Fast Food and Counter Workers salary in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
Official BLS OEWS May 2025 pay for Fast Food and Counter Workers in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area — and the estimated take-home pay on the median wage under 2026 North Carolina tax rules.
The figures
The median Fast Food and Counter Workers in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area earns $28,880 a year ($13.88 an hour), according to the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates (full citation in Sources). The middle half of Fast Food and Counter Workers in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC earn between $24,790 and $35,040 a year. At the ends of the distribution, the lowest-paid 10 percent earn $22,850 or less and the top 10 percent earn $37,010 or more. BLS estimates 27,050 Fast Food and Counter Workers jobs in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC area — 19.916 of every 1,000 jobs in the area, a location quotient of 0.8 (below the national concentration). That is 0.7% of all Fast Food and Counter Workers employment in the United States (3,854,050 jobs nationally). By employment, Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC is the #23 largest of the 25 covered metro areas for Fast Food and Counter Workers. In aggregate, Fast Food and Counter Workers in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC earn about $0.81 billion a year (BLS employment multiplied by the mean wage). At the mean wage, the engine's take-home is $25,528.22 a year, so the aggregate take-home of Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Fast Food and Counter Workers is about $0.69 billion. BLS reports a relative standard error of 5.9% for this employment estimate. Ranked by median pay, Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC stands #21 of the 25 metro areas covered on this site for Fast Food and Counter Workers. By employment, Fast Food and Counter Workers is the #4 largest of the 30 covered occupations in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC. Placed against the national distribution for Fast Food and Counter Workers, the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC median of $28,880 falls between the national 25th percentile ($27,700) and the national median ($31,200). Across all occupations, the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC median is $49,990 a year — Fast Food and Counter Workers pay is 42.2% below the area's overall median.
Wages in detail
| Wage level | Hourly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Mean | $14.38 | $29,910 |
| 10th percentile | $10.99 | $22,850 |
| 25th percentile | $11.92 | $24,790 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $13.88 | $28,880 |
| 75th percentile | $16.85 | $35,040 |
| 90th percentile | $17.79 | $37,010 |
What the wage distribution says
The top 10 percent of Fast Food and Counter Workers in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC earn 1.6 times what the bottom 10 percent earn ($37,010 against $22,850). The middle half spans $10,250 — from $24,790 to $35,040. Hourly, the 90th percentile ($17.79) is 1.62 times the 10th ($10.99). In the upper half of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC distribution, the 75th percentile wage of $35,040 takes home $29,445.06 and the 90th percentile wage of $37,010 takes home $30,949.66 — $1,504.60 more net for $1,970 more gross. Against the median take-home of $24,741.32, the top decile keeps 1.25 times as much. The mean wage of $29,910 sits 3.6% above the median: higher-paid Fast Food and Counter Workers pull the average up in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC. Among the 30 covered occupations in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC, Fast Food and Counter Workers ranks #30 by median pay. In the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC wage ladder of covered occupations, Fast Food and Counter Workers sits just below Cashiers at $29,610. Fast Food and Counter Workers accounts for 2.0% of all employment in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area. The average covered metro employs 62,486 Fast Food and Counter Workers; Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC employs 0.4 times that.
Take-home pay on the median wage in North Carolina
Single filer, no dependents, no pre-tax contributions, paid biweekly, a full year of W-2 wages in North Carolina; city and local taxes are not included:
| Gross pay (annual) | $28,880.00 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $1,285.60 |
| Social Security (FICA) | $1,790.56 |
| Medicare (FICA) | $418.76 |
| North Carolina income tax | $643.59 |
| Total deductions | $4,138.68 |
| Net pay (annual) | $24,741.32 |
| Net pay per biweekly paycheck | $951.59 |
| Total deduction rate | 14.33% of gross |
At the median, $24,741.32 of the $28,880 gross is kept ($951.59 per paycheck) — a deduction rate of 14.33%. The deduction rate moves with pay: 12.37% at the 10th percentile, 13.09% at the 25th percentile, 15.97% at the 75th percentile, 16.37% at the 90th percentile. Between the 25th and 75th percentile wages, annual take-home rises by $7,900.90 on a gross rise of $10,250.
The same engine at the other published points of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC wage distribution:
| Wage point | Net per year | Net per paycheck | Deduction rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile ($22,850) | $20,024.06 | $770.16 | 12.37% |
| 25th percentile ($24,790) | $21,544.16 | $828.62 | 13.09% |
| Median ($28,880) | $24,741.32 | $951.59 | 14.33% |
| 75th percentile ($35,040) | $29,445.06 | $1,132.50 | 15.97% |
| 90th percentile ($37,010) | $30,949.66 | $1,190.37 | 16.37% |
Across the published distribution, take-home pay runs from $20,024.06 a year at the 10th percentile to $30,949.66 at the 90th — a spread of $10,925.60 of net pay inside one occupation and one metro area.
For scale: across all occupations, the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC median wage of $49,990 takes home $40,860.88 a year ($1,571.57 per paycheck, deduction rate 18.26%). The Fast Food and Counter Workers median take-home of $24,741.32 sits $16,119.56 (below that area-wide figure.
Multi-state metro area. Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC also covers parts of South Carolina. The take-home estimate above uses North Carolina rules — the metro area's primary state. If the job is based in another part of the metro area, the state tax changes: see the South Carolina paycheck calculator.
Run your own numbers
Your own withholding depends on your Form W-4, your benefits and your other income — run your exact figures through the calculator:
Against the national median
Nationally, the median Fast Food and Counter Workers earns $31,200 a year ($15.00 an hour). The Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC median of $28,880 is $2,320 (7.4%) below the national median.
The means rank the area the same way: $29,910 a year in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC against $32,150 nationally, a gap of $2,240 (7.0%).
Set against the whole local market, the Fast Food and Counter Workers 90th percentile of $37,010 is 28% of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC all-occupations 90th percentile ($130,510), and its 10th percentile of $22,850 is 77% of the area-wide 10th ($29,640).
| Median annual | Median hourly | Mean annual | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $28,880 | $13.88 | $29,910 |
| United States | $31,200 | $15.00 | $32,150 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the median salary for Fast Food and Counter Workers in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC?
$28,880 a year ($13.88 an hour), per the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates. The mean is $29,910 a year. Ranked by median pay, Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC stands #21 of the 25 covered metro areas for this occupation.
What is the take-home pay on $28,880 in North Carolina?
About $24,741.32 a year ($951.59 per biweekly paycheck) for a single filer with no dependents and no pre-tax contributions, under 2026 rules — a total deduction rate of 14.33% of gross. At the 75th percentile wage of $35,040, take-home is $29,445.06.
How does pay in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC compare with the national median for Fast Food and Counter Workers?
The Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC median of $28,880 is $2,320 (7.4%) below the national median of $31,200 a year. At the top of the distribution, the local 90th percentile is $37,010, against a national 90th percentile of $42,650.
How much do the top 10% of Fast Food and Counter Workers earn in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC?
$37,010 a year or more ($17.79 an hour or more), per the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates.
What is the take-home pay at the 90th percentile for Fast Food and Counter Workers in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC?
On $37,010 a year, the engine gives a take-home of $30,949.66 a year ($1,190.37 per biweekly paycheck) in North Carolina under the same assumptions — a deduction rate of 16.37%.
How many Fast Food and Counter Workers jobs are there in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC?
BLS estimates 27,050 Fast Food and Counter Workers jobs in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area — 19.916 of every 1,000 jobs in the area.
How concentrated are Fast Food and Counter Workers jobs in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC?
The location quotient is 0.8 — below the national concentration. A quotient of 1.0 means the occupation's share of local employment equals its national share.
How much does take-home pay vary for Fast Food and Counter Workers in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC?
From $20,024.06 a year at the 10th percentile wage ($22,850) to $30,949.66 at the 90th ($37,010), under the same single-filer assumptions in North Carolina.
What is the total wage bill for Fast Food and Counter Workers in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC?
About $0.81 billion a year — the BLS employment estimate of 27,050 multiplied by the mean wage of $29,910.
Sources and method
Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates (released May 15, 2026), retrieved October 27, 2026 — bls.gov/oes. OEWS figures are survey estimates for May 2025, not job offers. Take-home pay is computed by this site's paycheck engine with 2026 federal and state rules; the method, and what the engine does not model, is documented in the paycheck methodology guide. Estimates only — not tax advice.