Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in North Carolina
$36,130avg. a year
$17.37 an hour · 11,170 employed
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in North Carolina earn an average of $36,130 a year. That is $2,680 (7%) less than the U.S. average of $38,810. The best-paying metro area is Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC at $40,740.
$36,140Median pay
$17.37Average hourly
+32%Avg. pay since 2020
#36Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying North Carolina metro areas
Average pay for cooks, institution and cafeteria by metro area. Swipe to see all 16.
12,510 jobs
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
$40,740
$19.59 an hour
2790 jobs
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
$38,850
$18.68 an hour
3430 jobs
Asheville, NC
$38,680
$18.60 an hour
43,090 jobs
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
$37,310
$17.94 an hour
51,060 jobs
Raleigh-Cary, NC
$37,090
$17.83 an hour
6360 jobs
Fayetteville, NC
$36,670
$17.63 an hour
7140 jobs
Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC
$36,310
$17.46 an hour
81,030 jobs
Greensboro-High Point, NC
$36,240
$17.42 an hour
9860 jobs
Winston-Salem, NC
$35,960
$17.29 an hour
10360 jobs
Wilmington, NC
$35,570
$17.10 an hour
11120 jobs
Goldsboro, NC
$35,060
$16.86 an hour
12150 jobs
Burlington, NC
$34,860
$16.76 an hour
13220 jobs
Greenville, NC
$34,440
$16.56 an hour
14240 jobs
Jacksonville, NC
$34,340
$16.51 an hour
15350 jobs
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
$34,150
$16.42 an hour
16120 jobs
Rocky Mount, NC
$32,460
$15.61 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, Institution and Cafeteria pay in North Carolina, charted
Pay over time
North Carolina, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where North Carolina cooks, institution and cafeteria work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · North Carolina highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $35k$35k–$39k$39k–$44k$44k+North Carolina
North Carolina vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $38,810 | $18.66 |
| North Carolina | $36,130 | $17.37 |
| Virginia | $39,500 | $18.99 |
| Georgia | $35,380 | $17.01 |
| Tennessee | $35,260 | $16.95 |
| South Carolina | $33,270 | $15.99 |
Related jobs in North Carolina
- Cooks, Restaurant$35,140
- Food Preparation Workers$31,270
- Cooks, Fast Food$27,080
- 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, institution and cafeteria make in North Carolina?
The average is $36,130 a year, and the median is $36,140. That is $2,680 (7%) less than the U.S. average of $38,810.
What is the hourly wage in North Carolina?
$17.37 an hour on average; the median is $17.38.
Where in North Carolina do they earn the most?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC ($40,740), followed by Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($38,850). The lowest average among 16 metro areas with data is Rocky Mount, NC ($32,460).
How does North Carolina rank?
North Carolina ranks #36 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 35-2012. 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, institution and cafeteria 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.