Chefs and Head Cooks pay in North Carolina
$63,960avg. a year
$30.75 an hour · 4,920 employed
Chefs and Head Cooks in North Carolina earn an average of $63,960 a year. That is $2,740 (4%) less than the U.S. average of $66,700. The best-paying metro area is Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC at $68,430.
$61,130Median pay
$30.75Average hourly
+21%Avg. pay since 2020
#30Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying North Carolina metro areas
Average pay for chefs and head cooks by metro area. Swipe to see all 14.
11,480 jobs
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
$68,430
$32.90 an hour
2270 jobs
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
$68,430
$32.90 an hour
390 jobs
Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC
$66,530
$31.99 an hour
4820 jobs
Raleigh-Cary, NC
$63,990
$30.77 an hour
5280 jobs
Greensboro-High Point, NC
$63,330
$30.45 an hour
6290 jobs
Asheville, NC
$62,210
$29.91 an hour
740 jobs
Rocky Mount, NC
$61,160
$29.41 an hour
8270 jobs
Wilmington, NC
$61,010
$29.33 an hour
9530 jobs
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
$61,000
$29.33 an hour
1080 jobs
Greenville, NC
$60,790
$29.23 an hour
11110 jobs
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
$59,850
$28.77 an hour
1260 jobs
Burlington, NC
$59,710
$28.71 an hour
13100 jobs
Fayetteville, NC
$57,440
$27.62 an hour
14240 jobs
Winston-Salem, NC
$57,050
$27.43 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Chefs and Head Cooks pay in North Carolina, charted
Pay over time
North Carolina, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where North Carolina chefs and head cooks work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · North Carolina highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $60k$60k–$66k$66k–$70k$70k+North Carolina
North Carolina vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $66,700 | $32.07 |
| North Carolina | $63,960 | $30.75 |
| South Carolina | $70,780 | $34.03 |
| Tennessee | $70,710 | $34.00 |
| Georgia | $70,450 | $33.87 |
| Virginia | $65,320 | $31.41 |
Related jobs in North Carolina
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$46,550
- Fast Food and Counter Workers$29,050
- Waiters and Waitresses$37,850
- Cooks, Restaurant$35,140
- Food Preparation Workers$31,270
- Bartenders$41,200
Average pay, North Carolina, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do chefs and head cooks make in North Carolina?
The average is $63,960 a year, and the median is $61,130. That is $2,740 (4%) less than the U.S. average of $66,700.
What is the hourly wage in North Carolina?
$30.75 an hour on average; the median is $29.39.
Where in North Carolina do they earn the most?
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC ($68,430), followed by Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($68,430). The lowest average among 14 metro areas with data is Winston-Salem, NC ($57,050).
How does North Carolina rank?
North Carolina ranks #30 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 35-1011. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national chefs and head cooks page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.