How Much Does Subway Pay?

Originally an American but now a multinational company, Subway has 36,840 franchises in over 100 countries as of May 2022. To help run these establishments, Subway restaurants are always on the lookout for new talent.

But how much does Subway pay its employees? What factors determine the wage, and what benefits can Subway employees count on?

With all Subway restaurants being franchises (not directly owned by Subway), giving the exact, precise numbers is practically impossible (hourly rates and benefits may differ from one franchise to another).

Still, here are some averages, calculations, and estimates you can use as a reference point.

How Much Does Subway Pay on Average?

The average pay in a Subway restaurant can depend on many factors, including the job position, experience level, location, region, etc. Most people who enter the fast-food industry usually do so via an entry-level position like a food service worker, sandwich maker, or restaurant staff member.

To illustrate what an average Subway worker might earn, we’ll assume that they are a sandwich artist/maker.

How much does Subway pay per hour?

According to the latest national average based on employee reviews, a Subway sandwich maker makes $11.52 per hour. We will use this basis for (mostly) all the calculations in this article.

Once we have the Subway pay per hour (for any position) as a basis, we need to determine some parameters to allow further salary estimates. To calculate the Subway average pay of a sandwich maker, we’ll assume that:

• You work 40 hours per week as a full-time employee (anyone working less than 35 hours per week is considered a part-time employee), and there’s no overtime.
• There are 52 weeks (or 260 weekdays) per year (an ideal scenario that will always slightly deviate from the real picture).

With this equation, we’ll get unadjusted pay. To get pay adjusted for holidays and vacations, we’ll assume that:

• There are ten holidays per year.
• There are 15 vacation days per year.

Note: the deviation will always be roughly 10% (9.62%, more precisely).

How much does Subway pay weekly?

Sandwich makers at Subway can expect a $461 unadjusted/$416 adjusted weekly pay. Remember that this Subway weekly pay is still gross, so you might also want to find yourself a reliable take-home pay calculator.

Subway pays its employees bi-weekly (usually every other Friday, although different franchises may have different customs). Bi-weekly, sandwich makers can expect to earn $922 unadjusted and $833 adjusted.

Note: Bi-weekly and semi-monthly wages differ due to a different number of workdays. For instance, a Subway sandwich artist salary on a semi-monthly basis is $998 unadjusted and $902 adjusted.

How much does Subway pay monthly?

Using the same basis for calculation, a Subway sandwich maker can expect $1,997 unadjusted/$1,805 adjusted in gross monthly income.

Quarterly, Subway sandwich makers can make $5,990 unadjusted/$5,414 adjusted (should you require information about quarterly pay for tax or other purposes).

How much does Subway pay annually?

When talking about a Subway employee’s annual income, a sandwich maker can expect to make $23,962 unadjusted/$21,658 adjusted a year. Now, remember that this is merely total annual income and that the calculation won’t be 100% accurate (realistically, there are many overtime hours, sick days, days off, etc., per year).

To see exactly how much money you’ll have at your disposal, you might also want to consult take-home pay and income tax calculators.

How Much Does Subway Pay per State?

A Subway worker’s salary is determined by many factors, namely their job position and the state where the franchise is. Let’s see how salaries for the same positions differ across some US states:

How much does Subway pay in California?

Salaries in California are usually somewhat higher than in the rest of the US due to higher spending power and cost of living:

• A sandwich artist in California makes $14.98 per hour ($542 weekly/$28,162 annually, adjusted).
• A shift manager will make roughly $16.02 per hour ($579 weekly/$30,118 annually, adjusted).
• An assistant manager at Subway makes $16.94 per hour ($612 weekly/ $31,847 annually, adjusted).

While significantly higher than in the rest of the country, it’s still nothing to write home about.

How much does Subway pay in Florida?

In Florida, on the other hand, the earnings of a sandwich maker are somewhat lower than the national average. For instance:

• A sandwich maker earns $11.15 per hour ($403 weekly/$20,962 annually, adjusted).
• A shift manager earns a low $13.29 per hour ($480 weekly/$24,985 annually, adjusted).
• An assistant manager gets merely $13.65 per hour ($494 weekly/$25,662 annually, adjusted).

In other words, both the assistant manager and a shift manager in Florida make less an hour than a sandwich maker in California. Seeing as how this is gross pay, you must also consider the disparity of state taxes, not just fixate on the average Subway salary in each state.

How Old Do You Have to Be to Work at Subway?

To work at a Subway restaurant, you have to be at least 16 years old. Some states do allow hiring 15-year-olds in theory, but this is rarely done in practice.

How much does Subway pay 16-year-olds?

Sixteen-year-olds can expect the same hourly wage as their older colleagues. However, regulations in many US states prevent minors from working shifts longer than four hours during a school year (and these differ across the country).

So, how does this affect their salary? This depends on many factors, including if they are working during a school or non-school day. If we take California as an example, 16-year olds in this state are allowed to:

• Work four-hour-long shifts a day during school days (20 hours, five days a week).
• Work eight-hour-long shifts on non-school days or days preceding non-school days.

Using the average hourly wage at Subway restaurants in California for sandwich makers ($14.98), we get:

• A daily wage of $59.92 (during a school day; unadjusted).
• A daily wage of $119.84 (during a non-school day; unadjusted).

Note: Keep in mind that although during non-school days, 16-year-olds can earn as much as their older colleagues, on a larger scale, they will earn much less (especially during a school year). Additionally, minors are restricted in terms of positions that they can hold. Therefore, many will work for a Subway starting pay and see no opportunities for promotions.

How Much Does Subway Pay per Position?

The average salary of a Subway employee largely depends on what they do. Here is how much an average Subway worker can make in the US, depending on their position:

• A sandwich maker would get paid an average of $11.52 per hour. This will bring you an annual income of $21,658 (adjusted).
• Food service workers get paid $12.68 per hour. The annual income with this hourly wage comes down to $23,838 (adjusted).
• A shift manager gets paid $12.87 per hour. An annual Subway worker salary in this position will amount to $24,196 (adjusted).
• Restaurant staff members get $13.49 per hour. On a yearly basis, this will amount to $25,361 (adjusted).
• A manager at Subway earns $15.73 per hour. Annually, this is $29,572 (adjusted).
• A regional manager at Subway is paid $24 per hour. This brings your annual income up to $45,120 (adjusted).

As you can see, when compared to the wages in the rest of the fast-food industry, it’s really not much to write home about.

Subway Benefits

The benefits offered by Subway often depend on the job position. Some are available to all workers, while others are only reserved for upper-level management. All in all, it seems that the list of Subway’s benefits isn’t that impressive. However, this information is based on anonymous reviews and tips submitted by employees and may not apply to all franchises.

Some of the biggest downsides to working at a Subway restaurant, according to these tips and reviews, are:

• No dental or medical insurance benefits
• No maternity leave (or child care benefit)
• Common ‘no vacation days’ practice

However, there are some financial perks that can somewhat decently complement your Subway hourly pay:

• Weekly bonuses
• Quarterly bonuses
• Monthly bonuses
• Stock options
• Employee discounts

Aside from these bonuses, Subway also offers a training and development program, often described as quite decent.

Note: to get the bonuses, certain revenue goals need to be fulfilled first. In some franchises, these goals are often described as unrealistic.

Wrap Up

So, how much does Subway pay? The answer is — less than the industry average.

A sandwich maker will earn $11.52 an hour (national average), and while wages at some restaurants will be slightly higher, it’s still quite low compared to some of their closest competitors. Companies like McDonald’s, Taco Bell, and Burger King pay better and usually have better employee benefits.

However, if you’re a student or in between jobs and want a paycheck while waiting for a better opportunity, working part-time at a Subway franchise is not such a bad idea.