SOC 35-9099 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other — Raleigh
Raleigh-Cary, NC · 10 metro areas compared
In Raleigh, NC the median wage is $29,890.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow faster than average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +6.4%
- Openings per year
- 14,600
- Typical entry-level education
- No formal educational credential
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Raleigh-Cary, NC.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
In Raleigh, NC the median wage is $29,890. That is 16.6% lower than the national median of $35,840. Pay ranges from under $15,540 at the tenth percentile to more than $40,420 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $22,360 to $35,380.
Employment stands at 580, or 0.8 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, Durham records the highest median at $34,480. Of the 571 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 558th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $15,540 | −56.6% |
| 25th | $22,360 | −37.6% |
| Median (50th) | $29,890 | −16.6% |
| 75th | $35,380 | −1.3% |
| 90th | $40,420 | +12.8% |
| Mean | $28,910 | −19.3% |
Other metro areas in North Carolina
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durham | $34,480 | 250 | |
| 2 | Charlotte | $31,440 | 1,500 | |
| 3 | Asheville | $30,450 | 150 | |
| 4 | Wilmington | $30,350 | 280 | |
| 5 | Pinehurst | $30,200 | 100 | |
| 6 | Winston-Salem | $30,060 | 310 | |
| 7 | Burlington | $30,050 | 70 | |
| 8 | Greensboro | $29,190 | 250 | |
| 9 | Hickory | $29,150 | 120 | |
| 10 | Greenville | $28,720 | 110 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Raleigh sit close to the national average, so $29,890 is worth roughly its face value against pay elsewhere.
Published median
$29,890as reported by BLSLocal price level
98.2US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$30,438US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $29,890 a year, 16.6% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $15,540 to $40,420 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 580 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Durham, at $34,480.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other in Raleigh, NC?
The median annual wage is $29,890, or $14.37 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 $35,840, so pay in Raleigh, NC is 16.6% 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 Raleigh, NC earns more than $40,420 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $15,540 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 $34,480 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 580 jobs in this occupation in Raleigh, 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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