Food Preparation Workers Salary
Food Preparation Workers in South Carolina make a median of $32,180 a year, or about $15.47 an hour. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $40K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $34,539 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,263/month, about 57.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $32K get you in South Carolina?
About food preparation workers
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Food preparation workers pay in South Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $32K locally vs. $35K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,263/month, which is 55.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.17 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Carolina
Entry-level food preparation workers (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $32K. Top earners bring in $40K or more, a $17K spread from bottom to top.
Food Preparation Workers salary by metro in South Carolina
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal | $37K | +15% | 960 |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $36K | +13% | 2,650 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $33K | +4% | 1,320 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $30K | -5% | 2,780 |
| Columbia | $30K | -6% | 2,030 |
| Spartanburg | $29K | -8% | 1,130 |
| Florence | $29K | -9% | 530 |
| Sumter | $28K | -12% | 140 |
Compare to other states
Track food preparation workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when South Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a food preparation worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $32K, rent takes 55.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,263/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for food preparation workers in South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food preparation workers typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,379/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 92% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is food preparation worker a high-paying job in South Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $32K locally vs. $35K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does South Carolina compare to the national average for food preparation workers?
South Carolina pays $32K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $35K — below the national median.
How much do food preparation workers make in South Carolina?
The median is $32,180 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,990, and experienced food preparation workers can clear $40,370. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $32K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,289/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 55.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a food preparation workers salary go in South Carolina?
South Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 93.17 (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 food preparation workers salary is worth about $34,539 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do food preparation workers 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.