The average wage for a food preparation worker in North Carolina is around $11.77 per hour.
Avg Wage
Food preparation workers earn an average hourly wage of $11.77.
Salaries typically start from $8.34 per hour and go up to $16.95 per hour.
61% below national average Updated in 2021
Food preparation worker earnings by seniority
Top-level food preparation worker earnings begin at:
$16.95 per hour
$35,250 per year
Senior-level food preparation worker earnings begin at:
$14.12 per hour
$29,360 per year
Mid-level food preparation worker earnings begin at:
$11.77 per hour
$24,490 per year
Junior-level food preparation worker earnings begin at:
$10.64 per hour
$22,130 per year
Starting level food preparation worker earnings begin at:
$8.34 per hour
$17,350 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Food preparation worker salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $36,300 |
| District of Columbia | $35,940 |
| California | $31,800 |
| New York | $31,350 |
| Oregon | $31,180 |
| Massachusetts | $31,130 |
| Rhode Island | $30,720 |
| Hawaii | $30,650 |
| Colorado | $30,420 |
| New Hampshire | $30,390 |
| Alaska | $30,310 |
| Maine | $29,910 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $29,650 |
| Arizona | $29,580 |
| Connecticut | $29,570 |
| North Dakota | $29,500 |
| Minnesota | $29,250 |
| Florida | $29,200 |
| Wyoming | $29,200 |
| Vermont | $28,740 |
| New Jersey | $28,700 |
| Maryland | $28,620 |
| Illinois | $28,560 |
| Nevada | $28,350 |
| Texas | $28,350 |
| Nebraska | $28,310 |
| Michigan | $28,140 |
| Delaware | $28,100 |
| Virginia | $27,490 |
| Indiana | $25,100 |
| Montana | $25,100 |
| Wisconsin | $25,010 |
| Georgia | $24,810 |
| Pennsylvania | $24,680 |
| Arkansas | $24,610 |
| Missouri | $24,490 |
| North Carolina | $24,490 |
| Idaho | $24,370 |
| Kansas | $24,360 |
| Ohio | $24,320 |
| South Dakota | $24,230 |
| Oklahoma | $23,970 |
| South Carolina | $23,970 |
| Utah | $23,850 |
| Kentucky | $23,720 |
| Iowa | $23,520 |
| New Mexico | $22,890 |
| West Virginia | $22,870 |
| Tennessee | $22,780 |
| Guam | $20,150 |
| Alabama | $19,050 |
| Louisiana | $18,980 |
| Mississippi | $18,900 |
| Puerto Rico | $18,090 |
How do food preparation worker salaries compare to similar careers?
Food preparation workers earn about the same as related careers in North Carolina. On average, they make less than dietetic technicians but more than maitres d'.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Dietetic technician salary | $34K |
| Food batchmaker salary | $30K |
| Baker salary | $29K |
| Restaurant cook salary | $29K |
| Bartender salary | $19K |
| Food preparation worker salary | $24K |
| Food server salary | $18K |
| Maitre d' salary | $20K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)