How much does a food server make in Charlotte?
$33,550a year
Median yearly pay for food servers in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area. That is $16.13 an hour or $2,796 a month.
- Hourly
- $16.13
- Vs. national median
- -5%
- Rank among cities
- 175 of 353
- Jobs in the area
- 2,260
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $27,740Median: $33,550Highest 10%: $42,500
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $27,740 | $13.34 | |
| 25th | $29,280 | $14.08 | |
| Median | $33,550 | $16.13 | |
| 75th | $37,650 | $18.10 | |
| 90th | $42,500 | $20.43 |
Other cities in North Carolina
Median yearly pay for food servers.
| Goldsboro, NC | $38,980 |
| Asheville, NC | $35,040 |
| Wilmington, NC | $34,810 |
| Virginia Beach, VA | $34,710 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $34,620 |
| Durham, NC | $34,500 |
| Raleigh, NC | $32,470 |
| Jacksonville, NC | $31,460 |
| Hickory, NC | $31,370 |
| Pinehurst, NC | $30,790 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $29,730 |
| Greensboro, NC | $29,030 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $28,760 |
| Burlington, NC | $28,670 |
| Greenville, NC | $27,370 |
Related jobs in Charlotte
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Chef and Head Cook | $64,260 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Worker | $47,280 |
| Cook | $37,690 |
| Bartender | $37,390 |
| Cook | $37,030 |
| Waiter and Waitress | $36,430 |
| Cook | $34,600 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $34,180 |
| Dishwasher | $31,920 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Worker | $31,440 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a food server make an hour in Charlotte?
The median hourly pay in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area is $16.13 ($33,550 a year).
Do food servers make more in Charlotte than the national average?
No: $33,550 against $35,360 nationally, 5% less.
How does Charlotte compare with the rest of North Carolina?
The median in North Carolina is $31,460, so Charlotte pays 7% more.
Where does Charlotte rank for food server pay?
175 of 353 metro areas with data.
How much does a food server make starting out in Charlotte?
The lowest-paid 10% make $27,740 or less a year; the top 10% make $42,500 or more.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.