Food Preparation Workers Salary in North Carolina
Food Preparation Workers in North Carolina have a median of $30,260 a year, below the national $35,320 (−14%); the state ranks 42nd of 51 states by median. That is 37% less than the median across all occupations in North Carolina ($47,970). Among neighbouring states, Georgia, Virginia and South Carolina pay more (up to $35,250 in Georgia) and Tennessee pays less (down to $28,700 in Tennessee). North Carolina employs 24,960 food preparation workers, 5.05 per 1,000 jobs, the 8th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.88 is close to the national share.
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 | $12.79 | $14.55 | $17.37 | $18.63 | $15.03 | 24,960 | 5.05 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $21,870 | $26,610 | $30,260 | $36,120 | $38,760 | $31,270 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $12.41 | $14.40 | $16.98 | $18.53 | $21.80 | $16.96 | 893,600 | – | – |
| Annual | $25,810 | $29,950 | $35,320 | $38,550 | $45,340 | $35,290 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 42nd of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 8th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.88
- Jobs per 1,000
- 5.05
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 food preparation 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winston-Salem, NC | $16.62 | $34,580 | $25,270 | $37,210 | 1,130 | 4.15 | 0.72 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $16.62 | $34,560 | $24,820 | $44,950 | 1,170 | 3.40 | 0.59 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $16.43 | $34,180 | $21,760 | $43,940 | 5,800 | 4.27 | 0.74 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $15.66 | $32,580 | $28,630 | $38,430 | 3,120 | 4.09 | 0.71 |
| Asheville, NC | $15.44 | $32,110 | $23,930 | $38,680 | 1,250 | 6.91 | 1.20 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $15.31 | $31,840 | $24,280 | $38,340 | 1,820 | 4.99 | 0.87 |
| Wilmington, NC | $15.30 | $31,830 | $22,820 | $44,420 | 1,380 | 7.24 | 1.26 |
| Burlington, NC | $14.26 | $29,660 | $21,220 | $37,120 | 410 | 6.06 | 1.05 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $14.17 | $29,470 | $22,340 | $39,380 | 5,290 | 7.12 | 1.24 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $13.94 | $29,000 | $22,400 | $36,890 | 300 | 6.92 | 1.20 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $13.87 | $28,850 | $21,900 | $37,090 | 260 | 4.72 | 0.82 |
| Greenville, NC | $13.58 | $28,240 | $22,560 | $37,920 | 410 | 5.08 | 0.88 |
| Goldsboro, NC | $13.52 | $28,130 | $20,350 | $35,770 | 250 | 6.21 | 1.08 |
| Jacksonville, NC | $13.42 | $27,900 | $18,980 | $35,140 | 280 | 5.29 | 0.92 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $13.31 | $27,680 | $20,960 | $37,140 | 750 | 4.86 | 0.85 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $13.26 | $27,590 | $20,740 | $36,990 | 930 | 7.05 | 1.23 |
| Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $13.81 | $28,730 | $22,360 | $36,000 | 2,190 | 8.64 | 1.50 |
| Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $13.75 | $28,610 | $20,640 | $36,540 | 1,130 | 4.29 | 0.75 |
| Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $12.71 | $26,430 | $20,730 | $36,350 | 760 | 3.21 | 0.56 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $14.55 | $30,260 | 24,960 | 0.88 |
| Georgia | $16.95 | $35,250 | 26,450 | 0.94 |
| South Carolina | $15.47 | $32,180 | 14,460 | 1.09 |
| Tennessee | $13.80 | $28,700 | 19,780 | 1.05 |
| Virginia | $16.78 | $34,900 | 16,340 | 0.69 |
See the national page for Food Preparation 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.