Cooks, Short Order salary in Winston-Salem, NC
Cooks, Short Order in the Winston-Salem, NC metro area earn a median of $29,400 a year ($14.14 an hour), based on BLS data for 170 workers.
Pay ranges from $21,940 for the lowest-paid 10% to $36,130 for the top 10%. That is 18% lower than the national median of $35,880. Pay here is 6% lower than the North Carolina statewide median of $31,290. There are 0.64 cooks, short order per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.71). The average (mean) salary is $30,550, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for cooks, short order in Winston-Salem, NC
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $21,940 | $10.55 |
| 25th percentile | $28,260 | $13.59 |
| Median | $29,400 | $14.14 |
| 75th percentile | $33,480 | $16.10 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $36,130 | $17.37 |
| Average (mean) | $30,550 | $14.69 |
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 | $2,450 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,225 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,130.77 |
| Weekly | $565.38 |
| Hourly | $14.14 |
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 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $31,200 | 530 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $29,700 | 260 |
| Wilmington, NC | $29,620 | 150 |
| 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 Winston-Salem, NC
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Cooks, Fast Food | $27,280 | $13.12 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $34,600 | $16.63 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $34,580 | $16.62 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $36,670 | $17.63 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $28,640 | $13.77 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $29,550 | $14.21 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $44,620 | $21.45 |
| Bartender | $34,920 | $16.79 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $27,250 | $13.10 |
| Dishwasher | $29,050 | $13.97 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $27,100 | $13.03 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $34,620 | $16.65 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | $30,060 | $14.45 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $55,550 | $26.71 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Winston-Salem, 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 Winston-Salem, NC?
The median salary for cooks, short order in the Winston-Salem, NC metro area is $29,400 a year, or $14.14 an hour. Pay ranges from $21,940 for the lowest-paid 10% to $36,130 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid cooks, short order make in Winston-Salem, NC?
The top 10% of cooks, short order in the Winston-Salem, NC metro area earn at least $36,130 a year. The top 25% earn $33,480 or more.
What is the starting pay for cooks, short order in Winston-Salem, NC?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $21,940 a year, and a quarter of cooks, short order earn $28,260 or less.
How many cooks, short order work in Winston-Salem, NC?
About 170 cooks, short order are employed in the Winston-Salem, NC metro area, not counting the self-employed.