Food Preparation Workers pay in South Carolina
$32,300avg. a year
$15.53 an hour · 14,460 employed
Food Preparation Workers in South Carolina earn an average of $32,300 a year. That is $2,990 (8%) less than the U.S. average of $35,290. The best-paying metro area is Charleston-North Charleston, SC at $35,170.
$32,180Median pay
$15.53Average hourly
+29%Avg. pay since 2020
#36Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying South Carolina metro areas
Average pay for food preparation workers by metro area. Swipe to see all 10.
12,650 jobs
Charleston-North Charleston, SC
$35,170
$16.91 an hour
2960 jobs
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC
$34,320
$16.50 an hour
35,800 jobs
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
$33,310
$16.01 an hour
41,320 jobs
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC
$31,810
$15.30 an hour
51,120 jobs
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC
$31,740
$15.26 an hour
62,780 jobs
Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC
$31,680
$15.23 an hour
71,130 jobs
Spartanburg, SC
$31,460
$15.12 an hour
82,030 jobs
Columbia, SC
$31,450
$15.12 an hour
9530 jobs
Florence, SC
$29,210
$14.04 an hour
10140 jobs
Sumter, SC
$27,450
$13.20 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Food Preparation Workers pay in South Carolina, charted
Pay over time
South Carolina, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where South Carolina food preparation workers work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · South Carolina highlighted · tap a state
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Under $32k$32k–$35k$35k–$38k$38k+South Carolina
South Carolina vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $35,290 | $16.96 |
| South Carolina | $32,300 | $15.53 |
| Georgia | $33,970 | $16.33 |
| North Carolina | $31,270 | $15.03 |
Related jobs in South Carolina
Average pay, South Carolina, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do food preparation workers make in South Carolina?
The average is $32,300 a year, and the median is $32,180. That is $2,990 (8%) less than the U.S. average of $35,290.
What is the hourly wage in South Carolina?
$15.53 an hour on average; the median is $15.47.
Where in South Carolina do they earn the most?
Charleston-North Charleston, SC ($35,170), followed by Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC ($34,320). The lowest average among 10 metro areas with data is Sumter, SC ($27,450).
How does South Carolina rank?
South Carolina ranks #36 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 35-2021. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national food preparation workers page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.