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Goldsboro, NC metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

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

In the Goldsboro, NC metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $28,130 a year ($13.52 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 250 of these jobs there. That is 31% below the $40,570 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $20,350 and $35,770; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and North Carolina tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $24,161 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Goldsboro, NC at a glance

Median salary

$28,130$13.52 per hour · $2,344 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$20,350$9.78/hr
25th percentile$22,340$10.74/hr
75th percentile$32,740$15.74/hr
90th percentile$35,770$17.20/hr
Jobs in this metro250Location quotient 1.08 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here31% belowAll-jobs median $40,570
Against North Carolina7% belowStatewide median $30,260
Against the U.S.20% 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.

Take-home payWhat $28,000 a year leaves after tax in North CarolinaFederal tax, FICA and North Carolina withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$14 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $28,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $28,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation North Carolina publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about North Carolina.

Food preparation worker salary in Goldsboro, NC after taxes

$28,130
$15,000$60,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$28,130
Net 86%
Fed 4%
NC 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$24,161After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,013Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$929Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,203 / yr
North Carolina state income tax$614 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,152 / yr
Customize deductions in full North Carolina calculator

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

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Goldsboro, NC metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NC)
10th percentile$9.78/hr$1,696$20,350$18,065
25th percentile$10.74/hr$1,862$22,340$19,624
MedianMedian$13.52/hr$2,344$28,130$24,161
75th percentile$15.74/hr$2,728$32,740$27,689
90th percentile$17.20/hr$2,981$35,770$30,003

Is $28,130 a good salary in Goldsboro, 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$59,733Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)88.511.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household47.1%of area median income

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

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Food preparation workers pay in other North Carolina metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Goldsboro, NC. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Food preparation worker pay in Goldsboro, NC: common questions

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

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Goldsboro, NC metro area was $28,130 in May 2025, about $2,344 a month or $13.52 an hour. Statewide, the North Carolina median for this job is $30,260, so the metro pays 7% below the state.

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

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Goldsboro, NC was $13.52 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $9.78 an hour and one in ten earned more than $17.20.

How many food preparation workers work in Goldsboro, NC?

BLS estimated 250 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 6.2 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.08 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

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

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Goldsboro, NC run from $20,350 at the 10th percentile to $22,340 at the 25th, $32,740 at the 75th, and $35,770 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

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

On a median gross salary of $28,130, an estimated $24,161 lands in net take-home pay per year ($929 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in North Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $3,969 (an effective rate of 14.1%).

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

On the median annual salary of $28,130, gross monthly income is $2,344. After federal, FICA, and North Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,013 per month (or $929 every two weeks).

Is $28,130 a good salary in Goldsboro, NC?

At $28,130, the median salary for food preparation workers is 47.1% of the Goldsboro, NC median household income ($59,733). It is 31% below the $40,570 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 88.5, so prices here run 11.5% below the U.S. average.