State comparison · 2025
Cooks, Restaurant salary: District of Columbia vs North Carolina
Cooks, Restaurant in District of Columbia earn a median of $46,130. In North Carolina, $35,400. After cost-of-living, the gap is 11.8% — not 30.3%.
Nominal pay gap
+30.3%
District of Columbia vs North Carolina
COL-adjusted gap
+11.8%
After BEA Regional Price Parities
District of Columbia
Cooks, Restaurant
- Median
- $46,130
- p25
- $39,960
- p75
- $47,890
- p10
- $36,440
- p90
- $53,020
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 109.9
North Carolina
Cooks, Restaurant
- Median
- $35,400
- p25
- $29,690
- p75
- $38,170
- p10
- $27,980
- p90
- $45,450
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 94.3
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Cost-of-living adjustment from BEA Regional Price Parities (overall index). Hiring velocity from DOL OFLC public disclosure data, recent 180 days vs prior. See methodology.