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Winston-Salem, NC metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Winston-Salem, NC?

In the Winston-Salem, NC metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $34,580 a year ($16.62 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,130 of these jobs there. That is 25% below the $46,380 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $25,270 and $37,210; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and North Carolina tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $29,094 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Winston-Salem, NC at a glance

Median salary

$34,580$16.62 per hour · $2,882 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$25,270$12.15/hr
25th percentile$28,210$13.56/hr
75th percentile$35,270$16.96/hr
90th percentile$37,210$17.89/hr
Jobs in this metro1,130Location quotient 0.72 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here25% belowAll-jobs median $46,380
Against North Carolina14% aboveStatewide median $30,260
Against the U.S.2% belowNational median $35,320

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

Take-home payWhat $35,000 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$17 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $35,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $35,000 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 Winston-Salem, NC after taxes

$34,580
$15,000$70,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$34,580
Net 84%
Fed 6%
NC 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$29,094After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,425Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,119Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,970 / yr
North Carolina state income tax$871 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,645 / yr
Customize deductions in full North Carolina calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Winston-Salem, NC, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Winston-Salem, NC metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NC)
10th percentile$12.15/hr$2,106$25,270$21,920
25th percentile$13.56/hr$2,351$28,210$24,224
MedianMedian$16.62/hr$2,882$34,580$29,094
75th percentile$16.96/hr$2,939$35,270$29,621
90th percentile$17.89/hr$3,101$37,210$31,102

Is $34,580 a good salary in Winston-Salem, 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$65,975Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)92.08% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household52.4%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 Winston-Salem, NC. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Food preparation worker pay in Winston-Salem, NC: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Winston-Salem, NC?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Winston-Salem, NC metro area was $34,580 in May 2025, about $2,882 a month or $16.62 an hour. Statewide, the North Carolina median for this job is $30,260, so the metro pays 14% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Winston-Salem, NC?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Winston-Salem, NC was $16.62 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $12.15 an hour and one in ten earned more than $17.89.

How many food preparation workers work in Winston-Salem, NC?

BLS estimated 1,130 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 4.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.72 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Winston-Salem, NC?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Winston-Salem, NC run from $25,270 at the 10th percentile to $28,210 at the 25th, $35,270 at the 75th, and $37,210 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Winston-Salem, NC?

On a median gross salary of $34,580, an estimated $29,094 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,119 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in North Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,486 (an effective rate of 15.9%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Winston-Salem, NC?

On the median annual salary of $34,580, gross monthly income is $2,882. After federal, FICA, and North Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,425 per month (or $1,119 every two weeks).

Is $34,580 a good salary in Winston-Salem, NC?

At $34,580, the median salary for food preparation workers is 52.4% of the Winston-Salem, NC median household income ($65,975). It is 25% below the $46,380 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.