Cooks, Restaurant pay in South Carolina
In South Carolina, the median pay for cooks, restaurant is $17.18 an hour ($35,740 a year). About 25,890 people work in this job there.
That is 4% lower than the U.S. median ($37,390). South Carolina ranks 37th of 51 states and territories for this job’s median pay.
Pay range for cooks, restaurant in South Carolina
| Earns more than | Hourly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 10% of workers | $12.59 | $26,200 |
| 25% of workers | $14.65 | $30,470 |
| Half of workers (median) | $17.18 | $35,740 |
| 75% of workers | $18.54 | $38,560 |
| 90% of workers | $21.96 | $45,680 |
Cooks, Restaurant pay in South Carolina metro areas
| Metro area | Median yearly pay | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal | $36,820 | 1,730 |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $36,710 | 6,040 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $35,680 | 4,360 |
| Spartanburg | $35,500 | 1,180 |
| Columbia | $35,490 | 3,520 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $35,190 | 3,420 |
| Florence | $34,550 | 730 |
| Sumter | $31,370 | 290 |
South Carolina unemployment rate: 4.1% (August 2026), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Education, experience and outlook for cooks, restaurant
- Typical education to start: No formal educational credential (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 3 to 6 months (O*NET)
- Experience usually needed to start: Less than 5 years (BLS)
- Training on the job: Moderate-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +12.1% over ten years, much faster than average · about 218,600 openings a year (BLS)
Related jobs in South Carolina
| Job | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Food Preparation Workers | $32,180 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $27,420 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $34,960 |
| Bakers | $35,460 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $71,860 |
| Butchers and Meat Cutters | $39,790 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $29,640 |
| Food Batchmakers | $37,070 |
Other job titles for this job
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Post a job freeFind jobsCheck pay for any jobSource: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates. Figures are for wage and salary workers and do not include the self-employed. The median is the middle wage: half earn more, half earn less. Other job titles: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.