Asheville, NC metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Asheville, NC?

In the Asheville, NC metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $32,110 a year ($15.44 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,250 of these jobs there. That is 31% below the $46,870 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $23,930 and $38,680; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and North Carolina tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $27,208 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Asheville, NC at a glance

Median salary

$32,110$15.44 per hour · $2,676 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$23,930$11.51/hr
25th percentile$29,810$14.33/hr
75th percentile$36,340$17.47/hr
90th percentile$38,680$18.60/hr
Jobs in this metro1,250Location quotient 1.20 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here31% belowAll-jobs median $46,870
Against North Carolina6% aboveStatewide median $30,260
Against the U.S.9% belowNational median $35,320

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Food preparation worker salary in Asheville, NC after taxes

$32,110
$15,000$65,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$32,110
Net 85%
Fed 5%
NC 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$27,208After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,267Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,046Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,673 / yr
North Carolina state income tax$772 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,456 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Asheville, NC, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Asheville, NC metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What food preparation workers earned in the Asheville, NC metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NC)
10th percentile$11.51/hr$1,994$23,930$20,870
25th percentile$14.33/hr$2,484$29,810$25,452
MedianMedian$15.44/hr$2,676$32,110$27,208
75th percentile$17.47/hr$3,028$36,340$30,438
90th percentile$18.60/hr$3,223$38,680$32,225

Is $32,110 a good salary in Asheville, NC?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for food preparation workers next to both.

Median household income$71,838Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)96.53.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household44.7%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

Food preparation worker pay in Asheville, NC: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Asheville, NC?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Asheville, NC metro area was $32,110 in May 2025, about $2,676 a month or $15.44 an hour. Statewide, the North Carolina median for this job is $30,260, so the metro pays 6% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Asheville, NC?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Asheville, NC was $15.44 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $11.51 an hour and one in ten earned more than $18.60.

How many food preparation workers work in Asheville, NC?

BLS estimated 1,250 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 6.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.20 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Asheville, NC?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Asheville, NC run from $23,930 at the 10th percentile to $29,810 at the 25th, $36,340 at the 75th, and $38,680 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Asheville, NC?

On a median gross salary of $32,110, an estimated $27,208 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,046 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in North Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,902 (an effective rate of 15.3%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Asheville, NC?

On the median annual salary of $32,110, gross monthly income is $2,676. After federal, FICA, and North Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,267 per month (or $1,046 every two weeks).

Is $32,110 a good salary in Asheville, NC?

At $32,110, the median salary for food preparation workers is 44.7% of the Asheville, NC median household income ($71,838). It is 31% below the $46,870 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 96.5, so prices here run 3.5% below the U.S. average.