Cooks, Fast Food pay in North Carolina
$27,080avg. a year
$13.02 an hour · 81,980 employed
Cooks, Fast Food in North Carolina earn an average of $27,080 a year. That is $5,310 (16%) less than the U.S. average of $32,390. The best-paying metro area is Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC at $29,490.
$27,190Median pay
$13.02Average hourly
+34%Avg. pay since 2020
#47Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying North Carolina metro areas
Average pay for cooks, fast food by metro area. Swipe to see all 16.
15,030 jobs
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
$29,490
$14.18 an hour
24,520 jobs
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
$29,290
$14.08 an hour
315,830 jobs
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
$28,720
$13.81 an hour
411,500 jobs
Raleigh-Cary, NC
$28,070
$13.50 an hour
52,570 jobs
Asheville, NC
$28,010
$13.47 an hour
66,120 jobs
Winston-Salem, NC
$27,190
$13.07 an hour
76,850 jobs
Greensboro-High Point, NC
$27,020
$12.99 an hour
82,650 jobs
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
$26,810
$12.89 an hour
91,680 jobs
Burlington, NC
$26,770
$12.87 an hour
103,880 jobs
Wilmington, NC
$26,470
$12.73 an hour
11730 jobs
Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC
$26,140
$12.57 an hour
121,780 jobs
Greenville, NC
$25,620
$12.32 an hour
133,890 jobs
Fayetteville, NC
$25,050
$12.04 an hour
141,260 jobs
Rocky Mount, NC
$25,010
$12.02 an hour
151,830 jobs
Jacksonville, NC
$24,440
$11.75 an hour
161,110 jobs
Goldsboro, NC
$24,210
$11.64 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.
Cooks, Fast Food pay in North Carolina, charted
Pay over time
North Carolina, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where North Carolina cooks, fast food work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · North Carolina highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $29k$29k–$32k$32k–$36k$36k+North Carolina
North Carolina vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $32,390 | $15.57 |
| North Carolina | $27,080 | $13.02 |
| Virginia | $31,980 | $15.38 |
| Tennessee | $29,480 | $14.18 |
| South Carolina | $28,080 | $13.50 |
| Georgia | $27,560 | $13.25 |
Related jobs in North Carolina
- Cooks, Restaurant$35,140
- Food Preparation Workers$31,270
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$36,130
- Cooks, Short Order$31,680
- Fast Food and Counter Workers$29,050
- Waiters and Waitresses$37,850
Average pay, North Carolina, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do cooks, fast food make in North Carolina?
The average is $27,080 a year, and the median is $27,190. That is $5,310 (16%) less than the U.S. average of $32,390.
What is the hourly wage in North Carolina?
$13.02 an hour on average; the median is $13.07.
Where in North Carolina do they earn the most?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC ($29,490), followed by Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($29,290). The lowest average among 16 metro areas with data is Goldsboro, NC ($24,210).
How does North Carolina rank?
North Carolina ranks #47 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 35-2011. 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 cooks, fast food 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.