Chefs and Head Cooks Salary in Charleston, SC

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Charleston-North Charleston, SC

Median annual salary $63,130 +3.5% vs national
Median hourly $30.35
10th percentile $45,120
90th percentile $85,200
Employed locally 540
National median $60,990

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Type a city below to see how Charleston, SC stacks up on salary and cost of living.

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Chefs and Head Cooks
in
Charleston, SC
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $45,120
    25th
    $55,090
    50th (median)
    $63,130
    75th
    $73,300
    90th
    $85,200

    Charleston economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.50% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $82,272 2023 • Census ACS
    Chefs and Head Cooks salary vs area income 77% Median Chefs and Head Cooks salary is 23% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Chefs and Head Cooks

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Kahului-Wailuku, HI $87,410
    Morgantown, WV $87,280
    Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area $85,370
    Terre Haute, IN $83,880
    East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area $81,720
    Hawaii $81,200

    Nearby metros — Chefs and Head Cooks salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $71,600
    Tuscaloosa, AL $69,560
    Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $65,780
    Sumter, SC $65,020
    Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $63,010
    Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $60,740

    Related occupations in Charleston, SC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $28,450
    Waiters and Waitresses $18,890
    Cooks, Restaurant $36,630
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $44,010
    Bartenders $18,710
    Food Preparation Workers $33,730

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Chefs and Head Cooks make per hour in Charleston?

    The median hourly wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in Charleston, SC is $30.35, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $42.11 or more per hour.

    Is Charleston above or below average for Chefs and Head Cooks salaries?

    The median Chefs and Head Cooks salary in Charleston, SC is 3.5% above the national median of $60,990. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Chefs and Head Cooks in Charleston?

    Entry-level Chefs and Head Cooks (10th percentile) earn around $45,120 per year in Charleston, SC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $55,090.