Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Columbia
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $26,870 a year or less, while the top 10% make $43,220 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Columbia earn between $30,470 and $38,320.
- $27K10th
- $30K25th
- $35KMedian
- $38K75th
- $43K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $34,580 | $2,882 | $16.62 |
| Median | $35,490 | $2,958 | $17.06 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $30,470 | $2,539 | $14.65 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $38,320 | $3,193 | $18.42 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Columbia vs. South Carolina and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Columbia earn about the same as the South Carolina average ($35,610) and 11% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -5% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | $34,580 | $35,490 | $26,870 | $43,220 | 3,520 |
| South Carolina | $35,610 | $35,740 | $26,200 | $45,680 | 25,890 |
| United States | $38,730 | $37,390 | $28,700 | $47,900 | 1,409,890 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Cooks, Restaurant salary after taxes in Columbia
On the average salary of $34,580, a single filer in Columbia takes home about $29,575 a year, or $2,465 a month and $1,138 every two weeks. Taxes take 14% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Columbia a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Columbia area are 6% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 93.7), so the average $34,580 buys what about $36,920 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Columbia ($46,430). A typical home costs $256,154, or 7.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other South Carolina cities
Columbia ranks 6th of 8 South Carolina metro areas for this job; Hilton Head Island pays the most ($37,530).
- Hilton Head Island$37,530
- Charleston$37,260
- Greenville$35,520
- Spartanburg$35,050
- Myrtle Beach$34,890
- Columbia$34,580
- Florence$33,340
- Sumter$32,880
Highest-paying cities for cooks, restaurant
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($54,460).
- Kahului, HI$54,460
- San Jose, CA$49,390
- Seattle, WA$49,000
- San Francisco, CA$48,630
- Napa, CA$47,830
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Cooks, Restaurant salary in Columbia: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Columbia?
$16.62 an hour on average, and $17.06 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Columbia?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $26,870 a year and the 25th percentile is $30,470, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Columbia?
About $29,575 a year ($2,465 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $34,580.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Columbia than elsewhere?
The average here is 11% less than the U.S. average for this job ($38,730).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 35-2014; area Columbia, SC (17900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.1%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.99, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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