Cashiers Salary
Cashiers in North Carolina make a median of $28,880 a year, or about $13.89 an hour. The range runs from $22K at the entry level to $36K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $31,168 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,284/month, about 61.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $29K get you in North Carolina?
About cashiers
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Pay for cashiers in North Carolina runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $33K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,284/month, which is 64.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for cashierss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level cashiers (10th percentile) start around $22K. Mid-career wages sit at $29K. Top earners bring in $36K or more, a $13K spread from bottom to top.
Cashiers salary by metro in North Carolina
15 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $30K | +4% | 4,840 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $30K | +3% | 14,350 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $30K | +3% | 27,350 |
| Asheville | $29K | +2% | 4,240 |
| Burlington | $29K | -1% | 1,950 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $29K | -1% | 7,510 |
| Wilmington | $29K | -1% | 4,860 |
| Winston-Salem | $28K | -3% | 6,220 |
| Greenville | $28K | -4% | 1,870 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines | $28K | -4% | 1,090 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $28K | -5% | 3,470 |
| Fayetteville | $27K | -5% | 3,400 |
| Goldsboro | $27K | -6% | 1,270 |
| Rocky Mount | $27K | -8% | 1,630 |
| Jacksonville | $26K | -9% | 1,630 |
Showing 1–10 of 15 metros
Compare to other states
Track cashiers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a cashier afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $29K, rent takes 64.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for cashiers in North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cashiers typically earn — is $22K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,347/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 95% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is cashier a high-paying job in North Carolina?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $29K here vs. $33K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for cashiers?
North Carolina pays $29K median vs. the U.S. average of $33K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $31K — below the national median.
How much do cashiers make in North Carolina?
The median is $28,880 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,450, and experienced cashiers can clear $35,810. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $29K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,995/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 64.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a cashiers salary go in North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median cashiers salary is worth about $31,168 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do cashiers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.