Cooks, Fast Food salary in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
Cooks, Fast Food in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area earn a median of $27,550 a year ($13.25 an hour), based on BLS data for 2,650 workers.
Pay ranges from $21,810 for the lowest-paid 10% to $34,310 for the top 10%. That is 11% lower than the national median of $30,890. Pay here is 1% higher than the North Carolina statewide median of $27,190. There are 17 cooks, fast food per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 4.2× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $26,810, close to the median.
Pay range for cooks, fast food in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $21,810 | $10.49 |
| 25th percentile | $22,640 | $10.89 |
| Median | $27,550 | $13.25 |
| 75th percentile | $29,180 | $14.03 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $34,310 | $16.49 |
| Average (mean) | $26,810 | $12.89 |
Half of cooks, fast food earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $2,295.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,147.92 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,059.62 |
| Weekly | $529.81 |
| Hourly | $13.25 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $27,550 salary, see how much house you can afford in North Carolina at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $29,190 | 4,520 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $28,380 | 5,030 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $28,220 | 11,500 |
| Asheville, NC | $28,120 | 2,570 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $27,880 | 6,850 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $27,690 | 15,830 |
| Wilmington, NC | $27,500 | 3,880 |
| Burlington, NC | $27,450 | 1,680 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $27,280 | 6,120 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $26,610 | 730 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $23,710 | 1,260 |
| Greenville, NC | $23,600 | 1,780 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $23,430 | 3,890 |
| Jacksonville, NC | $22,900 | 1,830 |
| Goldsboro, NC | $22,510 | 1,110 |
Highest-paying states for cooks, fast food
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $48,120 |
| District of Columbia | $44,670 |
| California | $42,050 |
| Washington | $39,120 |
| New Hampshire | $38,590 |
| Vermont | $38,230 |
| Oregon | $37,880 |
| Massachusetts | $37,870 |
| Colorado | $36,900 |
| Maine | $36,350 |
See Cooks, Fast Food pay in every state or the North Carolina statewide figures.
Related jobs in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Cooks, Restaurant | $30,380 | $14.60 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $27,680 | $13.31 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $35,130 | $16.89 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $29,230 | $14.05 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $27,580 | $13.26 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $29,310 | $14.09 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $41,780 | $20.09 |
| Bartender | $31,860 | $15.32 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $27,110 | $13.03 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $26,940 | $12.95 |
| Dishwasher | $28,980 | $13.93 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $31,370 | $15.08 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | $29,150 | $14.01 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $59,480 | $28.60 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 35-2011. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, fast food make in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
The median salary for cooks, fast food in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area is $27,550 a year, or $13.25 an hour. Pay ranges from $21,810 for the lowest-paid 10% to $34,310 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid cooks, fast food make in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
The top 10% of cooks, fast food in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area earn at least $34,310 a year. The top 25% earn $29,180 or more.
What is the starting pay for cooks, fast food in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $21,810 a year, and a quarter of cooks, fast food earn $22,640 or less.
How many cooks, fast food work in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
About 2,650 cooks, fast food are employed in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area, not counting the self-employed.