Chefs and Head Cooks Salary
Chefs and Head Cooks in Columbia, SC make a median of $69,820 a year, or about $33.57 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $86K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.66), which stretches that salary to about $74,546 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,276/month, or 27.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $70K get you in Columbia?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbia’s Regional Price Parity (93.66). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About chefs and head cooks
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What this looks like in Columbia
Columbia sits well above the national pay line for chefs and head cooks, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $62K. Rent runs $1,276/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for chefs and head cooks in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston | $74K | $74K |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $70K | $75K |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $72K | $77K |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal | $74K | $75K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbia, SC
Entry-level chefs and head cooks (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $70K. Top earners bring in $86K or more, a $39K spread from bottom to top.
Chefs and Head Cooks pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Chefs and Head Cooks salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $80K | +28% | 740 |
| Hawaii | $77K | +24% | 1,240 |
| District of Columbia | $76K | +22% | 2,020 |
| Washington | $76K | +22% | 5,320 |
| North Dakota | $75K | +20% | 100 |
| New Jersey | $74K | +19% | 9,100 |
| Wyoming | $73K | +17% | 240 |
| South Carolina | $72K | +15% | 2,650 |
| New York | $71K | +13% | 17,430 |
| Tennessee | $70K | +12% | 3,820 |
| Massachusetts | $70K | +11% | 6,000 |
| Georgia | $66K | +6% | 3,680 |
| Vermont | $65K | +5% | 610 |
| Colorado | $65K | +5% | 3,970 |
| California | $65K | +3% | 31,670 |
| Missouri | $64K | +3% | 1,750 |
| Connecticut | $64K | +3% | 3,080 |
| Pennsylvania | $64K | +2% | 9,170 |
| Oregon | $64K | +2% | 2,510 |
| New Hampshire | $63K | +1% | 1,170 |
| Virginia | $63K | +1% | 3,600 |
| Minnesota | $63K | +0% | 1,730 |
| Alabama | $62K | -0% | 1,000 |
| Nevada | $62K | -0% | 3,940 |
| New Mexico | $62K | -0% | 770 |
| Maryland | $62K | -1% | 3,220 |
| Delaware | $61K | -2% | 590 |
| Wisconsin | $61K | -2% | 1,860 |
| North Carolina | $61K | -2% | 4,920 |
| West Virginia | $61K | -2% | 350 |
| Nebraska | $61K | -3% | 540 |
| Michigan | $60K | -4% | 5,360 |
| Arizona | $60K | -4% | 4,080 |
| Utah | $59K | -5% | 1,740 |
| Illinois | $59K | -6% | 8,290 |
| Oklahoma | $59K | -6% | 1,430 |
| Kansas | $58K | -7% | 860 |
| Florida | $58K | -7% | 19,670 |
| Montana | $57K | -8% | 720 |
| Maine | $57K | -9% | 1,250 |
| Texas | $56K | -10% | 13,270 |
| Mississippi | $55K | -12% | 840 |
| Ohio | $54K | -14% | 4,000 |
| Indiana | $52K | -16% | 1,940 |
| Alaska | $52K | -16% | 680 |
| Idaho | $52K | -17% | 550 |
| South Dakota | $48K | -22% | 300 |
| Kentucky | $48K | -23% | 1,790 |
| Iowa | $48K | -23% | 1,640 |
| Arkansas | $46K | -26% | 880 |
| Louisiana | $46K | -27% | 1,990 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track chefs and head cooks salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a chefs and head cook afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?
Yes — at the median salary of $70K, rent takes 28% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,276/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chefs and head cooks in Columbia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chefs and head cooks typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,777/month. At HUD’s $1,276/month FMR, rent would take 46% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is chefs and head cook a high-paying job in Columbia?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $70K here vs. $62K nationally.
How does Columbia compare to the national average for chefs and head cooks?
Columbia pays $70K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $75K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chefs and head cooks make in Columbia, SC?
The median is $69,820 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,280, and experienced chefs and head cooks can clear $85,710. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $70K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,555/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,276/month, which eats 28% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a chefs and head cooks salary go in Columbia?
Columbia has a Regional Price Parity of 93.66 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median chefs and head cooks salary is worth about $74,546 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do chefs and head cooks get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.