Chefs and Head Cooks pay range in Sumter
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,600 a year or less, while the top 10% make $77,590 or more. The middle half of chefs and head cooks in Sumter earn between $51,050 and $72,520.
- $42K10th
- $51K25th
- $65KMedian
- $73K75th
- $78K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $62,490 | $5,208 | $30.04 |
| Median | $65,020 | $5,418 | $31.26 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $51,050 | $4,254 | $24.54 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $72,520 | $6,043 | $34.87 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Chefs and Head Cooks pay in Sumter vs. South Carolina and the U.S.
Chefs and head cooks in Sumter earn 12% less than the South Carolina average ($70,780) and 6% less than the U.S. average ($66,700). At the median the gap is +4% against the U.S. median of $62,470.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sumter | $62,490 | $65,020 | $41,600 | $77,590 | 30 |
| 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 Sumter
On the average salary of $62,490, a single filer in Sumter takes home about $50,563 a year, or $4,214 a month and $1,945 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Sumter a good place for chefs and head cooks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Sumter area are 12% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.0), so the average $62,490 buys what about $70,995 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Sumter ($42,890). A typical home costs $210,445, or 3.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary in other South Carolina cities
Sumter ranks 8th of 8 South Carolina metro areas for this job; Hilton Head Island pays the most ($77,860).
- 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 Sumter: questions
How much do chefs and head cooks make an hour in Sumter?
$30.04 an hour on average, and $31.26 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chefs and head cooks salary in Sumter?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,600 a year and the 25th percentile is $51,050, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chefs and head cooks take-home pay in Sumter?
About $50,563 a year ($4,214 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $62,490.
Do chefs and head cooks earn more in Sumter than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% less 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 Sumter, SC (44940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.8%.
- 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 0.72, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.72).
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