Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Raleigh, NC
Cooks, Fast Food in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area earn a median $28,220 a year — 9% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $24,232 take-home, or $2,019 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, fast food salary in Raleigh, NC. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,212
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,750
- Medicare (1.45%)$409
- North Carolina income tax$617
- Take-home pay$24,232
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 Raleigh, NC
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $22,590 | $10.86 | $19,820 | $1,652 |
| 25th percentile | $24,180 | $11.63 | $21,066 | $1,756 |
| Median (50th) | $28,220 | $13.57 | $24,232 | $2,019 |
| 75th percentile | $29,630 | $14.25 | $25,314 | $2,110 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $34,220 | $16.45 | $28,819 | $2,402 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, North Carolina resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $28,220 buys in Raleigh, NC
Prices in Raleigh, NC are 1.8% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.03× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, fast food's $24,232 take-home pay has the buying power of $24,687 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Raleigh, NC has 3.8× 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
Raleigh, NC ranks #43 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 |
| 43 | Raleigh, NC | $28,220 | $24,232 | $24,687 |
*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
- Wilmington, NC — $27,500
- Charlotte, NC — $27,690
- Fayetteville, NC — $23,430
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, fast food make in Raleigh, NC?
The median cooks, fast food salary in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area is $28,220 a year, or about $13.57 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $24,180 and $29,630.
What is a cooks, fast food’s take-home pay in Raleigh, NC?
On the median $28,220 salary, a single filer living in North Carolina takes home about $24,232 a year ($2,019 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $617 in North Carolina taxes in 2026.
Is Raleigh, NC a good place to work as a cooks, fast food?
Pay here is 9% below the national median of $30,890. Local prices are 1.8% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $24,687 would in a typical U.S. city. Raleigh, NC ranks #43 of 53 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, fast food afford rent in Raleigh, NC?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Raleigh, NC is $1,596 a month ($1,750 for two bedrooms) — 79% of a median cooks, fast food’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Raleigh, NC
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $46,020
- Cooks, Restaurant — $36,280
- Bartender — $36,120
- Waiter and Waitress — $34,860
- Food Preparation Worker — $29,470
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $29,150
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $29,080