Paycheck Atlas

Cooks, Restaurant salary in Columbia, SC

The median cooks, restaurant in Columbia, SC earns $35,490 a year, 5% below the US median. After tax that is roughly $2,381 a month.

10th percentile
$26,870
25th percentile
$30,470
Median percentile
$35,490
75th percentile
$38,320
90th percentile
$43,220

Based on 3,520 employed. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025. Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience; reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only an approximation.

What you keep

$28,567 take-home a year
Gross pay$35,490
Federal income tax−$2,079
Social Security + Medicare−$2,715
South Carolina income tax (approx.)−$2,129
Monthly take-home$2,381
Every two weeks$1,099

Does it go far here?

$37,892Median pay in Columbia, SC is worth this at average US prices (local price level 93.7 vs 100).
50%of take-home pay goes to the median rent ($1,193 a month, Census ACS).

Top-paying jobs in Columbia, SC

JobMedian pay
Physicians, All Other$374,300
Computer and Information Systems Managers$141,570
Marketing Managers$136,930
Pharmacists$133,850
Sales Managers$128,650
Industrial Production Managers$128,050
Financial Managers$124,790
Software Developers$123,380

All cooks, restaurant salaries · Take-home pay in South Carolina