Cooks, Short Order salary in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
Cooks, Short Order in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area earn a median of $34,600 a year ($16.64 an hour), based on BLS data for 530 workers.
Pay ranges from $29,510 for the lowest-paid 10% to $39,350 for the top 10%. That is 4% lower than the national median of $35,880. Pay here is 11% higher than the North Carolina statewide median of $31,290. There are 0.39 cooks, short order per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.43). The average (mean) salary is $34,580, close to the median.
Pay range for cooks, short order in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $29,510 | $14.19 |
| 25th percentile | $30,540 | $14.69 |
| Median | $34,600 | $16.64 |
| 75th percentile | $37,290 | $17.93 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $39,350 | $18.92 |
| Average (mean) | $34,580 | $16.63 |
Half of cooks, short order 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 | $2,883.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,441.67 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,330.77 |
| Weekly | $665.38 |
| Hourly | $16.64 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $34,600 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, Short Order salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $35,040 | 150 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $32,020 | n/a |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $31,200 | 530 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $30,690 | 110 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $29,700 | 260 |
| Wilmington, NC | $29,620 | 150 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $29,400 | 170 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $29,230 | n/a |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $29,200 | 70 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $28,490 | 120 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $27,830 | 810 |
| Columbia, SC | $27,540 | 100 |
Highest-paying states for cooks, short order
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Arizona | $46,630 |
| Rhode Island | $46,250 |
| Massachusetts | $44,290 |
| Hawaii | $43,110 |
| California | $42,930 |
| Washington | $42,760 |
| Colorado | $42,450 |
| Connecticut | $42,450 |
| District of Columbia | $42,450 |
| New Jersey | $40,720 |
See Cooks, Short Order 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 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $37,030 | $17.80 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $34,180 | $16.43 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $37,690 | $18.12 |
| 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 35-2015. 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, short order make in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC?
The median salary for cooks, short order in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area is $34,600 a year, or $16.64 an hour. Pay ranges from $29,510 for the lowest-paid 10% to $39,350 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid cooks, short order make in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC?
The top 10% of cooks, short order in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area earn at least $39,350 a year. The top 25% earn $37,290 or more.
What is the starting pay for cooks, short order in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $29,510 a year, and a quarter of cooks, short order earn $30,540 or less.
How many cooks, short order work in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC?
About 530 cooks, short order are employed in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area, not counting the self-employed.