SOC 35-2011 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Cooks, Fast Food — Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC · 7 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in Myrtle Beach, SC is $27,100 a year, trailing the national median of $30,890 by 12.3%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in Myrtle Beach, SC is $27,100 a year, trailing the national median of $30,890 by 12.3%. Half of workers earn between $21,590 and $31,090. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $21,180 and the ninetieth at $35,820.
The area has 840 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 1.39 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Charleston leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $32,380. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 294th of 304 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $21,180 | −31.4% |
| 25th | $21,590 | −30.1% |
| Median (50th) | $27,100 | −12.3% |
| 75th | $31,090 | +0.6% |
| 90th | $35,820 | +16.0% |
| Mean | $26,850 | −13.1% |
Other metro areas in South Carolina
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charleston | $32,380 | 1,090 | |
| 2 | Hilton Head Island | $28,290 | 300 | |
| 3 | Greenville | $28,210 | 1,970 | |
| 4 | Spartanburg | $28,030 | 630 | |
| 5 | Sumter | $23,980 | 280 | |
| 6 | Florence | $23,310 | 390 | |
| 7 | Columbia | $22,880 | 1,500 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Myrtle Beach run 6.3% below the national average, so the median of $27,100 goes as far as $28,922 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 6.4% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$27,100as reported by BLSLocal price level
93.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$28,922US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $27,100 a year, 12.3% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $21,180 to $35,820 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 840 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Charleston, at $32,380.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Cooks, Fast Food in Myrtle Beach, SC?
The median annual wage is $27,100, or $13.03 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $30,890, so pay in Myrtle Beach, SC is 12.3% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Myrtle Beach, SC earns more than $35,820 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $21,180 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Charleston, at $32,380 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 840 jobs in this occupation in Myrtle Beach, SC. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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