Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Charlotte, NC
Cooks, Fast Food in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area earn a median $27,690 a year — 10% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $23,817 take-home, or $1,985 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, fast food salary in Charlotte, NC. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,159
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,717
- Medicare (1.45%)$402
- North Carolina income tax$596
- Take-home pay$23,817
Marginal rate: 10% federal + 3.99% state
The Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro spans North Carolina, South Carolina. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Fast Food pay by experience in Charlotte, NC
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $22,430 | $10.78 | $19,695 | $1,641 |
| 25th percentile | $24,080 | $11.58 | $20,988 | $1,749 |
| Median (50th) | $27,690 | $13.31 | $23,817 | $1,985 |
| 75th percentile | $30,840 | $14.83 | $26,238 | $2,187 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $35,720 | $17.17 | $29,965 | $2,497 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, North Carolina resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $27,690 buys in Charlotte, NC
Prices in Charlotte, NC are 2.7% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 2% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, fast food's $23,817 take-home pay has the buying power of $24,465 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Charlotte, NC has 2.8× the national concentration of cooks, fast food jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for cooks, fast food, adjusted for cost of living
Charlotte, NC ranks #47 of 53 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $47,220 | $38,625 | $34,979 |
| 2 | Bakersfield, CA | $41,480 | $34,321 | $34,020 |
| 3 | Austin, TX | $38,560 | $33,163 | $33,817 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $44,030 | $37,558 | $33,796 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $46,670 | $38,217 | $33,056 |
| 6 | Riverside, CA | $42,480 | $35,072 | $32,949 |
| 7 | Sacramento, CA | $42,210 | $34,869 | $32,689 |
| 8 | Fresno, CA | $39,620 | $32,925 | $32,230 |
| 47 | Charlotte, NC | $27,690 | $23,817 | $24,465 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 53 metros →
About the job: cooks, fast food
Prepare and cook food in a fast food restaurant with a limited menu. Duties of these cooks are limited to preparation of a few basic items and normally involve operating large-volume single-purpose cooking equipment.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +0.6% (slower than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Cooks, Fast Food salaries elsewhere in North Carolina
- Hickory, NC — $27,550
- Greensboro, NC — $27,880
- Durham, NC — $29,190
- Winston, NC — $27,280
- Asheville, NC — $28,120
- Raleigh, NC — $28,220
- Wilmington, NC — $27,500
- Fayetteville, NC — $23,430
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, fast food make in Charlotte, NC?
The median cooks, fast food salary in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area is $27,690 a year, or about $13.31 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $24,080 and $30,840.
What is a cooks, fast food’s take-home pay in Charlotte, NC?
On the median $27,690 salary, a single filer living in North Carolina takes home about $23,817 a year ($1,985 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $596 in North Carolina taxes in 2026.
Is Charlotte, NC a good place to work as a cooks, fast food?
Pay here is 10% below the national median of $30,890. Local prices are 2.7% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $24,465 would in a typical U.S. city. Charlotte, NC ranks #47 of 53 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, fast food afford rent in Charlotte, NC?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Charlotte, NC is $1,428 a month ($1,577 for two bedrooms) — 72% of a median cooks, fast food’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Charlotte, NC
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $47,280
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $37,690
- Bartender — $37,390
- Cooks, Restaurant — $37,030
- Waiter and Waitress — $36,430
- Food Preparation Worker — $34,180
- Dishwasher — $31,920
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $29,550
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $29,470
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $28,880