Fast Food and Counter Workers Salary in North Carolina
Fast Food and Counter Workers in North Carolina have a median of $28,570 a year, below the national $31,200 (−8%); the state ranks 35th of 51 states by median. That is 40% less than the median across all occupations in North Carolina ($47,970). Among neighbouring states, Virginia pays more (up to $30,110 in Virginia) and South Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia pay less (down to $26,920 in Georgia). North Carolina employs 92,230 fast food and counter workers, 18.7 per 1,000 jobs, the 14th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.75 means it is less common 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 | $10.48 | $11.24 | $13.74 | $16.52 | $17.70 | $13.97 | 92,230 | 18.66 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $21,800 | $23,370 | $28,570 | $34,370 | $36,820 | $29,050 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $10.98 | $13.32 | $15.00 | $17.34 | $20.51 | $15.46 | 3,854,050 | – | – |
| Annual | $22,840 | $27,700 | $31,200 | $36,070 | $42,650 | $32,150 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 35th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 14th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.75
- Jobs per 1,000
- 18.66
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 fast food and counter workers, 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 | $14.02 | $29,170 | $22,590 | $37,860 | 5,350 | 15.57 | 0.63 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $13.98 | $29,080 | $22,370 | $37,460 | 12,790 | 17.21 | 0.69 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $13.88 | $28,880 | $22,850 | $37,010 | 27,050 | 19.92 | 0.80 |
| Asheville, NC | $13.85 | $28,810 | $22,090 | $36,420 | 3,850 | 21.31 | 0.86 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $13.84 | $28,780 | $27,420 | $35,360 | 22,520 | 29.51 | 1.19 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $13.77 | $28,640 | $21,430 | $36,580 | 4,900 | 18.00 | 0.73 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $13.56 | $28,200 | $21,450 | $36,190 | 6,790 | 18.59 | 0.75 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $13.54 | $28,170 | $21,110 | $35,660 | 3,130 | 23.81 | 0.96 |
| Goldsboro, NC | $13.50 | $28,070 | $21,090 | $35,990 | 760 | 18.93 | 0.76 |
| Greenville, NC | $13.46 | $28,000 | $21,510 | $35,600 | 1,770 | 21.88 | 0.88 |
| Burlington, NC | $13.32 | $27,710 | $21,600 | $36,010 | 1,480 | 21.83 | 0.88 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $13.26 | $27,580 | $21,340 | $36,170 | 2,930 | 19.00 | 0.77 |
| Wilmington, NC | $13.20 | $27,460 | $21,530 | $37,030 | 5,100 | 26.66 | 1.08 |
| Jacksonville, NC | $13.14 | $27,330 | $21,100 | $36,940 | 1,900 | 36.17 | 1.46 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $13.08 | $27,200 | $20,960 | $36,680 | 880 | 20.43 | 0.82 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $12.91 | $26,850 | $20,930 | $34,600 | 880 | 16.04 | 0.65 |
| Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $13.50 | $28,090 | $21,690 | $36,060 | 4,850 | 18.33 | 0.74 |
| Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $13.40 | $27,860 | $21,650 | $36,300 | 5,200 | 20.54 | 0.83 |
| Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $12.45 | $25,900 | $20,760 | $34,170 | 6,080 | 25.54 | 1.03 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $13.74 | $28,570 | 92,230 | 0.75 |
| Georgia | $12.94 | $26,920 | 145,030 | 1.20 |
| South Carolina | $13.23 | $27,520 | 65,070 | 1.14 |
| Tennessee | $13.21 | $27,470 | 90,690 | 1.12 |
| Virginia | $14.48 | $30,110 | 104,460 | 1.03 |
See the national page for Fast Food and Counter Workers (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.