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Entry Level Line Cook in Columbia, SC

Average salary $27,477  ·  from 1 active job market data points · Updated Mar 10, 2026

Search Intents This Page Answers

This dataset is structured for long-tail job-market questions, not just generic salary browsing.

Career Data Contract

Primary Source
Adzuna active job postings
Sample Size
1 active job market data points
Refresh Cadence
Nightly target; generated markets rotate through refreshes
Last Updated
Mar 10, 2026
Coverage
Exploration layer over captured postings, not the full market
Deduplication
Directional signal; duplicate postings can still affect totals
Schema Version
2026-04-21
Machine-readable

For Data Teams

The JSON feed for this coordinate is deterministic-only and designed for machine consumption. Human-facing narrative on this page is a presentation layer on top of the same source-derived metrics.

$20k–$20k
Entry Level
Typical salary range  ·  0–3 years experience
Purchasing Power
43
57% less purchasing power than the US average
Market Demand
-92%
92% fewer open roles than the national average
Career Growth
+100%
100% salary range from median to senior level
Talent Scarcity
0.8/10
0.8/10 scarcity leverage — low talent-to-demand ratio

The entry-level line cook market in Columbia, SC, presents a unique opportunity for new culinary professionals. Despite a lower purchasing power and a significant decrease in open roles compared to the national average, the potential for career growth remains promising with a complete salary range from median to senior level.

Key Insights

Skills That Drive Each Salary Tier — Line Cook in Columbia

Senior
$40k–$40k
Vietnamese cuisine expertise menu development kitchen management
All Levels
culinary skills food safety certification

It's hard to get frontline workers to share improvement ideas.

I keep seeing posts like 'why can’t I get a job??' and honestly… yeah. Same. This market is cooked.

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Turn this market signal into a live job search. These links prefill the job search with the role, location, and experience intent from this page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average salary for entry-level line cooks in Columbia, SC?
The average salary is $27,477 — Based on 1 active market data points.
How does the purchasing power in Columbia compare to the national average?
Purchasing Power: 57% less purchasing power than the US average.
What is the market demand for entry-level line cooks in Columbia?
Market Demand: 92% fewer open roles than the national average.
What is the career momentum for line cooks in Columbia?
Career Momentum: 100% salary range from median to senior level.
How scarce are the skills for entry-level line cooks in Columbia?
Skill Scarcity: 0.8/10 scarcity leverage — low talent-to-demand ratio.
What is the typical experience range for entry-level line cook positions?
Level focus: Entry Level — typical range $20k–$20k (0–3 years experience).

Career intelligence for Entry Level Line Cook in Columbia, SC. Data sourced from captured job postings and Bureau of Labor Statistics regional data. Updated on a nightly target schedule. Treat this as labor-market exploration, not a complete live job-board inventory. Methodology →