Cooks, Fast Food Salary in North Carolina
Cooks, Fast Food in North Carolina have a median of $27,190 a year, below the national $30,890 (−12%); the state ranks 44th of 51 states by median. That is 43% less than the median across all occupations in North Carolina ($47,970). Among neighbouring states, Virginia, Tennessee and South Carolina pay more (up to $29,950 in Virginia) and Georgia pays less (down to $26,940 in Georgia). North Carolina employs 81,980 cooks, fast food, 16.6 per 1,000 jobs, the 2nd largest count of any state. A location quotient of 4.02 means the occupation is more concentrated in North Carolina than nationally.
North Carolina vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $10.52 | $10.93 | $13.07 | $14.04 | $16.76 | $13.02 | 81,980 | 16.59 | 4.02 |
| Annual | $21,890 | $22,740 | $27,190 | $29,190 | $34,860 | $27,080 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $10.86 | $13.11 | $14.85 | $17.92 | $20.63 | $15.57 | 641,070 | – | – |
| Annual | $22,580 | $27,260 | $30,890 | $37,260 | $42,910 | $32,390 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 44th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 2nd of 49 states
- Location quotient
- 4.02
- Jobs per 1,000
- 16.59
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of North Carolina's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in North Carolina
16 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching North Carolina publish a row for cooks, fast food, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $14.04 | $29,190 | $23,260 | $35,610 | 4,520 | 13.13 | 3.18 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $13.64 | $28,380 | $27,370 | $33,280 | 5,030 | 6.59 | 1.60 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $13.57 | $28,220 | $22,590 | $34,220 | 11,500 | 15.48 | 3.76 |
| Asheville, NC | $13.52 | $28,120 | $22,030 | $35,240 | 2,570 | 14.24 | 3.45 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $13.40 | $27,880 | $22,190 | $33,800 | 6,850 | 18.74 | 4.55 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $13.31 | $27,690 | $22,430 | $35,720 | 15,830 | 11.65 | 2.83 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $13.25 | $27,550 | $21,810 | $34,310 | 2,650 | 17.17 | 4.16 |
| Wilmington, NC | $13.22 | $27,500 | $21,870 | $31,650 | 3,880 | 20.30 | 4.92 |
| Burlington, NC | $13.20 | $27,450 | $21,650 | $34,590 | 1,680 | 24.77 | 6.01 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $13.12 | $27,280 | $22,030 | $34,880 | 6,120 | 22.50 | 5.46 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $12.79 | $26,610 | $21,210 | $33,840 | 730 | 16.92 | 4.10 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $11.40 | $23,710 | $21,330 | $28,900 | 1,260 | 23.03 | 5.59 |
| Greenville, NC | $11.35 | $23,600 | $21,980 | $30,040 | 1,780 | 22.01 | 5.34 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $11.26 | $23,430 | $20,110 | $28,930 | 3,890 | 29.63 | 7.19 |
| Jacksonville, NC | $11.01 | $22,900 | $21,310 | $29,110 | 1,830 | 34.83 | 8.45 |
| Goldsboro, NC | $10.82 | $22,510 | $18,930 | $28,900 | 1,110 | 27.46 | 6.66 |
| Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $11.66 | $24,260 | $21,400 | $33,810 | 4,350 | 17.20 | 4.17 |
| Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $11.39 | $23,690 | $21,200 | $34,030 | 5,070 | 21.28 | 5.16 |
| Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $10.91 | $22,680 | $21,490 | $36,840 | 6,370 | 24.10 | 5.85 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $13.07 | $27,190 | 81,980 | 4.02 |
| Georgia | $12.95 | $26,940 | 12,940 | 0.64 |
| South Carolina | $13.18 | $27,420 | 9,110 | 0.96 |
| Tennessee | $13.62 | $28,330 | 14,020 | 1.04 |
| Virginia | $14.40 | $29,950 | 12,520 | 0.74 |
See the national page for Cooks, Fast Food (every state ranked) and the North Carolina wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS North Carolina estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.