Fast Food and Counter Workers Salary in South Carolina
Fast Food and Counter Workers in South Carolina have a median of $27,520 a year, below the national $31,200 (−12%); the state ranks 42nd of 51 states by median. That is 41% less than the median across all occupations in South Carolina ($46,490). Among neighbouring states, North Carolina pays more (up to $28,570 in North Carolina) and Georgia pays less (down to $26,920 in Georgia). South Carolina employs 65,070 fast food and counter workers, 28.2 per 1,000 jobs, the 20th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.14 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 | $10.74 | $11.21 | $13.23 | $14.26 | $16.84 | $13.38 | 65,070 | 28.23 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $22,340 | $23,320 | $27,520 | $29,660 | $35,020 | $27,840 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $10.98 | $13.32 | $15.00 | $17.34 | $20.51 | $15.46 | 3,854,050 | – | – |
| Annual | $22,840 | $27,700 | $31,200 | $36,070 | $42,650 | $32,150 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 42nd of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 20th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.14
- Jobs per 1,000
- 28.23
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 fast food and counter workers, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $14.21 | $29,550 | $23,100 | $37,250 | 2,440 | 29.74 | 1.20 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $13.88 | $28,880 | $22,850 | $37,010 | 27,050 | 19.92 | 0.80 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $13.70 | $28,500 | $22,590 | $36,690 | 10,850 | 27.53 | 1.11 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $13.39 | $27,850 | $22,820 | $34,450 | 12,280 | 28.24 | 1.14 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $13.27 | $27,600 | $22,280 | $34,130 | 5,200 | 35.55 | 1.43 |
| Spartanburg, SC | $13.17 | $27,390 | $21,960 | $34,150 | 4,870 | 29.48 | 1.19 |
| Columbia, SC | $13.06 | $27,170 | $22,440 | $34,360 | 11,640 | 29.54 | 1.19 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $12.80 | $26,620 | $20,890 | $34,380 | 8,710 | 37.57 | 1.52 |
| Florence, SC | $11.82 | $24,590 | $21,180 | $35,070 | 2,880 | 32.37 | 1.31 |
| Sumter, SC | $11.78 | $24,510 | $21,420 | $33,510 | 1,060 | 30.56 | 1.23 |
| Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $12.36 | $25,700 | $22,070 | $32,640 | 2,860 | 30.58 | 1.23 |
| Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $11.58 | $24,080 | $21,650 | $31,840 | 2,200 | 28.57 | 1.15 |
| Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $11.32 | $23,540 | $22,030 | $32,600 | 1,370 | 26.18 | 1.06 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | $13.23 | $27,520 | 65,070 | 1.14 |
| Georgia | $12.94 | $26,920 | 145,030 | 1.20 |
| North Carolina | $13.74 | $28,570 | 92,230 | 0.75 |
See the national page for Fast Food and Counter Workers (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.