Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Durham, NC
Cooks, Restaurant in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area earn a median $36,170 a year — 3% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $30,308 take-home, or $2,526 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Durham, NC. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,160
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,243
- Medicare (1.45%)$524
- North Carolina income tax$934
- Take-home pay$30,308
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.99% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Durham, NC
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $29,400 | $14.13 | $25,139 | $2,095 |
| 25th percentile | $30,290 | $14.56 | $25,818 | $2,152 |
| Median (50th) | $36,170 | $17.39 | $30,308 | $2,526 |
| 75th percentile | $38,480 | $18.50 | $32,072 | $2,673 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $46,170 | $22.20 | $37,944 | $3,162 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, North Carolina resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $36,170 buys in Durham, NC
Prices in Durham, NC are 2.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $30,308 take-home pay has the buying power of $31,062 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Cooks, Restaurant jobs are about as common in Durham, NC as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.85).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Durham, NC ranks #77 of 101 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spokane, WA | $44,230 | $37,719 | $37,589 |
| 2 | Portland, ME | $46,560 | $37,630 | $36,943 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $47,730 | $40,531 | $36,471 |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | $47,170 | $38,588 | $34,946 |
| 5 | Worcester, MA | $44,250 | $35,742 | $34,863 |
| 6 | Denver, CO | $44,370 | $36,587 | $34,588 |
| 7 | Omaha, NE | $37,840 | $31,742 | $34,536 |
| 8 | Atlantic City, NJ | $40,250 | $33,830 | $34,221 |
| 77 | Durham, NC | $36,170 | $30,308 | $31,062 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 101 metros →
About the job: cooks, restaurant
Prepare, season, and cook dishes such as soups, meats, vegetables, or desserts in restaurants. May order supplies, keep records and accounts, price items on menu, or plan menu.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +12.1% (much faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Cooks, Restaurant salaries elsewhere in North Carolina
- Charlotte, NC — $37,030
- Asheville, NC — $36,590
- Winston, NC — $34,600
- Greensboro, NC — $34,550
- Raleigh, NC — $36,280
- Wilmington, NC — $34,940
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Durham, NC?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area is $36,170 a year, or about $17.39 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $30,290 and $38,480.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Durham, NC?
On the median $36,170 salary, a single filer living in North Carolina takes home about $30,308 a year ($2,526 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $934 in North Carolina taxes in 2026.
Is Durham, NC a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 3% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 2.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $31,062 would in a typical U.S. city. Durham, NC ranks #77 of 101 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Durham, NC?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Durham, NC is $1,456 a month ($1,660 for two bedrooms) — 58% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Durham, NC
- Waiter and Waitress — $35,230
- Cooks, Fast Food — $29,190
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $29,170