Cooks, Short Order Salary in Charleston, SC

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

Median annual salary $33,390 -6.3% vs national
Median hourly $16.05
10th percentile $21,780
90th percentile $34,740
National median $35,620

Compare Cooks, Short Order salary & buying power

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Cooks, Short Order
in
Charleston, SC
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $21,780
    25th
    $27,630
    50th (median)
    $33,390
    75th
    $33,390
    90th
    $34,740

    Charleston economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.50% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $82,272 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Short Order salary vs area income 41% Median Cooks, Short Order salary is 59% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Cooks, Short Order

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Kahului-Wailuku, HI $48,970
    Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $48,700
    Barnstable Town, MA $46,830
    Arizona $46,240
    Washington $46,010
    Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $46,010

    Nearby metros — Cooks, Short Order salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $44,270
    Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $37,170
    Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $31,210
    South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $29,820
    Columbia, SC $28,580
    Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $28,340

    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 Cooks, Short Order make per hour in Charleston?

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Short Order in Charleston, SC is $16.05, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $17.86 or more per hour.

    Is Charleston above or below average for Cooks, Short Order salaries?

    The median Cooks, Short Order salary in Charleston, SC is 6.3% below the national median of $35,620. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Cooks, Short Order in Charleston?

    Entry-level Cooks, Short Order (10th percentile) earn around $21,780 per year in Charleston, SC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $27,630.