Cooks, Fast Food pay range in Asheville
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $22,030 a year or less, while the top 10% make $35,240 or more. The middle half of cooks, fast food in Asheville earn between $23,510 and $29,400.
- $22K10th
- $24K25th
- $28KMedian
- $29K75th
- $35K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $28,010 | $2,334 | $13.47 |
| Median | $28,120 | $2,343 | $13.52 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $23,510 | $1,959 | $11.30 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $29,400 | $2,450 | $14.13 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Fast Food pay in Asheville vs. North Carolina and the U.S.
Cooks, fast food in Asheville earn 3% more than the North Carolina average ($27,080) and 14% less than the U.S. average ($32,390). At the median the gap is -9% against the U.S. median of $30,890.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asheville | $28,010 | $28,120 | $22,030 | $35,240 | 2,570 |
| North Carolina | $27,080 | $27,190 | $21,890 | $34,860 | 81,980 |
| United States | $32,390 | $30,890 | $22,580 | $42,910 | 641,070 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Cooks, Fast Food salary after taxes in Asheville
On the average salary of $28,010, a single filer in Asheville takes home about $24,067 a year, or $2,006 a month and $926 every two weeks. Taxes take 14% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Asheville a good place for cooks, fast food? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Asheville area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 96.5), so the average $28,010 buys what about $29,024 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Asheville ($46,870). A typical home costs $428,742, or 15.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other North Carolina cities
Asheville ranks 4th of 15 North Carolina metro areas for this job; Durham pays the most ($29,290).
- Durham$29,290
- Charlotte$28,720
- Raleigh$28,070
- Asheville$28,010
- Winston-Salem$27,190
- Greensboro$27,020
- Hickory$26,810
- Burlington$26,770
- Wilmington$26,470
- Pinehurst$26,140
Highest-paying cities for cooks, fast food
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($46,590).
- San Francisco, CA$46,590
- San Jose, CA$46,530
- Vallejo, CA$44,360
- Napa, CA$43,910
- Seattle, WA$43,770
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Cooks, Fast Food salary in Asheville: questions
How much do cooks, fast food make an hour in Asheville?
$13.47 an hour on average, and $13.52 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, fast food salary in Asheville?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $22,030 a year and the 25th percentile is $23,510, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, fast food take-home pay in Asheville?
About $24,067 a year ($2,006 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $28,010.
Do cooks, fast food earn more in Asheville than elsewhere?
The average here is 14% less than the U.S. average for this job ($32,390).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 35-2011; area Asheville, NC (11700). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.8%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 3.45, this job is 3.5 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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