Chefs and Head Cooks Salary in Greenville, SC

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC

Median annual salary $58,910 -3.4% vs national
Median hourly $28.32
10th percentile $43,180
90th percentile $81,650
Employed locally 280
National median $60,990

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

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Chefs and Head Cooks
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Greenville, SC
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $43,180
    25th
    $50,320
    50th (median)
    $58,910
    75th
    $69,590
    90th
    $81,650

    Greenville economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.80% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $69,016 2023 • Census ACS
    Chefs and Head Cooks salary vs area income 85% Median Chefs and Head Cooks salary is 15% 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
    Charleston-North Charleston, SC $63,130
    Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $63,010

    Related occupations in Greenville, SC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers$27,230
    Waiters and Waitresses$18,520
    Cooks, Restaurant$35,730
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$41,450
    Food Preparation Workers$29,180
    Cooks, Fast Food$28,360

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in Greenville, SC is $28.32, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $42.63 or more per hour.

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

    The median Chefs and Head Cooks salary in Greenville, SC is 3.4% below 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 Greenville?

    Entry-level Chefs and Head Cooks (10th percentile) earn around $43,180 per year in Greenville, SC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $50,320.