Cooks, Restaurant salary in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
Cooks, Restaurant in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area earn a median of $37,030 a year ($17.80 an hour), based on BLS data for 14,430 workers.
Pay ranges from $29,210 for the lowest-paid 10% to $45,980 for the top 10%. That is 1% lower than the national median of $37,390. Pay here is 5% higher than the North Carolina statewide median of $35,400. There are 11 cooks, restaurant per 1,000 jobs here — close to the national average. The average (mean) salary is $37,110, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for cooks, restaurant in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $29,210 | $14.04 |
| 25th percentile | $30,250 | $14.55 |
| Median | $37,030 | $17.80 |
| 75th percentile | $41,840 | $20.11 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $45,980 | $22.11 |
| Average (mean) | $37,110 | $17.84 |
Half of cooks, restaurant 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 | $3,085.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,542.92 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,424.23 |
| Weekly | $712.12 |
| Hourly | $17.80 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $37,030 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, Restaurant salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $36,820 | 1,730 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $36,710 | 6,040 |
| Asheville, NC | $36,590 | 2,480 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $36,280 | 7,160 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $36,280 | 8,380 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $36,170 | 2,660 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $35,690 | 670 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $35,680 | 4,360 |
| Spartanburg, SC | $35,500 | 1,180 |
| Columbia, SC | $35,490 | 3,520 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $35,190 | 3,420 |
| Wilmington, NC | $34,940 | 3,440 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $34,600 | 2,580 |
| Florence, SC | $34,550 | 730 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $34,550 | 3,250 |
| Greenville, NC | $34,130 | 890 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $33,990 | 2,200 |
| Burlington, NC | $32,830 | 740 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $32,720 | 1,210 |
| Goldsboro, NC | $32,420 | 420 |
| Sumter, SC | $31,370 | 290 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $30,380 | 1,410 |
| Jacksonville, NC | $29,580 | 730 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $29,070 | 420 |
Highest-paying states for cooks, restaurant
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $46,800 |
| District of Columbia | $46,130 |
| Massachusetts | $45,600 |
| Hawaii | $45,420 |
| Vermont | $45,390 |
| Maine | $45,290 |
| California | $44,880 |
| New York | $43,680 |
| Oregon | $43,100 |
| Colorado | $41,600 |
See Cooks, Restaurant pay in every state or the North Carolina statewide figures.
Related jobs in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Cooks, Fast Food | $27,690 | $13.31 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $34,180 | $16.43 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $37,690 | $18.12 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $34,600 | $16.64 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $28,880 | $13.88 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $36,430 | $17.51 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $47,280 | $22.73 |
| Bartender | $37,390 | $17.97 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $29,550 | $14.21 |
| Dishwasher | $31,920 | $15.35 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $29,470 | $14.17 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $33,550 | $16.13 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | $31,440 | $15.12 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $64,260 | $30.90 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 35-2014. 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, restaurant make in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC?
The median salary for cooks, restaurant in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area is $37,030 a year, or $17.80 an hour. Pay ranges from $29,210 for the lowest-paid 10% to $45,980 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid cooks, restaurant make in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC?
The top 10% of cooks, restaurant in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area earn at least $45,980 a year. The top 25% earn $41,840 or more.
What is the starting pay for cooks, restaurant in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $29,210 a year, and a quarter of cooks, restaurant earn $30,250 or less.
How many cooks, restaurant work in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC?
About 14,430 cooks, restaurant are employed in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area, not counting the self-employed.