SOC 35-2012 · Goldsboro, NC metro

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary in Goldsboro, NC

The average salary for cooks, institution and cafeteria in Goldsboro, North Carolina is $35,060 a year ($16.86 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $38,120: half of the 120 people in this job in the Goldsboro, NC metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 10% less than the U.S. average for this job ($38,810).

$35,060average per year

$16.86 / hourMedian $38,120Take-home ≈ $29,461

  • $27K10th
  • $30K25th
  • $38KMedian
  • $38K75th
  • $39K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

120people in this job
-10%vs U.S. average
#10 of 15North Carolina metros
88cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay range in Goldsboro

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,390 a year or less, while the top 10% make $39,370 or more. The middle half of cooks, institution and cafeteria in Goldsboro earn between $29,810 and $38,120.

  • $27K10th
  • $30K25th
  • $38KMedian
  • $38K75th
  • $39K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$35,060$2,922$16.86
Median$38,120$3,177$18.33
Entry level (25th percentile)$29,810$2,484$14.33
Experienced (75th percentile)$38,120$3,177$18.33

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in Goldsboro vs. North Carolina and the U.S.

Cooks, institution and cafeteria in Goldsboro earn about the same as the North Carolina average ($36,130) and 10% less than the U.S. average ($38,810). At the median the gap is +2% against the U.S. median of $37,450.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Goldsboro$35,060$38,120$27,390$39,370120
North Carolina$36,130$36,140$28,050$45,13011,170
United States$38,810$37,450$28,480$49,670441,050

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary after taxes in Goldsboro

On the average salary of $35,060, a single filer in Goldsboro takes home about $29,461 a year, or $2,455 a month and $1,133 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).

North Carolina paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Goldsboro a good place for cooks, institution and cafeteria? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Goldsboro area are 12% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.5), so the average $35,060 buys what about $39,633 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Goldsboro ($40,570). A typical home costs $188,523, or 5.4 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $35,060 is worth in another city

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in other North Carolina cities

Goldsboro ranks 10th of 15 North Carolina metro areas for this job; Durham pays the most ($38,850).

All Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salaries in North Carolina

Highest-paying cities for cooks, institution and cafeteria

Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($57,770).

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary by city

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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary in Goldsboro: questions

How much do cooks, institution and cafeteria make an hour in Goldsboro?

$16.86 an hour on average, and $18.33 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level cooks, institution and cafeteria salary in Goldsboro?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,390 a year and the 25th percentile is $29,810, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the cooks, institution and cafeteria take-home pay in Goldsboro?

About $29,461 a year ($2,455 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $35,060.

Do cooks, institution and cafeteria earn more in Goldsboro than elsewhere?

The average here is 10% less than the U.S. average for this job ($38,810).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 35-2012; area Goldsboro, NC (24140). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.3%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.08, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

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