Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Fayetteville, NC

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

Median annual salary $29,350 -20.3% vs national
Median hourly $14.11
10th percentile $23,400
90th percentile $37,380
Employed locally 1,220
National median $36,830

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Cooks, Restaurant
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Fayetteville, NC
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $23,400
    25th
    $27,990
    50th (median)
    $29,350
    75th
    $35,340
    90th
    $37,380

    Fayetteville economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.50% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $58,909 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Restaurant salary vs area income 50% Median Cooks, Restaurant salary is 50% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Cooks, Restaurant

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Kahului-Wailuku, HI $48,320
    Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $46,970
    Portland-South Portland, ME $46,960
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $46,960
    Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area $46,500
    Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area $46,340

    Nearby metros — Cooks, Restaurant salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $45,230
    Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $39,260
    Anchorage, AK $39,140
    Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $39,110
    Trenton-Princeton, NJ $37,530
    Manchester-Nashua, NH $37,350

    Related occupations in Fayetteville, NC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Cooks, Fast Food $25,490
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $28,380
    Waiters and Waitresses $26,000
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $37,660
    Food Preparation Workers $26,710
    Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria $34,200

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Cooks, Restaurant make per hour in Fayetteville?

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Fayetteville, NC is $14.11, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $18.68 or more per hour.

    Is Fayetteville above or below average for Cooks, Restaurant salaries?

    The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in Fayetteville, NC is 20.3% below the national median of $36,830. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Cooks, Restaurant in Fayetteville?

    Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $23,400 per year in Fayetteville, NC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $27,990.