Cooks, Restaurant salary in Jacksonville, NC
Cooks, Restaurant in the Jacksonville, NC metro area earn a median of $29,580 a year ($14.22 an hour), based on BLS data for 730 workers.
Pay ranges from $23,930 for the lowest-paid 10% to $37,450 for the top 10%. That is 21% lower than the national median of $37,390. Pay here is 16% lower than the North Carolina statewide median of $35,400. There are 14 cooks, restaurant per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 1.5× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $31,050, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for cooks, restaurant in Jacksonville, NC
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $23,930 | $11.51 |
| 25th percentile | $27,140 | $13.05 |
| Median | $29,580 | $14.22 |
| 75th percentile | $34,630 | $16.65 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $37,450 | $18.01 |
| Average (mean) | $31,050 | $14.93 |
Half of cooks, restaurant earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $2,465 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,232.50 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,137.69 |
| Weekly | $568.85 |
| Hourly | $14.22 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $37,030 | 14,430 |
| Asheville, NC | $36,590 | 2,480 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $36,280 | 7,160 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $36,280 | 8,380 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $36,170 | 2,660 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $35,690 | 670 |
| Wilmington, NC | $34,940 | 3,440 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $34,600 | 2,580 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $34,550 | 3,250 |
| Greenville, NC | $34,130 | 890 |
| Burlington, NC | $32,830 | 740 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $32,720 | 1,210 |
| Goldsboro, NC | $32,420 | 420 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $30,380 | 1,410 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $29,070 | 420 |
Highest-paying states for cooks, restaurant
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $46,800 |
| District of Columbia | $46,130 |
| Massachusetts | $45,600 |
| Hawaii | $45,420 |
| Vermont | $45,390 |
| Maine | $45,290 |
| California | $44,880 |
| New York | $43,680 |
| Oregon | $43,100 |
| Colorado | $41,600 |
See Cooks, Restaurant pay in every state or the North Carolina statewide figures.
Related jobs in Jacksonville, NC
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Cooks, Fast Food | $22,900 | $11.01 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $27,900 | $13.42 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $33,820 | $16.26 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $27,330 | $13.14 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $28,870 | $13.88 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $37,580 | $18.07 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $23,560 | $11.33 |
| Bartender | $31,000 | $14.90 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $23,130 | $11.12 |
| Dishwasher | $27,810 | $13.37 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $31,460 | $15.13 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | $26,830 | $12.90 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Jacksonville, NC
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 35-2014. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Jacksonville, NC?
The median salary for cooks, restaurant in the Jacksonville, NC metro area is $29,580 a year, or $14.22 an hour. Pay ranges from $23,930 for the lowest-paid 10% to $37,450 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid cooks, restaurant make in Jacksonville, NC?
The top 10% of cooks, restaurant in the Jacksonville, NC metro area earn at least $37,450 a year. The top 25% earn $34,630 or more.
What is the starting pay for cooks, restaurant in Jacksonville, NC?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $23,930 a year, and a quarter of cooks, restaurant earn $27,140 or less.
How many cooks, restaurant work in Jacksonville, NC?
About 730 cooks, restaurant are employed in the Jacksonville, NC metro area, not counting the self-employed.