Cooks, Fast Food pay range in Charlotte
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $22,430 a year or less, while the top 10% make $35,720 or more. The middle half of cooks, fast food in Charlotte earn between $24,080 and $30,840.
- $22K10th
- $24K25th
- $28KMedian
- $31K75th
- $36K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $28,720 | $2,393 | $13.81 |
| Median | $27,690 | $2,308 | $13.31 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $24,080 | $2,007 | $11.58 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $30,840 | $2,570 | $14.83 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Fast Food pay in Charlotte vs. North Carolina and the U.S.
Cooks, fast food in Charlotte earn 6% more than the North Carolina average ($27,080) and 11% less than the U.S. average ($32,390). At the median the gap is -10% against the U.S. median of $30,890.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | $28,720 | $27,690 | $22,430 | $35,720 | 15,830 |
| 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 Charlotte
On the average salary of $28,720, a single filer in Charlotte takes home about $24,619 a year, or $2,052 a month and $947 every two weeks. Taxes take 14% of gross pay.
The Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in SC | $24,983 | $2,082 |
| Working in NC | $24,619 | $2,052 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Charlotte a good place for cooks, fast food? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Charlotte area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.3), so the average $28,720 buys what about $29,502 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Charlotte ($49,990). A typical home costs $390,321, or 13.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other North Carolina cities
Charlotte ranks 2nd 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 Charlotte: questions
How much do cooks, fast food make an hour in Charlotte?
$13.81 an hour on average, and $13.31 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, fast food salary in Charlotte?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $22,430 a year and the 25th percentile is $24,080, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, fast food take-home pay in Charlotte?
About $24,619 a year ($2,052 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $28,720.
Do cooks, fast food earn more in Charlotte than elsewhere?
The average here is 11% 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 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC (16740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.2%.
- 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 2.83, this job is 2.8 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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