Cooks, Short Order pay range in Hickory
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,040 a year or less, while the top 10% make $35,920 or more. The middle half of cooks, short order in Hickory earn between $25,750 and $31,960.
- $23K10th
- $26K25th
- $29KMedian
- $32K75th
- $36K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $29,310 | $2,442 | $14.09 |
| Median | $29,230 | $2,436 | $14.05 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $25,750 | $2,146 | $12.38 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $31,960 | $2,663 | $15.37 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Short Order pay in Hickory vs. North Carolina and the U.S.
Cooks, short order in Hickory earn 7% less than the North Carolina average ($31,680) and 19% less than the U.S. average ($36,120). At the median the gap is -19% against the U.S. median of $35,880.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory | $29,310 | $29,230 | $23,040 | $35,920 | n/a |
| North Carolina | $31,680 | $31,290 | $23,350 | $38,210 | 3,170 |
| United States | $36,120 | $35,880 | $23,440 | $46,460 | 138,650 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Cooks, Short Order salary after taxes in Hickory
On the average salary of $29,310, a single filer in Hickory takes home about $25,070 a year, or $2,089 a month and $964 every two weeks. Taxes take 14% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Hickory a good place for cooks, short order? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Hickory area are 12% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.5), so the average $29,310 buys what about $33,124 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Hickory ($45,220). A typical home costs $271,739, or 9.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Short Order salary in other North Carolina cities
Hickory ranks 7th of 7 North Carolina metro areas for this job; Durham pays the most ($36,220).
- Durham$36,220
- Charlotte$34,580
- Raleigh$31,590
- Wilmington$30,790
- Winston-Salem$30,550
- Greensboro$29,980
- Hickory$29,310
Highest-paying cities for cooks, short order
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($52,560).
- Kahului, HI$52,560
- Denver, CO$51,530
- Seattle, WA$49,560
- Corvallis, OR$48,580
- San Francisco, CA$46,250
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Cooks, Short Order salary in Hickory: questions
How much do cooks, short order make an hour in Hickory?
$14.09 an hour on average, and $14.05 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, short order salary in Hickory?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,040 a year and the 25th percentile is $25,750, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, short order take-home pay in Hickory?
About $25,070 a year ($2,089 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $29,310.
Do cooks, short order earn more in Hickory than elsewhere?
The average here is 19% less than the U.S. average for this job ($36,120).
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 35-2015; area Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC (25860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.6%.
- 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).
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