Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pay range in Raleigh
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $25,660 a year or less, while the top 10% make $43,550 or more. The middle half of food servers, nonrestaurant in Raleigh earn between $29,670 and $37,760.
- $26K10th
- $30K25th
- $32KMedian
- $38K75th
- $44K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $34,650 | $2,888 | $16.66 |
| Median | $32,470 | $2,706 | $15.61 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $29,670 | $2,472 | $14.26 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $37,760 | $3,147 | $18.15 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pay in Raleigh vs. North Carolina and the U.S.
Food servers, nonrestaurant in Raleigh earn 5% more than the North Carolina average ($33,150) and 4% less than the U.S. average ($36,140). At the median the gap is -8% against the U.S. median of $35,360.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh | $34,650 | $32,470 | $25,660 | $43,550 | 1,280 |
| 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 Raleigh
On the average salary of $34,650, a single filer in Raleigh takes home about $29,147 a year, or $2,429 a month and $1,121 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Raleigh a good place for food servers, nonrestaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Raleigh area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.2), so the average $34,650 buys what about $35,301 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Raleigh ($51,990). A typical home costs $438,364, or 12.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary in other North Carolina cities
Raleigh ranks 3rd 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 Raleigh: questions
How much do food servers, nonrestaurant make an hour in Raleigh?
$16.66 an hour on average, and $15.61 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level food servers, nonrestaurant salary in Raleigh?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $25,660 a year and the 25th percentile is $29,670, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the food servers, nonrestaurant take-home pay in Raleigh?
About $29,147 a year ($2,429 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $34,650.
Do food servers, nonrestaurant earn more in Raleigh 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 Raleigh-Cary, NC (39580). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.0%.
- 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 0.91, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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