Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
South Carolina employs 228,680 Food Preparation & Serving professionals across 14 occupations. Explore salary ranges, top paying jobs, and career opportunities within the Food Preparation & Serving industry.
The best-compensated occupations within Food Preparation & Serving in South Carolina, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Food Preparation & Serving industry in South Carolina, sorted by median salary (highest to lowest). Click any job title for state-specific salary details.
| # | Job Title | Median Salary | Mean Salary | Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chefs and Head Cooks | $71,860 | $70,780 | 2,650 | $34/hr |
| 2 | First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $38,520 | $43,030 | 20,120 | $18/hr |
| 3 | Cooks, Restaurant | $35,740 | $35,610 | 25,890 | $17/hr |
| 4 | Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $34,960 | $33,270 | 7,850 | $16/hr |
| 5 | Food Preparation Workers | $32,180 | $32,300 | 14,460 | $15/hr |
| 6 | Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $31,740 | $31,270 | 2,990 | $15/hr |
| 7 | Cooks, Short Order | $29,640 | $29,340 | 900 | $14/hr |
| 8 | Dishwashers | $29,160 | $29,770 | 7,550 | $14/hr |
| 9 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | $27,520 | $27,840 | 65,070 | $13/hr |
| 10 | Cooks, Fast Food | $27,420 | $28,080 | 9,110 | $13/hr |
| 11 | Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $27,000 | $26,870 | 7,990 | $12/hr |
| 12 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $26,830 | $27,260 | 6,220 | $12/hr |
| 13 | Bartenders | $19,370 | $28,440 | 10,680 | $9/hr |
| 14 | Waiters and Waitresses | $18,370 | $25,900 | 47,200 | $8/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across South Carolina:
South Carolina has 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations with 228,680 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Food Preparation & Serving occupation in South Carolina is Chefs and Head Cooks with a median salary of $71,860/year.
The average median salary across 14 Food Preparation & Serving occupations in South Carolina is $32,165/year.
Salaries in Food Preparation & Serving in South Carolina range from $15,080 (entry-level) to $88,880 (senior) across all occupations.
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes organize jobs into groups. Food Preparation & Serving occupations use SOC prefix 35. Data comes from BLS OEWS.
Data: BLS OEWS 2025. Salary figures represent May 2025 compensation for occupations classified under SOC code 35* in South Carolina. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources