Cooks, Short Order pay range in Columbia
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,540 a year or less, while the top 10% make $34,580 or more. The middle half of cooks, short order in Columbia earn between $27,540 and $30,130.
- $28K10th
- $28K25th
- $28KMedian
- $30K75th
- $35K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $28,840 | $2,403 | $13.87 |
| Median | $27,540 | $2,295 | $13.24 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $27,540 | $2,295 | $13.24 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $30,130 | $2,511 | $14.49 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Short Order pay in Columbia vs. South Carolina and the U.S.
Cooks, short order in Columbia earn about the same as the South Carolina average ($29,340) and 20% less than the U.S. average ($36,120). At the median the gap is -23% against the U.S. median of $35,880.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | $28,840 | $27,540 | $27,540 | $34,580 | 100 |
| South Carolina | $29,340 | $29,640 | $22,670 | $34,480 | 900 |
| United States | $36,120 | $35,880 | $23,440 | $46,460 | 138,650 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Cooks, Short Order salary after taxes in Columbia
On the average salary of $28,840, a single filer in Columbia takes home about $25,078 a year, or $2,090 a month and $965 every two weeks. Taxes take 13% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Columbia a good place for cooks, short order? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Columbia area are 6% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 93.7), so the average $28,840 buys what about $30,792 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Columbia ($46,430). A typical home costs $256,154, or 8.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Short Order salary in other South Carolina cities
Columbia ranks 3rd of 4 South Carolina metro areas for this job; Charleston pays the most ($32,410).
- Charleston$32,410
- Greenville$31,190
- Columbia$28,840
- Myrtle Beach$28,060
Highest-paying cities for cooks, short order
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($52,560).
- Kahului, HI$52,560
- Denver, CO$51,530
- Seattle, WA$49,560
- Corvallis, OR$48,580
- San Francisco, CA$46,250
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Cooks, Short Order salary in Columbia: questions
How much do cooks, short order make an hour in Columbia?
$13.87 an hour on average, and $13.24 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, short order salary in Columbia?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,540 a year and the 25th percentile is $27,540, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, short order take-home pay in Columbia?
About $25,078 a year ($2,090 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $28,840.
Do cooks, short order earn more in Columbia than elsewhere?
The average here is 20% less than the U.S. average for this job ($36,120).
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 35-2015; area Columbia, SC (17900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.5%.
- 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 0.28, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.28).
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