Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Wilmington, NC

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Wilmington, NC

Median annual salary $26,740 -11.3% vs national
Median hourly $12.86
10th percentile $22,060
90th percentile $28,650
Employed locally 4,310
National median $30,160

Compare Cooks, Fast Food salary & buying power

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Cooks, Fast Food
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Wilmington, NC
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $22,060
    25th
    $23,390
    50th (median)
    $26,740
    75th
    $28,130
    90th
    $28,650

    Wilmington economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.50% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $73,687 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Fast Food salary vs area income 36% Median Cooks, Fast Food salary is 64% 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 Wilmington, NC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Waiters and Waitresses$21,540
    Fast Food and Counter Workers$28,910
    Cooks, Restaurant$35,170
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$44,780
    Bartenders$29,650
    Food Preparation Workers$31,750

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Fast Food in Wilmington, NC is $12.86, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $15.21 or more per hour.

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

    The median Cooks, Fast Food salary in Wilmington, NC is 11.3% 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 Wilmington?

    Entry-level Cooks, Fast Food (10th percentile) earn around $22,060 per year in Wilmington, NC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $23,390.