Food preparation worker pay in Hickory-Lenoir, NC at a glance
Median salary
$27,680$13.31 per hour · $2,307 monthly · BLS May 2025Run the numbers on your own pay
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Food preparation worker salary in Hickory-Lenoir, NC after taxes
Food preparation workers pay range in Hickory-Lenoir, NC, hourly and yearly
BLS May 2025 estimates for the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.
| Percentile | Hourly | Monthly | Yearly | After tax a year (NC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $10.08/hr | $1,747 | $20,960 | $18,543 |
| 25th percentile | $11.49/hr | $1,991 | $23,890 | $20,839 |
| MedianMedian | $13.31/hr | $2,307 | $27,680 | $23,809 |
| 75th percentile | $16.41/hr | $2,844 | $34,130 | $28,750 |
| 90th percentile | $17.86/hr | $3,095 | $37,140 | $31,049 |
Is $27,680 a good salary in Hickory-Lenoir, NC?
It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for food preparation workers next to both.
Food preparation workers pay in North Carolina and across the U.S.
The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.
Food preparation worker pay in Hickory-Lenoir, NC: common questions
What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area was $27,680 in May 2025, about $2,307 a month or $13.31 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC was $13.31 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.08 an hour and one in ten earned more than $17.86.
How many food preparation workers work in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
BLS estimated 750 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 4.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.85 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.
What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC run from $20,960 at the 10th percentile to $23,890 at the 25th, $34,130 at the 75th, and $37,140 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.
How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
On a median gross salary of $27,680, an estimated $23,809 lands in net take-home pay per year ($916 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in North Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $3,871 (an effective rate of 14%).
How much do food preparation workers make per month in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
On the median annual salary of $27,680, gross monthly income is $2,307. After federal, FICA, and North Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,984 per month (or $916 every two weeks).
Is $27,680 a good salary in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
At $27,680, the median salary for food preparation workers is 44.1% of the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC median household income ($62,787). It is 39% below the $45,220 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.