Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Charlotte, NC-SC

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Median annual salary $28,310 -6.1% vs national
Median hourly $13.61
10th percentile $22,680
90th percentile $34,850
Employed locally 18,560
National median $30,160

Compare Cooks, Fast Food salary & buying power

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Cooks, Fast Food
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Charlotte, NC-SC
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $22,680
    25th
    $23,680
    50th (median)
    $28,310
    75th
    $30,070
    90th
    $34,850

    Charlotte economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.60% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $80,201 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Fast Food salary vs area income 35% Median Cooks, Fast Food salary is 65% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Cooks, Fast Food

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $41,980
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $41,800
    Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $40,580
    Hawaii $40,300
    Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $39,260
    Napa, CA $39,210

    Nearby metros — Cooks, Fast Food salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $41,980
    Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $40,580
    Manchester-Nashua, NH $37,020
    Anchorage, AK $35,820
    Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $35,550
    Trenton-Princeton, NJ $34,700

    Related occupations in Charlotte, NC-SC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $29,070
    Waiters and Waitresses $28,990
    Cooks, Restaurant $37,090
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $45,920
    Bartenders $35,990
    Food Preparation Workers $30,580

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Cooks, Fast Food make per hour in Charlotte?

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Fast Food in Charlotte, NC-SC is $13.61, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $17.17 or more per hour.

    Is Charlotte above or below average for Cooks, Fast Food salaries?

    The median Cooks, Fast Food salary in Charlotte, NC-SC is 6.1% below the national median of $30,160. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Cooks, Fast Food in Charlotte?

    Entry-level Cooks, Fast Food (10th percentile) earn around $22,680 per year in Charlotte, NC-SC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $23,680.