Cooks, Fast Food Salary in South Carolina
Cooks, Fast Food in South Carolina have a median of $27,420 a year, below the national $30,890 (−11%); the state ranks 43rd of 51 states by median. That is 41% less than the median across all occupations in South Carolina ($46,490). South Carolina pays more than every neighbouring state: North Carolina and Georgia range from $26,940 in Georgia to $27,190 in North Carolina. South Carolina employs 9,110 cooks, fast food, 3.95 per 1,000 jobs, the 21st largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.96 is close to the national share.
South Carolina vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| South Carolina | Hourly | $10.43 | $10.98 | $13.18 | $16.12 | $17.86 | $13.50 | 9,110 | 3.95 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $21,690 | $22,830 | $27,420 | $33,540 | $37,140 | $28,080 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $10.86 | $13.11 | $14.85 | $17.92 | $20.63 | $15.57 | 641,070 | – | – |
| Annual | $22,580 | $27,260 | $30,890 | $37,260 | $42,910 | $32,390 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 43rd of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 21st of 49 states
- Location quotient
- 0.96
- Jobs per 1,000
- 3.95
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of South Carolina's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in South Carolina
10 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching South Carolina publish a row for cooks, fast food, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $15.57 | $32,380 | $21,770 | $38,960 | 1,090 | 2.77 | 0.67 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $13.60 | $28,290 | $22,230 | $41,600 | 300 | 3.67 | 0.89 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $13.56 | $28,210 | $22,740 | $37,440 | 1,970 | 4.52 | 1.10 |
| Spartanburg, SC | $13.48 | $28,030 | $21,590 | $36,670 | 630 | 3.79 | 0.92 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $13.31 | $27,690 | $22,430 | $35,720 | 15,830 | 11.65 | 2.83 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $13.03 | $27,100 | $21,180 | $35,820 | 840 | 5.72 | 1.39 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $12.88 | $26,780 | $21,630 | $37,620 | 880 | 3.81 | 0.92 |
| Sumter, SC | $11.53 | $23,980 | $20,870 | $33,900 | 280 | 8.17 | 1.98 |
| Florence, SC | $11.21 | $23,310 | $21,540 | $34,760 | 390 | 4.36 | 1.06 |
| Columbia, SC | $11.00 | $22,880 | $22,030 | $35,950 | 1,500 | 3.81 | 0.92 |
| Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $12.25 | $25,470 | $21,570 | $36,600 | 370 | 4.00 | 0.97 |
| Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $11.71 | $24,360 | $21,500 | $35,430 | 260 | 4.99 | 1.21 |
| Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $11.70 | $24,340 | $19,040 | $35,920 | 360 | 4.66 | 1.13 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | $13.18 | $27,420 | 9,110 | 0.96 |
| Georgia | $12.95 | $26,940 | 12,940 | 0.64 |
| North Carolina | $13.07 | $27,190 | 81,980 | 4.02 |
See the national page for Cooks, Fast Food (every state ranked) and the South Carolina wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS South Carolina estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.