Fast Food and Counter Workers in North Carolina
The median fast food and counter worker in North Carolina earns $28,570 a year and keeps $24,505 of it — $2,042 a month.
Take-home pay, North Carolina
$24,505
from $28,570 gross · $942 every two weeks · 14.2% effective tax rate
Gross median from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 state estimates, May 2025 estimates (source file). Tax computed here from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 and North Carolina revenue department tables. Single filer, 2026 tax year, annual liability rather than paycheck withholding.
By filing status
Filing status changes the standard deduction and the bracket widths, so the same salary yields a different answer.
| Filing status | Federal tax | State tax | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single | $1,248 | $631 | $24,505 |
| Married filing jointly | $0 | $122 | $26,262 |
| Head of household | $442 | $631 | $25,311 |
Every state, ranked by what you keep
Gross pay and take-home pay do not rank the same way. A state can pay less and still leave you with more.
| # | State | Median salary | Take-home | Tax rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $42,280 | $35,478 | 16% |
| 2 | Washington | $37,710 | $32,480 | 14% |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $37,430 | $31,175 | 17% |
| 4 | Colorado | $36,270 | $30,435 | 16% |
| 5 | Vermont | $36,030 | $30,360 | 16% |
| 6 | Connecticut | $35,380 | $29,941 | 15% |
| 7 | Hawaii | $35,250 | $29,501 | 16% |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $35,850 | $29,413 | 18% |
| 9 | Arizona | $34,230 | $29,231 | 15% |
| 10 | New York | $35,250 | $29,197 | 17% |
| 11 | New Jersey | $34,150 | $29,109 | 15% |
| 12 | Alaska | $33,280 | $28,920 | 13% |
| 13 | Maine | $34,710 | $28,848 | 17% |
| 14 | Oregon | $35,050 | $28,112 | 20% |
| 15 | Maryland | $33,660 | $27,991 | 17% |
| 16 | Illinois | $33,910 | $27,893 | 18% |
| 17 | Nevada | $31,950 | $27,852 | 13% |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $31,590 | $27,563 | 13% |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $31,490 | $26,918 | 15% |
| 20 | Minnesota | $31,370 | $26,526 | 15% |
| 21 | North Dakota | $30,080 | $26,349 | 12% |
| 22 | Delaware | $31,300 | $26,269 | 16% |
| 23 | Missouri | $30,390 | $26,107 | 14% |
| 24 | South Dakota | $29,490 | $25,875 | 12% |
| 25 | Florida | $29,080 | $25,546 | 12% |
| 26 | Virginia | $30,110 | $25,456 | 15% |
| 27 | Ohio | $28,430 | $25,022 | 12% |
| 28 | Nebraska | $29,000 | $24,994 | 14% |
| 29 | Montana | $29,090 | $24,943 | 14% |
| 30 | New Mexico | $28,700 | $24,931 | 13% |
| 31 | Utah | $28,670 | $24,892 | 13% |
| 32 | Idaho | $28,940 | $24,753 | 14% |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $28,600 | $24,672 | 14% |
| 34 | Iowa | $28,390 | $24,562 | 13% |
| 35 | Wyoming | $27,860 | $24,553 | 12% |
| 36 | North Carolina | $28,570 | $24,505 | 14% |
| 37 | Indiana | $28,790 | $24,493 | 15% |
| 38 | Texas | $27,740 | $24,454 | 12% |
| 39 | Michigan | $28,930 | $24,446 | 15% |
| 40 | Pennsylvania | $28,570 | $24,259 | 15% |
| 41 | Tennessee | $27,470 | $24,232 | 12% |
| 42 | South Carolina | $27,520 | $24,024 | 13% |
| 43 | Kansas | $27,580 | $23,552 | 15% |
| 44 | Georgia | $26,920 | $23,184 | 14% |
| 45 | Kentucky | $27,130 | $23,120 | 15% |
| 46 | Arkansas | $26,250 | $22,735 | 13% |
| 47 | West Virginia | $26,070 | $22,472 | 14% |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $23,430 | $20,332 | 13% |
| 49 | Alabama | $23,700 | $20,207 | 15% |
| 50 | Louisiana | $22,800 | $20,088 | 12% |
| 51 | Mississippi | $22,610 | $20,057 | 11% |
Fast Food and Counter Workers in North Carolina: questions
What is the average fast food and counter workers salary in North Carolina?›
The median is $28,570 a year, about $13.74 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 estimates. Median means half of fast food and counter workers in North Carolina earn more and half earn less.
What is the take-home pay on $28,570 in North Carolina?›
About $24,505 a year — $2,042 a month, or $942 every two weeks — for a single filer in the 2026 tax year, after $1,248 federal income tax, $2,186 in Social Security and Medicare, and $631 North Carolina income tax.
Do fast food and counter workers earn more in North Carolina than elsewhere?›
No. At $28,570, North Carolina pays $520 below the $29,090 median across all states, ranking 35 of 51 on gross pay. On take-home pay after tax it ranks 36.
Where do fast food and counter workers keep the most money?›
Ranked by take-home rather than gross, the best-paying states for this occupation are California ($35,478), Washington ($32,480), District of Columbia ($31,175). Gross pay and take-home pay do not rank the same way, because state income tax varies from nothing to over 10%.
What is the effective tax rate on $28,570 in North Carolina?›
14.2% of gross pay, combining federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state income tax. The marginal rate — what you would pay on the next dollar earned — is 23.6%.