SOC 35-3041 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — Asheville
Asheville, NC · 10 metro areas compared
The median wage for Food Servers, Nonrestaurant in Asheville, NC is $35,040 per year, close to the national median of $35,360 for the same occupation.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Food Servers, Nonrestaurant in Asheville, NC is $35,040 per year, close to the national median of $35,360 for the same occupation. Pay ranges from under $24,690 at the tenth percentile to more than $39,640 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $28,660 to $37,540.
The area has 420 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 2.3 of every thousand jobs. Goldsboro leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $38,980. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 396th of 425 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $24,690 | −30.2% |
| 25th | $28,660 | −18.9% |
| Median (50th) | $35,040 | −0.9% |
| 75th | $37,540 | +6.2% |
| 90th | $39,640 | +12.1% |
| Mean | $34,750 | −1.7% |
Other metro areas in North Carolina
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Goldsboro | $38,980 | 50 | |
| 2 | Wilmington | $34,810 | 410 | |
| 3 | Winston-Salem | $34,620 | 560 | |
| 4 | Durham | $34,500 | 740 | |
| 5 | Charlotte | $33,550 | 2,260 | |
| 6 | Raleigh | $32,470 | 1,280 | |
| 7 | Jacksonville | $31,460 | 100 | |
| 8 | Hickory | $31,370 | 210 | |
| 9 | Pinehurst | $30,790 | 250 | |
| 10 | Fayetteville | $29,730 | 190 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Asheville run 5.7% below the national average, so the median of $35,040 goes as far as $37,158 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 5.1% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$35,040as reported by BLSLocal price level
94.3US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$37,158US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $35,040 a year, 0.9% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $24,690 to $39,640 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 420 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Goldsboro, at $38,980.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Food Servers, Nonrestaurant in Asheville, NC?
The median annual wage is $35,040, or $16.85 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 $35,360, so pay in Asheville, NC is 0.9% 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 $39,640 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $24,690 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 Goldsboro, at $38,980 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 420 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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