Food Preparation Workers Salary in South Carolina
Food Preparation Workers in South Carolina have a median of $32,180 a year, below the national $35,320 (−9%); the state ranks 33rd of 51 states by median. That is 31% less than the median across all occupations in South Carolina ($46,490). Among neighbouring states, Georgia pays more (up to $35,250 in Georgia) and North Carolina pays less (down to $30,260 in North Carolina). South Carolina employs 14,460 food preparation workers, 6.27 per 1,000 jobs, the 22nd largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.09 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 | $11.05 | $13.39 | $15.47 | $17.77 | $19.41 | $15.53 | 14,460 | 6.27 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $22,990 | $27,860 | $32,180 | $36,970 | $40,370 | $32,300 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $12.41 | $14.40 | $16.98 | $18.53 | $21.80 | $16.96 | 893,600 | – | – |
| Annual | $25,810 | $29,950 | $35,320 | $38,550 | $45,340 | $35,290 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 33rd of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 22nd of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.09
- Jobs per 1,000
- 6.27
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 food preparation 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 | $17.75 | $36,920 | $23,720 | $43,600 | 960 | 11.75 | 2.05 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $17.41 | $36,220 | $24,680 | $44,550 | 2,650 | 6.71 | 1.17 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $16.43 | $34,180 | $21,760 | $43,940 | 5,800 | 4.27 | 0.74 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $16.03 | $33,330 | $22,560 | $39,520 | 1,320 | 9.00 | 1.57 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $15.43 | $32,090 | $22,600 | $38,990 | 1,120 | 4.82 | 0.84 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $14.63 | $30,430 | $22,990 | $39,090 | 2,780 | 6.40 | 1.11 |
| Columbia, SC | $14.55 | $30,260 | $22,810 | $38,700 | 2,030 | 5.16 | 0.90 |
| Spartanburg, SC | $14.16 | $29,460 | $23,550 | $39,490 | 1,130 | 6.87 | 1.20 |
| Florence, SC | $14.03 | $29,180 | $22,410 | $35,010 | 530 | 5.99 | 1.04 |
| Sumter, SC | $13.57 | $28,230 | $18,200 | $35,550 | 140 | 4.09 | 0.71 |
| Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $13.78 | $28,670 | $22,620 | $37,200 | 420 | 5.47 | 0.95 |
| Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $13.76 | $28,620 | $21,230 | $39,630 | 460 | 4.90 | 0.85 |
| Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $13.28 | $27,620 | $20,810 | $35,220 | 350 | 6.64 | 1.16 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | $15.47 | $32,180 | 14,460 | 1.09 |
| Georgia | $16.95 | $35,250 | 26,450 | 0.94 |
| North Carolina | $14.55 | $30,260 | 24,960 | 0.88 |
See the national page for Food Preparation 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.