Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Hickory, NC
Cooks, Restaurant in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area earn a median $30,380 a year — 19% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $25,887 take-home, or $2,157 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Hickory, NC. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,466
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,884
- Medicare (1.45%)$441
- North Carolina income tax$703
- Take-home pay$25,887
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.99% state
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Hickory, NC
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $27,720 | $13.33 | $23,840 | $1,987 |
| 25th percentile | $28,600 | $13.75 | $24,528 | $2,044 |
| Median (50th) | $30,380 | $14.61 | $25,887 | $2,157 |
| 75th percentile | $36,230 | $17.42 | $30,354 | $2,529 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $42,630 | $20.50 | $35,241 | $2,937 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, North Carolina resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $30,380 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, restaurant's $25,887 take-home pay has the buying power of $29,255 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 Hickory, NC as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.01).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Hickory, NC ranks #285 of 327 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yakima, WA | $44,390 | $37,847 | $39,612 |
| 2 | Mount Vernon, WA | $46,450 | $39,503 | $38,561 |
| 3 | Kennewick, WA | $45,280 | $38,562 | $38,532 |
| 4 | Barnstable Town, MA | $46,930 | $37,762 | $38,395 |
| 5 | Spokane, WA | $44,230 | $37,719 | $37,589 |
| 6 | Bremerton, WA | $46,460 | $39,511 | $37,413 |
| 7 | Bellingham, WA | $45,370 | $38,635 | $37,388 |
| 8 | Pittsfield, MA | $43,970 | $35,531 | $37,360 |
| 285 | Hickory, NC | $30,380 | $25,887 | $29,255 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 327 metros →
Cooks, Restaurant salaries elsewhere in North Carolina
- Pinehurst, NC — $35,690
- Greenville, NC — $34,130
- Charlotte, NC — $37,030
- Asheville, NC — $36,590
- Winston, NC — $34,600
- Greensboro, NC — $34,550
- Durham, NC — $36,170
- Raleigh, NC — $36,280
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Hickory, NC?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area is $30,380 a year, or about $14.61 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $28,600 and $36,230.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Hickory, NC?
On the median $30,380 salary, a single filer living in North Carolina takes home about $25,887 a year ($2,157 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $703 in North Carolina taxes in 2026.
Is Hickory, NC a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 19% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 11.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $29,255 would in a typical U.S. city. Hickory, NC ranks #285 of 327 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant 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) — 42% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Hickory, NC
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $41,780
- Bartender — $31,860
- Waiter and Waitress — $29,310
- Food Preparation Worker — $27,680
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,580
- Cooks, Fast Food — $27,550