How much does a food server make in Hickory?
$31,370a year
Median yearly pay for food servers in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area. That is $15.08 an hour or $2,614 a month.
- Hourly
- $15.08
- Vs. national median
- -11%
- Rank among cities
- 222 of 353
- Jobs in the area
- 210
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $23,660Median: $31,370Highest 10%: $42,580
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $23,660 | $11.38 | |
| 25th | $27,300 | $13.13 | |
| Median | $31,370 | $15.08 | |
| 75th | $37,080 | $17.83 | |
| 90th | $42,580 | $20.47 |
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 |
| Charlotte, NC | $33,550 |
| Raleigh, NC | $32,470 |
| Jacksonville, NC | $31,460 |
| 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 Hickory
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Chef and Head Cook | $59,480 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Worker | $41,780 |
| Cook | $35,130 |
| Bartender | $31,860 |
| Cook | $30,380 |
| Waiter and Waitress | $29,310 |
| Cook | $29,230 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Worker | $29,150 |
| Dishwasher | $28,980 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $27,680 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a food server make an hour in Hickory?
The median hourly pay in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area is $15.08 ($31,370 a year).
Do food servers make more in Hickory than the national average?
No: $31,370 against $35,360 nationally, 11% less.
How does Hickory compare with the rest of North Carolina?
The median in North Carolina is $31,460, so Hickory pays 0% more.
Where does Hickory rank for food server pay?
222 of 353 metro areas with data.
How much does a food server make starting out in Hickory?
The lowest-paid 10% make $23,660 or less a year; the top 10% make $42,580 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.