Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Sumter, SC

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Sumter, SC

Median annual salary $30,120 -18.2% vs national
Median hourly $14.48
10th percentile $23,280
90th percentile $36,980
Employed locally 300
National median $36,830

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Cooks, Restaurant
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Sumter, SC
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $23,280
    25th
    $27,010
    50th (median)
    $30,120
    75th
    $34,940
    90th
    $36,980

    Sumter economic context

    Unemployment rate 5.20% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $55,990 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Restaurant salary vs area income 54% Median Cooks, Restaurant salary is 46% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Cooks, Restaurant

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Kahului-Wailuku, HI $48,320
    Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $46,970
    Portland-South Portland, ME $46,960
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $46,960
    Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area $46,500
    Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area $46,340

    Nearby metros — Cooks, Restaurant salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $45,230
    Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $38,290
    Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $37,090
    Wisconsin $36,940
    Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $36,710
    Charleston-North Charleston, SC $36,630

    Related occupations in Sumter, SC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $22,890
    Waiters and Waitresses $17,120
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $35,200
    Cooks, Fast Food $23,360
    Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria $26,420
    Food Preparation Workers $27,600

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Cooks, Restaurant make per hour in Sumter?

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Sumter, SC is $14.48, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $18.59 or more per hour.

    Is Sumter above or below average for Cooks, Restaurant salaries?

    The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in Sumter, SC is 18.2% below the national median of $36,830. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Cooks, Restaurant in Sumter?

    Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $23,280 per year in Sumter, SC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $27,010.