Cooks, Short Order salary in Raleigh-Cary, NC
Cooks, Short Order in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area earn a median of $31,200 a year ($15.00 an hour), based on BLS data for 530 workers.
Pay ranges from $23,350 for the lowest-paid 10% to $43,680 for the top 10%. That is 13% lower than the national median of $35,880. Pay here is about the same as the North Carolina statewide median of $31,290. There are 0.72 cooks, short order per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.80). The average (mean) salary is $31,590, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for cooks, short order in Raleigh-Cary, NC
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $23,350 | $11.23 |
| 25th percentile | $23,350 | $11.23 |
| Median | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| 75th percentile | $37,440 | $18.00 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $43,680 | $21.00 |
| Average (mean) | $31,590 | $15.19 |
Half of cooks, short order 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 | $2,600 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,300 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,200 |
| Weekly | $600 |
| Hourly | $15.00 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Cooks, Short Order salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $35,040 | 150 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $34,600 | 530 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $29,700 | 260 |
| Wilmington, NC | $29,620 | 150 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $29,400 | 170 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $29,230 | n/a |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $27,830 | 810 |
Highest-paying states for cooks, short order
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Arizona | $46,630 |
| Rhode Island | $46,250 |
| Massachusetts | $44,290 |
| Hawaii | $43,110 |
| California | $42,930 |
| Washington | $42,760 |
| Colorado | $42,450 |
| Connecticut | $42,450 |
| District of Columbia | $42,450 |
| New Jersey | $40,720 |
See Cooks, Short Order pay in every state or the North Carolina statewide figures.
Related jobs in Raleigh-Cary, NC
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Cooks, Fast Food | $28,220 | $13.57 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $36,280 | $17.44 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $29,470 | $14.17 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $37,460 | $18.01 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $29,080 | $13.98 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $34,860 | $16.76 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $46,020 | $22.12 |
| Bartender | $36,120 | $17.37 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $29,150 | $14.01 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $24,960 | $12.00 |
| Dishwasher | $31,300 | $15.05 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $32,470 | $15.61 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $61,190 | $29.42 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | $29,890 | $14.37 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Raleigh-Cary, NC
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 35-2015. 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, short order make in Raleigh-Cary, NC?
The median salary for cooks, short order in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area is $31,200 a year, or $15.00 an hour. Pay ranges from $23,350 for the lowest-paid 10% to $43,680 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid cooks, short order make in Raleigh-Cary, NC?
The top 10% of cooks, short order in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area earn at least $43,680 a year. The top 25% earn $37,440 or more.
What is the starting pay for cooks, short order in Raleigh-Cary, NC?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $23,350 a year, and a quarter of cooks, short order earn $23,350 or less.
How many cooks, short order work in Raleigh-Cary, NC?
About 530 cooks, short order are employed in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area, not counting the self-employed.