Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary in Hickory, NC

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

Median annual salary $28,140 -18.3% vs national
Median hourly $13.53
10th percentile $21,980
90th percentile $37,250
Employed locally 130
National median $34,460

Compare Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary & buying power

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Food Servers, Nonrestaurant
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $21,980
    25th
    $24,620
    50th (median)
    $28,140
    75th
    $31,950
    90th
    $37,250

    Hickory economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.60% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $60,255 2023 • Census ACS
    Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary vs area income 47% Median Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary is 53% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Food Servers, Nonrestaurant

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Kahului-Wailuku, HI $57,540
    Hanford-Corcoran, CA $45,030
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $44,710
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $44,200
    Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area $42,600
    Ithaca, NY $40,230

    Nearby metros — Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $44,710
    Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $36,180
    Manchester-Nashua, NH $36,010
    Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $35,130
    Grand Junction, CO $35,120
    Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $34,420

    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 Food Servers, Nonrestaurant make per hour in Hickory?

    The median hourly wage for Food Servers, Nonrestaurant in Hickory, NC is $13.53, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $20.47 or more per hour.

    Is Hickory above or below average for Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salaries?

    The median Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary in Hickory, NC is 18.3% below the national median of $34,460. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Food Servers, Nonrestaurant in Hickory?

    Entry-level Food Servers, Nonrestaurant (10th percentile) earn around $21,980 per year in Hickory, NC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $24,620.