Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Pinehurst, NC

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC

Median annual salary $35,010 -4.9% vs national
Median hourly $16.83
10th percentile $27,690
90th percentile $45,070
Employed locally 700
National median $36,830

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Cooks, Restaurant
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $27,690
    25th
    $29,000
    50th (median)
    $35,010
    75th
    $41,060
    90th
    $45,070

    Pinehurst economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.40% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $82,837 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Restaurant salary vs area income 42% Median Cooks, Restaurant salary is 58% 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 Pinehurst, NC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Waiters and Waitresses$29,210
    Fast Food and Counter Workers$28,160
    Cooks, Fast Food$26,030
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$42,380
    Food Preparation Workers$28,080
    Bartenders$33,550

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Pinehurst, NC is $16.83, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $20.97 or more per hour.

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

    The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in Pinehurst, NC is 4.9% 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 Pinehurst?

    Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $27,690 per year in Pinehurst, NC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $29,000.