Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary in Hickory, NC

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

Median annual salary $32,930 -9.7% vs national
Median hourly $15.83
10th percentile $25,600
90th percentile $41,420
Employed locally 460
National median $36,450

Compare Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary & buying power

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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $25,600
    25th
    $29,840
    50th (median)
    $32,930
    75th
    $36,430
    90th
    $41,420

    Hickory economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.60% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $60,255 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary vs area income 55% Median Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary is 45% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Kahului-Wailuku, HI $54,840
    Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $50,290
    Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area $50,150
    Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $49,850
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $48,940
    Washington $48,260

    Nearby metros — Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $47,920
    Anchorage, AK $46,750
    Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $44,990
    Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $44,760
    Manchester-Nashua, NH $44,490
    Trenton-Princeton, NJ $43,500

    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 Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria make per hour in Hickory?

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Hickory, NC is $15.83, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $20.73 or more per hour.

    Is Hickory above or below average for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salaries?

    The median Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in Hickory, NC is 9.7% below the national median of $36,450. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Hickory?

    Entry-level Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria (10th percentile) earn around $25,600 per year in Hickory, NC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $29,840.