Fayetteville, NC metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

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

In the Fayetteville, NC metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $27,590 a year ($13.26 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 930 of these jobs there. That is 40% below the $45,620 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $20,740 and $36,990; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and North Carolina tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $23,738 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Fayetteville, NC at a glance

Median salary

$27,590$13.26 per hour · $2,299 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$20,740$9.97/hr
25th percentile$22,730$10.93/hr
75th percentile$33,570$16.14/hr
90th percentile$36,990$17.79/hr
Jobs in this metro930Location quotient 1.23 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here40% belowAll-jobs median $45,620
Against North Carolina9% belowStatewide median $30,260
Against the U.S.22% 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 Fayetteville, NC after taxes

$27,590
$15,000$60,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$27,590
Net 86%
Fed 4%
NC 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$23,738After all taxes
Monthly deposit$1,978Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$913Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,149 / yr
North Carolina state income tax$592 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,111 / yr

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

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Fayetteville, NC metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NC)
10th percentile$9.97/hr$1,728$20,740$18,371
25th percentile$10.93/hr$1,894$22,730$19,930
MedianMedian$13.26/hr$2,299$27,590$23,738
75th percentile$16.14/hr$2,798$33,570$28,323
90th percentile$17.79/hr$3,083$36,990$30,934

Is $27,590 a good salary in Fayetteville, 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$61,763Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)92.08% 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 Fayetteville, NC: common questions

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

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Fayetteville, NC metro area was $27,590 in May 2025, about $2,299 a month or $13.26 an hour. Statewide, the North Carolina median for this job is $30,260, so the metro pays 9% below the state.

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

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Fayetteville, NC was $13.26 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $9.97 an hour and one in ten earned more than $17.79.

How many food preparation workers work in Fayetteville, NC?

BLS estimated 930 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 7.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.23 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

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

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Fayetteville, NC run from $20,740 at the 10th percentile to $22,730 at the 25th, $33,570 at the 75th, and $36,990 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

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

On a median gross salary of $27,590, an estimated $23,738 lands in net take-home pay per year ($913 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in North Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $3,852 (an effective rate of 14%).

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

On the median annual salary of $27,590, gross monthly income is $2,299. After federal, FICA, and North Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,978 per month (or $913 every two weeks).

Is $27,590 a good salary in Fayetteville, NC?

At $27,590, the median salary for food preparation workers is 44.7% of the Fayetteville, NC median household income ($61,763). It is 40% below the $45,620 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 92.0, so prices here run 8% below the U.S. average.