Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pay range in Charlotte
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,740 a year or less, while the top 10% make $42,500 or more. The middle half of food servers, nonrestaurant in Charlotte earn between $29,280 and $37,650.
- $28K10th
- $29K25th
- $34KMedian
- $38K75th
- $42K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $34,610 | $2,884 | $16.64 |
| Median | $33,550 | $2,796 | $16.13 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $29,280 | $2,440 | $14.08 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $37,650 | $3,138 | $18.10 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pay in Charlotte vs. North Carolina and the U.S.
Food servers, nonrestaurant in Charlotte earn 4% more than the North Carolina average ($33,150) and 4% less than the U.S. average ($36,140). At the median the gap is -5% against the U.S. median of $35,360.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | $34,610 | $33,550 | $27,740 | $42,500 | 2,260 |
| North Carolina | $33,150 | $31,460 | $23,760 | $40,110 | 8,820 |
| United States | $36,140 | $35,360 | $28,030 | $46,120 | 293,900 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary after taxes in Charlotte
On the average salary of $34,610, a single filer in Charlotte takes home about $29,117 a year, or $2,426 a month and $1,120 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% 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 | $29,599 | $2,467 |
| Working in NC | $29,117 | $2,426 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Charlotte a good place for food servers, nonrestaurant? 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 $34,610 buys what about $35,553 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Charlotte ($49,990). A typical home costs $390,321, or 11.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary in other North Carolina cities
Charlotte ranks 4th of 15 North Carolina metro areas for this job; Goldsboro pays the most ($34,770).
- Goldsboro$34,770
- Asheville$34,750
- Raleigh$34,650
- Charlotte$34,610
- Wilmington$33,350
- Hickory$33,230
- Durham$33,170
- Greensboro$33,030
- Winston-Salem$32,670
- Pinehurst$31,550
Highest-paying cities for food servers, nonrestaurant
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($59,020).
- Kahului, HI$59,020
- San Jose, CA$50,590
- San Francisco, CA$48,600
- Napa, CA$48,550
- Vallejo, CA$46,710
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Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary in Charlotte: questions
How much do food servers, nonrestaurant make an hour in Charlotte?
$16.64 an hour on average, and $16.13 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level food servers, nonrestaurant salary in Charlotte?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,740 a year and the 25th percentile is $29,280, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the food servers, nonrestaurant take-home pay in Charlotte?
About $29,117 a year ($2,426 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $34,610.
Do food servers, nonrestaurant earn more in Charlotte than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% less than the U.S. average for this job ($36,140).
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 35-3041; area Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC (16740). 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 0.88, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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