SOC 35-2014 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Cooks, Restaurant — North Carolina
North Carolina · 10 metro areas compared
The median wage for Cooks, Restaurant in North Carolina is $35,400 per year, close to the national median of $37,390 for the same occupation.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Cooks, Restaurant in North Carolina is $35,400 per year, close to the national median of $37,390 for the same occupation. Pay ranges from under $27,980 at the tenth percentile to more than $45,450 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $29,690 to $38,170.
The area has 50,150 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 10.1 of every thousand jobs. Among the 51 states with published data for this occupation, North Carolina ranks 40th by median wage. Charlotte leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $37,030. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 685th of 745 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $27,980 | −25.2% |
| 25th | $29,690 | −20.6% |
| Median (50th) | $35,400 | −5.3% |
| 75th | $38,170 | +2.1% |
| 90th | $45,450 | +21.6% |
| Mean | $35,140 | −6.0% |
Highest-paying metro areas in North Carolina
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charlotte | $37,030 | 14,430 | |
| 2 | Asheville | $36,590 | 2,480 | |
| 3 | Raleigh | $36,280 | 7,160 | |
| 4 | Durham | $36,170 | 2,660 | |
| 5 | Pinehurst | $35,690 | 670 | |
| 6 | Wilmington | $34,940 | 3,440 | |
| 7 | Winston-Salem | $34,600 | 2,580 | |
| 8 | Greensboro | $34,550 | 3,250 | |
| 9 | Greenville | $34,130 | 890 | |
| 10 | Burlington | $32,830 | 740 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in North Carolina run 5.7% below the national average, so the median of $35,400 goes as far as $37,540 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 0.4% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$35,400as reported by BLSLocal price level
94.3US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$37,540US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $35,400 a year, 5.3% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $27,980 to $45,450 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 50,150 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 40th of 51 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Charlotte, at $37,030.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Cooks, Restaurant in North Carolina?
The median annual wage is $35,400, or $17.02 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $37,390, so pay in North Carolina is 5.3% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in North Carolina earns more than $45,450 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $27,980 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Charlotte, at $37,030 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 50,150 jobs in this occupation in North Carolina. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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