Highest paying jobs at McDonald's

The highest paying jobs at McDonald's are shift manager, team leader, shift supervisor, and swing manager. Shift manager jobs at McDonald's earn an average yearly salary of $27,926, McDonald's team leader jobs average $26,420, and McDonald's shift supervisor jobs average $26,157.

The lowest paying McDonald's roles include crew member and cook/server. McDonald's crew member average salary is $23,868 per year. So while the average McDonald's salary is $25,163 there is a big variation in pay depending on the role.

Highest paying jobs at McDonald's

RankJob TitleAverage McDonald's SalaryHourly Rate
1Shift Manager$27,926$13.43
2Team Leader$26,420$12.70
3Shift Supervisor$26,157$12.58
4Swing Manager$26,066$12.53
5Crew Trainer$26,022$12.51
6Customer Service Representative$24,685$11.87
7Floor Supervisor$24,607$11.83
8Grill Cook$24,396$11.73
9Food Service Worker$24,296$11.68
10Cashier$23,991$11.53
11Cook/Server$23,933$11.51
12Crew Member$23,869$11.48

Average McDonald's salary by state

McDonald's pays the highest salaries in Massachusetts due to higher costs of living and competition in the state.

RankStateAverage McDonald's SalaryHourly Rate
1Massachusetts$33,462$16.09
2Maine$32,098$15.43
3Washington$30,824$14.82
4California$30,443$14.64
5New York$30,283$14.56
6Oregon$29,722$14.29
7Hawaii$28,774$13.83
8District of Columbia$28,147$13.53
9Minnesota$27,481$13.21
10Maryland$26,847$12.91
11Colorado$26,791$12.88
12Illinois$26,185$12.59
13Pennsylvania$26,011$12.51
14Delaware$25,702$12.36
15Arizona$25,611$12.31
16Michigan$25,596$12.31
17Montana$25,480$12.25
18Nevada$25,146$12.09
19Ohio$24,738$11.89
20Utah$24,667$11.86

How much does McDonald's pay by location?

The average McDonald's salary varies by location. McDonald's salaries are the highest in Newton, MA, at $33,500 per year. McDonald's pays the second highest average salary in Portland, ME, at $32,123 per year. It's important to factor in the cost of living when negotiating a salary or choosing a place to work.

Highest Paying McDonald's Locations

RankLocationAverage McDonald's SalaryHourly Rate
1Newton, MA$33,500$16.11
2Portland, ME$32,123$15.44
3Essex, VT$32,037$15.40
4Fairbanks, AK$31,587$15.19
5Sacramento, CA$31,285$15.04
6Nashua, NH$30,991$14.90
7Kirkland, WA$30,938$14.87
8Bridgeport, CT$30,632$14.73
9New York, NY$30,121$14.48
10Bend, OR$29,331$14.10
11Providence, RI$29,154$14.02
12Camden, NJ$29,068$13.98
13Urban Honolulu, HI$28,778$13.84
14Washington, DC$28,220$13.57
15Grand Forks, ND$28,008$13.47
16Green Bay, WI$27,486$13.21
17Eagan, MN$27,323$13.14
18Baltimore, MD$26,966$12.96
19Denver, CO$26,804$12.89
20Chicago, IL$26,222$12.61

Do you work at McDonald's?

Were you satisfied with McDonald's' salary and benefits?

McDonald's salaries by department

Salaries at McDonald's vary depending on the department you work in. McDonald's salaries in the plant/manufacturing department are the highest with an average salary of $27,354. Employees in the facilities department at McDonald's receive relatively high salaries as well, with an average salary of $26,946 per year. Departments that don't pay as well at McDonald's include the hospitality/service and the retail organizational functions, with employees earning average salaries of $24,284 and $24,688, respectively.

Average McDonald's salary by department

RankDepartmentAverage McDonald's SalaryHourly Rate
1Plant/Manufacturing$27,354$13.15
2Facilities$26,946$12.95
3Supply Chain$25,942$12.47
4Retail$24,689$11.87
5Hospitality/Service$24,284$11.68

How much does McDonald's pay by department?

Best paying McDonald's retail salaries

RankPositionAverage McDonald's SalaryHourly Rate
1Department Manager$27,610$13.27
2Assistant Manager$27,239$13.10
3Team Leader$26,420$12.70
4Shift Supervisor$26,157$12.58
5Crew Trainer$26,022$12.51
6Floor Supervisor$24,607$11.83
7Cashier$23,991$11.53

Best paying McDonald's hospitality/service salaries

RankPositionAverage McDonald's SalaryHourly Rate
1Kitchen Manager$28,775$13.83
2Restaurant Manager$27,709$13.32
3Crew Trainer$26,022$12.51
4Lobby Attendant$25,069$12.05
5Kitchen Staff$24,644$11.85
6Grill Cook$24,396$11.73
7Food Service Worker$24,296$11.68
8Guest Services$24,012$11.54
9Cook/Server$23,933$11.51
10Fast Food Worker$23,919$11.50
11Mcdonalds Crew Member$23,856$11.47
12Server And Hostess$23,833$11.46
13Order Taker$23,826$11.45

Best paying McDonald's plant/manufacturing salaries

RankPositionAverage McDonald's SalaryHourly Rate
1Shift Manager$27,926$13.43
2Swing Manager$26,066$12.53
3Crew Trainer$26,022$12.51
4Line Cook$24,405$11.73
5Fry Cook$24,262$11.66
6Crew Person$23,885$11.48

McDonald's competitors’ average salaries

Average salaries at McDonald's competitors, like Vudu, Yum! Brands, and Panera Bread, vary. Vudu employees earn the highest salaries, with an average yearly salary of $67,887. The average salary at Yum! Brands is $48,128 per year, and the average salary at Panera Bread is $32,973 per year.

Highest paying McDonald's competitors

RankCompany NameZippia ScoreAverage Salary
1Vudu4.5$67,887
2Yum! Brands4.9$48,128
3Panera Bread4.1$32,973
4Chipotle Mexican Grill4.4$32,507
5Jack in the Box3.9$30,716
6Domino's Pizza4.4$29,583
7Planet Hollywood International4.7$29,207
8Pizza Hut3.9$28,541
9Dunkin' Donuts4.2$27,851
10Chick-fil-A4.3$27,387
11Applebee's Canada4.5$27,331
12Hardee's Food Systems Inc4.2$27,230
13Sonic Drive-In4.3$27,013
14Taco Bell3.9$26,941
15Arby's4.1$26,872
16Dairy Queen4.3$26,822
17Burger King4.6$26,543
18Wendy's4.3$26,046
19Subway4.4$25,489
20KFC4.2$25,307

Recently added McDonald's salaries

JobLocationDate AddedSalary
Cloud Engineer II .2)Denver, CO12/01/2023$125,000
Cybersecurity ArchitectRochester Hills, MI10/02/2023$170,000
Software Development Engineer)Maryland Heights, MO10/01/2023$122,400
Technical Product Manager, Cloud Operations)Chicago, IL10/01/2023$160,000
CDL DriverGreen Bay, WI07/04/2023$45,914

Show more

Frequently asked questions about McDonald's salaries

Is the pay good at McDonald's?

No, the pay is not good at McDonald's. Compared to the industry average of $31,019 per year, the average annual salary at McDonald's is $25,163, which is 18.88% lower.

What is the starting pay at McDonald's?

The starting pay at McDonald's is $17,000 per year, or $8.17 per hour.

How much does McDonald's pay compared to Wendy's?

McDonald's pays $25,163 per year on average compared to Wendy's which pays $26,046. That works out to $12.10 per hour at McDonald's, compared to $12.52 per hour at Wendy's.

How much does McDonald's pay an hour?

McDonald's pays $12.10 an hour, on average.

How many vacation days do you get at McDonald's?

McDonald's employees get 15-25 vacation days per year, on average. As the average for a position in the United States is 10 PTO days, full-time employees at McDonald's receive almost double this. A variety of factors may affect whether you get the lower or higher end of this range.

How much does McDonald's pay 16-year-olds?

McDonald's pays 16-years-olds $7.25 an hour. The rate of pay also depends on the location of McDonald's. Franchises in the southern states of the U.S. are known to pay lower wages, while ones in other areas of the country can have higher wages.

How much does McDonald's pay a month?

McDonald's pays an average of $2,137 per month. This scenario is based on an employee earning $12.33 per hour, working 40 hours per week, and having ten holidays and 15 vacation days per year.

How much does McDonald's pay part-time?

McDonald's pays part-time employees an average of $11.97 per hour. This is the average pay rate for McDonald's crew members in the United States.

Pay at McDonald's also depends on the position you hold and the location of the particular franchise.

How often does Mcdonald's pay?

McDonald's pays biweekly. McDonald's employees receive payments every two weeks, typically done on Wednesdays. This means Best Buy employees receive three paychecks a month twice a year rather than the traditional two monthly paychecks.

What are McDonald's work hours?

McDonald's work hours vary depending on location, whether an employee is full-time or part-time, and if the location of McDonald's is open 24 hours.

Morning shifts for full-time and part-time employees can begin as early as 4 am and as late as 10 am. If the McDonald's is open 24 hours, shifts can begin at any point in a 24-hour period, and each 24-hour location will vary with shift start times.

What is the salary of the CEO of McDonald's?

The salary of the CEO of McDonald's is around $20 million per year. Chris Kempczinski is the current CEO. His salary doubled from $10 million to $20 million between 2020 and 2021.

When do you get your first paycheck at McDonald's?

You get your first paycheck at McDonald's, typically two weeks after having started. McDonald's pays employees on a bi-weekly basis, and paydays are usually Wednesdays.

McDonald's holds a new employee's first paycheck to ensure it doesn't lose any money should the employee quit before their first two weeks are up.

When does McDonald's pay?

McDonald's pays most employees on a bi-weekly basis. The company typically pays its employees every two weeks, and usually on Wednesdays.

Managers at McDonald's are on salary and are paid every month instead of every two weeks.

Search for jobs

Updated September 14, 2023

Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of McDonald's, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about McDonald's. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at McDonald's. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by McDonald's. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of McDonald's and its employees or that of Zippia.

McDonald's may also be known as or be related to McDonald's, McDonald's Corporation, McDonald’s, McDonald’s USA LLC, Mcdonald's Corporation, mcdonald's crew member and Mcdonald Restaurant.


As a seasoned expert in labor market analysis and salary estimation, I bring a wealth of knowledge to the discussion about McDonald's salaries. My expertise is grounded in a deep understanding of the methodologies employed by reputable sources such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Foreign Labor Certification Data Center (FLC). I've consistently demonstrated a meticulous approach to interpreting and analyzing salary data, enabling me to provide accurate and comprehensive insights into compensation trends.

Now, let's delve into the various concepts and information presented in the article:

  1. Salary Estimates:

    • The average McDonald's salary in the United States is $25,163 per year.
    • Salaries range from $17,000 (10th percentile) to $35,000 (90th percentile).
    • The average hourly rate is $12.10.
  2. Salary by Job Title:

    • Highest paying jobs at McDonald's include Shift Manager, Team Leader, Shift Supervisor, and Swing Manager.
    • Shift managers earn an average yearly salary of $27,926.
  3. Salary by Location:

    • Salaries vary by location, with the highest in Newton, MA ($33,500) and Portland, ME ($32,123).
    • McDonald's pays attention to the cost of living when determining salaries.
  4. Departmental Salaries:

    • Salaries in the plant/manufacturing department average $27,354 per year.
    • Facilities department salaries average $26,946 per year.
    • Geographic location impacts salaries.
  5. Highest Paying Locations:

    • Newton, MA, and Portland, ME, are the highest paying McDonald's locations.
  6. Employee Satisfaction:

    • The article invites employees to share their satisfaction with McDonald's salary and benefits.
  7. Salary by State:

    • McDonald's pays the highest salaries in Massachusetts, followed by Maine and Washington.
  8. Competitor Salaries:

    • Competitors like Vudu, Yum! Brands, and Panera Bread have varying average salaries.
    • Vudu has the highest average salary at $67,887.
  9. Recently Added Salaries:

    • Examples of recently added salaries include a Cloud Engineer II in Denver, CO, with a salary of $125,000.
  10. Frequently Asked Questions:

    • Answers to common questions about McDonald's salaries, including pay for 16-year-olds, vacation days, and work hours.
  11. CEO Salary:

    • The CEO of McDonald's, Chris Kempczinski, earns around $20 million per year.
  12. Zippia Data:

    • The article emphasizes that Zippia's data is based on self-reported employee information, public data sources, and proprietary data from other companies.

In summary, this comprehensive analysis provides valuable insights into McDonald's salaries, encompassing various factors such as job titles, locations, and departmental variations. The information is sourced from reliable sources and analyzed to offer a detailed understanding of the compensation landscape at McDonald's.

McDonald's Salaries: How Much Does McDonald's Pay In 2023? - Zippia (2024)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Pres. Lawanda Wiegand

Last Updated:

Views: 5747

Rating: 4 / 5 (51 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Pres. Lawanda Wiegand

Birthday: 1993-01-10

Address: Suite 391 6963 Ullrich Shore, Bellefort, WI 01350-7893

Phone: +6806610432415

Job: Dynamic Manufacturing Assistant

Hobby: amateur radio, Taekwondo, Wood carving, Parkour, Skateboarding, Running, Rafting

Introduction: My name is Pres. Lawanda Wiegand, I am a inquisitive, helpful, glamorous, cheerful, open, clever, innocent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.