How much does a food server make in Wilmington?
$34,810a year
Median yearly pay for food servers in the Wilmington, NC metro area. That is $16.74 an hour or $2,901 a month.
- Hourly
- $16.74
- Vs. national median
- -2%
- Rank among cities
- 112 of 353
- Jobs in the area
- 410
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $24,000Median: $34,810Highest 10%: $39,130
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $24,000 | $11.54 | |
| 25th | $27,460 | $13.20 | |
| Median | $34,810 | $16.74 | |
| 75th | $36,970 | $17.77 | |
| 90th | $39,130 | $18.81 |
Other cities in North Carolina
Median yearly pay for food servers.
| Goldsboro, NC | $38,980 |
| Asheville, NC | $35,040 |
| 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 |
| 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 Wilmington
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Chef and Head Cook | $58,120 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Worker | $44,360 |
| Bartender | $37,890 |
| Cook | $36,050 |
| Cook | $34,940 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $31,830 |
| Waiter and Waitress | $30,610 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Worker | $30,350 |
| Dishwasher | $29,870 |
| Cook | $29,620 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a food server make an hour in Wilmington?
The median hourly pay in the Wilmington, NC metro area is $16.74 ($34,810 a year).
Do food servers make more in Wilmington than the national average?
No: $34,810 against $35,360 nationally, 2% less.
How does Wilmington compare with the rest of North Carolina?
The median in North Carolina is $31,460, so Wilmington pays 11% more.
Where does Wilmington rank for food server pay?
112 of 353 metro areas with data.
How much does a food server make starting out in Wilmington?
The lowest-paid 10% make $24,000 or less a year; the top 10% make $39,130 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.