Cooks, Restaurant salary
in Columbia, SC
Cooks, Restaurant in the Columbia, SC metro earn a median of $35,490 a year, based on BLS estimates for 3,520 jobs (May 2025). That is 5% below the U.S. median of $37,390 and 1% below the SC statewide median of $35,740. It ranks #293 of 527 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE3,520 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
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COOKS, RESTAURANT PAY IN OTHER SC METROS
- Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SCmedian $36,820
- Charleston-North Charleston, SCmedian $36,710
- Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SCmedian $35,680
- Spartanburg, SCmedian $35,500
- Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SCmedian $35,190
- Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan areamedian $34,880
- Florence, SCmedian $34,550
- Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan areamedian $32,430
Questions
What is the average Cooks, Restaurant salary in Columbia?
The BLS median is $35,490 a year (May 2025). Half of the 3,520 jobs pay between $30,470 and $38,320. The 10th percentile is $26,870 and the 90th is $43,220.
Is Columbia a high-paying metro for Cooks, Restaurant?
That is 5% below the U.S. median of $37,390 and 1% below the SC statewide median of $35,740. It ranks #293 of 527 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.