Food Preparation Workers Salary
Food Preparation Workers in North Carolina make a median of $30,260 a year, or about $14.55 an hour. The range runs from $22K at the entry level to $39K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $32,657 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,284/month, about 61.1% 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 $30K get you in North Carolina?
About food preparation workers
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Pay for food preparation workers in North Carolina runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,284/month, which is 61.6% 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 food preparation workerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level food preparation workers (10th percentile) start around $22K. Mid-career wages sit at $30K. Top earners bring in $39K or more, a $17K spread from bottom to top.
Food Preparation Workers salary by metro in North Carolina
15 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winston-Salem | $35K | +14% | 1,130 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $35K | +14% | 1,170 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $34K | +13% | 5,800 |
| Asheville | $32K | +6% | 1,250 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $32K | +5% | 1,820 |
| Wilmington | $32K | +5% | 1,380 |
| Burlington | $30K | -2% | 410 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $29K | -3% | 5,290 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines | $29K | -4% | 300 |
| Rocky Mount | $29K | -5% | 260 |
| Greenville | $28K | -7% | 410 |
| Goldsboro | $28K | -7% | 250 |
| Jacksonville | $28K | -8% | 280 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $28K | -9% | 750 |
| Fayetteville | $28K | -9% | 930 |
Showing 1–10 of 15 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a food preparation worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $30K, rent takes 61.6% 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 food preparation workers in North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food preparation workers typically earn — is $22K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,312/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 98% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is food preparation worker a high-paying job in North Carolina?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $30K here vs. $35K 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 food preparation workers?
North Carolina pays $30K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $33K — below the national median.
How much do food preparation workers make in North Carolina?
The median is $30,260 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $21,870, and experienced food preparation workers can clear $38,760. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $30K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,083/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 61.6% 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 food preparation workers 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 food preparation workers salary is worth about $32,657 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do food preparation workers 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.