SOC 35-3023 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Fast Food and Counter Workers — Asheville
Asheville, NC · 10 metro areas compared
The median wage for Fast Food and Counter Workers in Asheville, NC is $28,810 per year, close to the national median of $31,200 for the same occupation.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Fast Food and Counter Workers in Asheville, NC is $28,810 per year, close to the national median of $31,200 for the same occupation. Pay ranges from under $22,090 at the tenth percentile to more than $36,420 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $23,980 to $34,670.
The area has 3,850 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 21.3 of every thousand jobs. Durham leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $29,170. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 421st of 425 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $22,090 | −29.2% |
| 25th | $23,980 | −23.1% |
| Median (50th) | $28,810 | −7.7% |
| 75th | $34,670 | +11.1% |
| 90th | $36,420 | +16.7% |
| Mean | $29,430 | −5.7% |
Other metro areas in North Carolina
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durham | $29,170 | 5,350 | |
| 2 | Raleigh | $29,080 | 12,790 | |
| 3 | Charlotte | $28,880 | 27,050 | |
| 4 | Winston-Salem | $28,640 | 4,900 | |
| 5 | Greensboro | $28,200 | 6,790 | |
| 6 | Fayetteville | $28,170 | 3,130 | |
| 7 | Goldsboro | $28,070 | 760 | |
| 8 | Greenville | $28,000 | 1,770 | |
| 9 | Burlington | $27,710 | 1,480 | |
| 10 | Hickory | $27,580 | 2,930 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Asheville run 5.7% below the national average, so the median of $28,810 goes as far as $30,551 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 2.1% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$28,810as reported by BLSLocal price level
94.3US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$30,551US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $28,810 a year, 7.7% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $22,090 to $36,420 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 3,850 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Durham, at $29,170.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Fast Food and Counter Workers in Asheville, NC?
The median annual wage is $28,810, or $13.85 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 $31,200, so pay in Asheville, NC is 7.7% 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 Asheville, NC earns more than $36,420 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $22,090 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 $29,170 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 3,850 jobs in this occupation in Asheville, 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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