Chefs and Head Cooks Salary in Hickory, NC

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC

Median annual salary $57,880 -5.1% vs national
Median hourly $27.83
10th percentile $33,280
90th percentile $77,050
Employed locally 120
National median $60,990

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Chefs and Head Cooks
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $33,280
    25th
    $43,110
    50th (median)
    $57,880
    75th
    $66,350
    90th
    $77,050

    Hickory economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.60% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $60,255 2023 • Census ACS
    Chefs and Head Cooks salary vs area income 96% Median Chefs and Head Cooks salary is 4% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Chefs and Head Cooks

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Kahului-Wailuku, HI $87,410
    Morgantown, WV $87,280
    Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area $85,370
    Terre Haute, IN $83,880
    East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area $81,720
    Hawaii $81,200

    Nearby metros — Chefs and Head Cooks salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $78,390
    Trenton-Princeton, NJ $71,790
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $71,600
    Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $64,590
    Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC $63,500
    Asheville, NC $62,040

    Related occupations in Hickory, NC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Cooks, Fast Food $24,180
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $28,400
    Waiters and Waitresses $26,580
    Cooks, Restaurant $34,340
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $37,760
    Food Preparation Workers $27,790

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Chefs and Head Cooks make per hour in Hickory?

    The median hourly wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in Hickory, NC is $27.83, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $37.44 or more per hour.

    Is Hickory above or below average for Chefs and Head Cooks salaries?

    The median Chefs and Head Cooks salary in Hickory, NC is 5.1% below the national median of $60,990. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Chefs and Head Cooks in Hickory?

    Entry-level Chefs and Head Cooks (10th percentile) earn around $33,280 per year in Hickory, NC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $43,110.