Chefs and Head Cooks pay range in Hilton Head Island
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $53,060 a year or less, while the top 10% make $102,220 or more. The middle half of chefs and head cooks in Hilton Head Island earn between $64,450 and $85,910.
- $53K10th
- $64K25th
- $74KMedian
- $86K75th
- $102K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $77,860 | $6,488 | $37.43 |
| Median | $73,690 | $6,141 | $35.43 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $64,450 | $5,371 | $30.99 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $85,910 | $7,159 | $41.30 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Chefs and Head Cooks pay in Hilton Head Island vs. South Carolina and the U.S.
Chefs and head cooks in Hilton Head Island earn 10% more than the South Carolina average ($70,780) and 17% more than the U.S. average ($66,700). At the median the gap is +18% against the U.S. median of $62,470.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton Head Island | $77,860 | $73,690 | $53,060 | $102,220 | 240 |
| South Carolina | $70,780 | $71,860 | $47,640 | $88,880 | 2,650 |
| United States | $66,700 | $62,470 | $37,900 | $98,560 | 200,040 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary after taxes in Hilton Head Island
On the average salary of $77,860, a single filer in Hilton Head Island takes home about $60,758 a year, or $5,063 a month and $2,337 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Hilton Head Island a good place for chefs and head cooks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Hilton Head Island area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.0), so the average $77,860 buys what about $79,435 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Hilton Head Island ($43,850). A typical home costs $527,324, or 6.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary in other South Carolina cities
Hilton Head Island ranks 1st of 8 South Carolina metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Hilton Head Island$77,860
- Charleston$71,800
- Spartanburg$69,560
- Columbia$68,700
- Myrtle Beach$68,430
- Greenville$67,530
- Florence$63,860
- Sumter$62,490
Highest-paying cities for chefs and head cooks
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($91,380).
- Kahului, HI$91,380
- Napa, CA$83,750
- San Jose, CA$80,150
- Albany, NY$79,500
- Providence, RI$79,440
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Chefs and Head Cooks salary in Hilton Head Island: questions
How much do chefs and head cooks make an hour in Hilton Head Island?
$37.43 an hour on average, and $35.43 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chefs and head cooks salary in Hilton Head Island?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $53,060 a year and the 25th percentile is $64,450, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chefs and head cooks take-home pay in Hilton Head Island?
About $60,758 a year ($5,063 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $77,860.
Do chefs and head cooks earn more in Hilton Head Island than elsewhere?
The average here is 17% more than the U.S. average for this job ($66,700).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 35-1011; area Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC (25940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.8%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 2.27, this job is 2.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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