Paycheck Atlas

Cooks, Restaurant salary in Hickory, NC

The median cooks, restaurant in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC earns $30,380 a year, 19% below the US median. After tax that is roughly $2,108 a month.

10th percentile
$27,720
25th percentile
$28,600
Median percentile
$30,380
75th percentile
$36,230
90th percentile
$42,630

Based on 1,410 employed. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025. Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience; reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only an approximation.

What you keep

$25,299 take-home a year
Gross pay$30,380
Federal income tax−$1,466
Social Security + Medicare−$2,324
North Carolina income tax (approx.)−$1,291
Monthly take-home$2,108
Every two weeks$973

Does it go far here?

$34,333Median pay in Hickory, NC is worth this at average US prices (local price level 88.5 vs 100).
41%of take-home pay goes to the median rent ($869 a month, Census ACS).

Top-paying jobs in Hickory, NC

JobMedian pay
Industrial Production Managers$124,290
General and Operations Managers$95,640
Industrial Engineers$86,640
Registered Nurses$80,060
Accountants and Auditors$77,490
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$75,450
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$75,120
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$69,990

All cooks, restaurant salaries · Take-home pay in North Carolina