Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Hickory, NC
Cooks, Fast Food in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area earn a median $27,550 a year — 11% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $23,707 take-home, or $1,976 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, fast food salary in Hickory, NC. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,145
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,708
- Medicare (1.45%)$399
- North Carolina income tax$591
- Take-home pay$23,707
Marginal rate: 10% federal + 3.99% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Fast Food pay by experience in Hickory, NC
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $21,810 | $10.49 | $19,209 | $1,601 |
| 25th percentile | $22,640 | $10.88 | $19,859 | $1,655 |
| Median (50th) | $27,550 | $13.25 | $23,707 | $1,976 |
| 75th percentile | $29,180 | $14.03 | $24,971 | $2,081 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $34,310 | $16.50 | $28,888 | $2,407 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, North Carolina resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $27,550 buys in Hickory, NC
Prices in Hickory, NC are 11.5% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 40% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, fast food's $23,707 take-home pay has the buying power of $26,792 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Hickory, NC has 4.2× 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
Hickory, NC ranks #27 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 |
| 27 | Hickory, NC | $27,550 | $23,707 | $26,792 |
*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
- Greensboro, NC — $27,880
- Durham, NC — $29,190
- Winston, NC — $27,280
- Asheville, NC — $28,120
- Raleigh, NC — $28,220
- Wilmington, NC — $27,500
- Charlotte, NC — $27,690
- Fayetteville, NC — $23,430
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, fast food make in Hickory, NC?
The median cooks, fast food salary in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area is $27,550 a year, or about $13.25 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $22,640 and $29,180.
What is a cooks, fast food’s take-home pay in Hickory, NC?
On the median $27,550 salary, a single filer living in North Carolina takes home about $23,707 a year ($1,976 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $591 in North Carolina taxes in 2026.
Is Hickory, NC a good place to work as a cooks, fast food?
Pay here is 11% below the national median of $30,890. Local prices are 11.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $26,792 would in a typical U.S. city. Hickory, NC ranks #27 of 53 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, fast food afford rent in Hickory, NC?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Hickory, NC is $908 a month ($1,095 for two bedrooms) — 46% of a median cooks, fast food’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Hickory, NC
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,580