Waiters and Waitresses Salary
In North Carolina, waiters and waitresses earn $32,150 at the median, or about $15.46 an hour. The range runs from $17K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $34,697 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,284/month, about 57.5% 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 $32K get you in North Carolina?
About waiters and waitresses
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Waiters and waitresses pay in North Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $32K locally vs. $35K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,284/month, which is 58.3% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level waiters and waitresses (10th percentile) start around $17K. Mid-career wages sit at $32K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $46K spread from bottom to top.
Waiters and Waitresses salary by metro in North Carolina
15 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $36K | +13% | 19,990 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $35K | +10% | 3,560 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $35K | +8% | 10,290 |
| Asheville | $34K | +7% | 3,250 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines | $34K | +6% | 1,040 |
| Wilmington | $31K | -5% | 4,920 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $30K | -7% | 5,210 |
| Winston-Salem | $30K | -8% | 3,940 |
| Fayetteville | $30K | -8% | 1,980 |
| Burlington | $29K | -9% | 1,100 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $29K | -9% | 2,000 |
| Jacksonville | $29K | -10% | 1,140 |
| Greenville | $29K | -11% | 1,310 |
| Goldsboro | $29K | -11% | 640 |
| Rocky Mount | $27K | -16% | 580 |
Showing 1–10 of 15 metros
Compare to other states
Track waiters and waitresses 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 waiters and waitress afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $32K, rent takes 58.3% 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 $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for waiters and waitresses in North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new waiters and waitresses typically earn — is $17K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,028/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 125% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is waiters and waitress a high-paying job in North Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $32K locally vs. $35K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for waiters and waitresses?
North Carolina pays $32K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $35K — below the national median.
How much do waiters and waitresses make in North Carolina?
The median is $32,150 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $17,140, and experienced waiters and waitresses can clear $62,670. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $32K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,202/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 58.3% 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 waiters and waitresses 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 waiters and waitresses salary is worth about $34,697 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do waiters and waitresses 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.