SOC 35-2015 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Cooks, Short Order — Western North Carolina
Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area · 7 metro areas compared
The median wage for Cooks, Short Order in Western North Carolina, NC is $28,790 per year, 19.8% below the national median of $35,880.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Cooks, Short Order in Western North Carolina, NC is $28,790 per year, 19.8% below the national median of $35,880. Pay ranges from under $17,890 at the tenth percentile to more than $36,000 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $22,890 to $31,030.
The area has 220 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 0.9 of every thousand jobs. Durham leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $35,040. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 457th of 472 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $17,890 | −50.1% |
| 25th | $22,890 | −36.2% |
| Median (50th) | $28,790 | −19.8% |
| 75th | $31,030 | −13.5% |
| 90th | $36,000 | +0.3% |
| Mean | $28,460 | −20.7% |
Other metro areas in North Carolina
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durham | $35,040 | 150 | |
| 2 | Charlotte | $34,600 | 530 | |
| 3 | Raleigh | $31,200 | 530 | |
| 4 | Greensboro | $29,700 | 260 | |
| 5 | Wilmington | $29,620 | 150 | |
| 6 | Winston-Salem | $29,400 | 170 | |
| 7 | Hickory | $29,230 | — |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Western North Carolina run 5.7% below the national average, so the median of $28,790 goes as far as $30,530 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 14.9% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$28,790as reported by BLSLocal price level
94.3US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$30,530US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $28,790 a year, 19.8% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $17,890 to $36,000 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 220 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Durham, at $35,040.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Cooks, Short Order in Western North Carolina, NC?
The median annual wage is $28,790, or $13.84 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 $35,880, so pay in Western North Carolina, NC is 19.8% 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 Western North Carolina, NC earns more than $36,000 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $17,890 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 Durham, at $35,040 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 220 jobs in this occupation in Western North Carolina, NC. 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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