State salary profile · South Carolina

South Carolina Salaries

South Carolina statewide wages plus 8 metro areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas, from BLS OEWS May 2025. Published local OEWS areas include Charleston-North Charleston, SC, Columbia, SC, Florence, SC, Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC, Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC, Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC, then Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Spartanburg, SC, Sumter, SC.

$180,789
Mean of top 50 medians
709
Occupations
11
Local wage areas
91,480
Estimated jobs (top tier)

The equal-weighted mean of the top 50 published occupation medians in South Carolina is $180,789.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, The May 2025 release has a published median for 709 occupations in South Carolina; percentile boundaries and local-area rows are available only where BLS publishes them. The highest-paying reported occupation, General Internal Medicine Physicians, earns $359,500, versus $18,370 for Waiters and Waitresses at the bottom of the range. Detail is available for 8 metro areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas. Published local OEWS areas include Charleston-North Charleston, SC, Columbia, SC, Florence, SC, Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC, Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC, Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC, then Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Spartanburg, SC, Sumter, SC.

South Carolina · employment ≠ wage

In South Carolina, Retail Salespersons lead by published employment (67,310 jobs, #1 of 693) but rank #660 of 693 on median wage ($30,690), while General Internal Medicine Physicians top the wage list at $359,500 (#1 of 693) with 1,260 jobs (#273 of 693). The largest payroll is not the highest published median.

67,310
Retail Salespersons employment #1
$359,500
General Internal Medicine ... wage #1
#273
Employment rank of wage leader
#660
Wage rank of employment leader

Employment is OEWS tot_emp inside this state; pay is the occupation median. Same detailed-occupation pool, two rankings.

Employment of South Carolina's #1 occupations by headcount vs median wage

Same unit (published jobs) for both named leaders. BLS OEWS May 2025.

jobs

What this shows Retail Salespersons lead South Carolina by employment; General Internal Medicine Physicians lead on median wage at $359,500.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

South Carolina, the picture in one line

South Carolina ranks #43 of 54 states and territories by BLS-published All Occupations annual mean wage; its highest published occupation median is General Internal Medicine Physicians at $359,500. Published local OEWS areas include Charleston-North Charleston, SC, Columbia, SC, Florence, SC, Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC, Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC, Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC, then Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Spartanburg, SC, Sumter, SC.

#43
of 54 states by published mean wage
$359,500
top-paying: General Internal Medicine Physicians
20th
percentile among all states
Charleston-North Charleston, SC
local OEWS: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Columbia, SC

The state rank uses BLS's All Occupations mean. Occupation rows below use occupation-specific medians; the two statistics are not interchangeable. Start local checks in Charleston-North Charleston, SC.

Statewide OEWS footprints behind South Carolina's 11 local areas

Software Developers and Sales Managers lead South Carolina's published employment inside this top-pay sample, order follows OEWS job counts, not median wage.

  1. 1. Software Developers 13,230 jobs · $129,450
  2. 2. Sales Managers 9,340 jobs · $131,080
  3. 3. Financial Managers 9,020 jobs · $136,160
  4. 4. Industrial Production Managers 6,390 jobs · $126,880
  5. 5. Nurse Practitioners 5,670 jobs · $123,290
  6. 6. Pharmacists 5,320 jobs · $135,700
  7. 7. Computer and Information Systems Managers 4,930 jobs · $160,860
  8. 8. Physicians, All Other 4,510 jobs · $274,480
  9. 9. Marketing Managers 3,760 jobs · $143,290
  10. 10. Architectural and Engineering Managers 3,200 jobs · $169,040
  11. 11. Human Resources Managers 2,400 jobs · $124,290
  12. 12. Physician Assistants 2,250 jobs · $122,490
  13. 13. Managers, All Other 2,210 jobs · $129,960
  14. 14. Dentists, General 2,140 jobs · $158,640
  15. 15. Computer Network Architects 1,950 jobs · $134,990
  16. 16. Chief Executives 1,740 jobs · $168,840
  17. 17. Nuclear Engineers 1,440 jobs · $126,570
  18. 18. General Internal Medicine Physicians 1,260 jobs · $359,500
  19. 19. Family Medicine Physicians 1,200 jobs · $239,200
  20. 20. Database Architects 1,160 jobs · $130,000

Local BLS wage areas inside South Carolina

Published local OEWS areas include Charleston-North Charleston, SC, Columbia, SC, Florence, SC, Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC, Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC, Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC, then Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Spartanburg, SC, Sumter, SC.

Charleston-North Charleston, SC Columbia, SC Florence, SC Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area Spartanburg, SC Sumter, SC

Observed statewide pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2024–2025

May 2024 → May 2025
  • BLS's published All Occupations median in South Carolina moved from $44,760 in May 2024 to $46,490 in May 2025 (+3.9%).
  • Across the 54 states and territories priced in both releases, the median place changed +2.7%.
  • South Carolina sits +1.1 pp ahead of that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Waiters and Waitresses shows the widest statewide vs national median gap in South Carolina

Waiters and Waitresses publishes $18,370 here versus $35,230 nationally (-47.9%; 47,200statewide jobs). Next is Bartenders at $19,370 locally versus $34,340 nationally (-43.6%).

  1. Waiters and Waitresses$18,370 in South Carolina sits 47.9% below the national Waiters and Waitresses median of $35,230 (47,200 published local jobs).
  2. Bartenders$19,370 in South Carolina sits 43.6% below the national Bartenders median of $34,340 (10,680 published local jobs).
  3. Driver/Sales Workers$22,240 in South Carolina sits 42.6% below the national Driver/Sales Workers median of $38,770 (6,430 published local jobs).
  4. Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents$55,390 in South Carolina sits 29.6% below the national Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents median of $78,660 (7,230 published local jobs).

Waiters and Waitresses and the other occupations above are descriptive OEWS endpoints for South Carolina; they are not findings about taxes, employers, or worker experience.

· Source: BLS OEWS May 2025

The South Carolina OEWS table has a published median for 709 occupations. The displayed top 50 rows have summed published employment of approximately 91,480; that sum does not include the bottom table or rows whose employment is suppressed. BLS publishes means and percentile boundaries only where the corresponding estimate meets its publication standards. Averaging the medians of the top 50 highest-paying occupations gives $180,789 per year. That is only a mean of the displayed upper-tier occupation medians; it is not the BLS All Occupations mean or median and does not describe a typical worker. Published local OEWS areas include Charleston-North Charleston, SC, Columbia, SC, Florence, SC, Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC, Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC, Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC, then Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Spartanburg, SC, Sumter, SC. Local OEWS areas in this extract include Charleston-North Charleston, SC, Columbia, SC, Florence, SC, Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC, Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC, Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC, Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Spartanburg, SC, Sumter, SC.

At the top of the ranking, General Internal Medicine Physicians pays a South Carolina median of $359,500, the highest-paying reported occupation in the state. The number-two spot goes to Neurologists at $352,680, followed by Emergency Medicine Physicians at $341,960. At the bottom of the published range, Waiters and Waitresses has a median of $18,370, making the displayed endpoint ratio 19.6×. The endpoints do not establish a cause or career stage. WageDex has BLS occupation rows for 8 metro areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas assigned to South Carolina, allowing comparisons below the statewide estimate without treating nonmetropolitan areas as MSAs.

Because South Carolina publishes 11 OEWS areas, treat the statewide General Internal Medicine Physicians median as a roll-up and re-check the same occupation in Charleston-North Charleston, SC or Columbia, SC where BLS releases the row. Tips and commissions stay inside OEWS; benefits and equity do not. Published local OEWS areas include Charleston-North Charleston, SC, Columbia, SC, Florence, SC, Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC, Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC, Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC, then Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Spartanburg, SC, Sumter, SC. Local OEWS area names are state-specific; statewide means are not metro offers.

Top-Tier Sample

75

occupations shown below

Avg. Median Salary

$180,789

top 50 occupations

Top Salary

$359,500

General Internal Medicine Physicians

Where South Carolina ranks by published mean wage

BLS All Occupations annual mean vs. 54 states & territories; local OEWS includes Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Columbia, SC, Florence, SC

$59,280 Bottom 20% higher than 20% of 54 states & territories

$0–$5,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Below this entry. $55,000–$60,000: 8 states & territories (15%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$65,000: 16 states & territories (30%). Above this entry. $65,000–$70,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Above this entry. $70,000–$75,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Above this entry. $75,000–$80,000: 4 states & territories (7%). Above this entry. $80,000–$85,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Above this entry. $85,000–$90,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. $90,000–$95,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $95,000–$100,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $100,000–$105,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $105,000–$110,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $110,000–$115,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. This state $0 $115,000 every state & territory, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more states & territories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$5,000 0 states & territories 0%
$5,000–$10,000 0 states & territories 0%
$10,000–$15,000 0 states & territories 0%
$15,000–$20,000 0 states & territories 0%
$20,000–$25,000 0 states & territories 0%
$25,000–$30,000 0 states & territories 0%
$30,000–$35,000 0 states & territories 0%
$35,000–$40,000 1 states & territories 2%
$40,000–$45,000 0 states & territories 0%
$45,000–$50,000 1 states & territories 2%
$50,000–$55,000 3 states & territories 6%
$55,000–$60,000 (this entry) 8 states & territories 15%
$60,000–$65,000 16 states & territories 30%
$65,000–$70,000 8 states & territories 15%
$70,000–$75,000 8 states & territories 15%
$75,000–$80,000 4 states & territories 7%
$80,000–$85,000 3 states & territories 6%
$85,000–$90,000 1 states & territories 2%
$90,000–$95,000 0 states & territories 0%
$95,000–$100,000 0 states & territories 0%
$100,000–$105,000 0 states & territories 0%
$105,000–$110,000 0 states & territories 0%
$110,000–$115,000 1 states & territories 2%

$59,280 · 20th percentile of 54 states & territories

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

South Carolina ranks #43 of 54 by BLS-published All Occupations annual mean wage ($59,280). It is not the median wage or a prediction for a particular worker.

National-price-equivalent mean: dividing the $59,280 BLS All Occupations mean by the BEA state RPP gives $63,266. Inputs: BEA Regional Price Parity for South Carolina (RPP 93.7, 2024; 100 = national average, all items, table SARPP). The division is a WageDex calculation, not an after-tax or household-income measure.

Largest OEWS footprints in South Carolina

Published employment among the top-pay sample, top 15 by jobs

jobs
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

BLS publishes wage data for 709 distinct occupations in South Carolina. The table below shows the top 50 by median annual wage, reordered by published employment for this reading. Drill into the full top-100 ranking or the fastest-growing list for deeper coverage.

Top-pay occupations in South Carolina, by employment

View all 100 →

Same top-pay sample as the salary ranking, sorted by published South Carolina jobs so the title sequence follows the local OEWS mix.

# Occupation Median Salary
1 Software Developers $129,450
2 Sales Managers $131,080
3 Financial Managers $136,160
4 Industrial Production Managers $126,880
5 Nurse Practitioners $123,290
6 Pharmacists $135,700
7 Computer and Information Systems Managers $160,860
8 Physicians, All Other $274,480
9 Marketing Managers $143,290
10 Architectural and Engineering Managers $169,040
11 Human Resources Managers $124,290
12 Physician Assistants $122,490
13 Managers, All Other $129,960
14 Dentists, General $158,640
15 Computer Network Architects $134,990
16 Chief Executives $168,840
17 Nuclear Engineers $126,570
18 General Internal Medicine Physicians $359,500
19 Family Medicine Physicians $239,200
20 Database Architects $130,000
21 Nurse Anesthetists $265,480
22 Anesthesiologists $238,970
23 Purchasing Managers $131,720
24 Natural Sciences Managers $131,140
25 Computer Hardware Engineers $125,110
26 Aerospace Engineers $137,030
27 Optometrists $145,950
28 Computer and Information Research Scientists $126,980
29 Pediatricians, General $217,120
30 Physicists $138,400
31 Obstetricians and Gynecologists $302,340
32 Psychiatrists $237,250
33 Dermatologists $259,990
34 Psychologists, All Other $136,990
35 Law Teachers, Postsecondary $162,400
36 Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers $143,580
37 Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric $214,160
38 Emergency Medicine Physicians $341,960
39 Physicians, Pathologists $236,950
40 Dentists, All Other Specialists $246,770
41 Podiatrists $167,110
42 Physical Scientists, All Other $141,130
43 Medical Dosimetrists $140,530
44 Neurologists $352,680
45 Marine Engineers and Naval Architects $136,990
46 Orthodontists $311,450
47 Radiologists $174,480
48 Life Scientists, All Other $169,440
49 Advertising and Promotions Managers $156,300
50 Administrative Services Managers $124,320

Lowest Paying Jobs in South Carolina

Occupation Median Salary
Waiters and Waitresses $18,370
Bartenders $19,370
Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other $22,230
Driver/Sales Workers $22,240
Baggage Porters and Bellhops $25,850
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers $26,210
School Bus Monitors $26,240
Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers $26,490
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers $26,830
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop $27,000
Amusement and Recreation Attendants $27,040
Gambling Dealers $27,350
Cooks, Fast Food $27,420
Fast Food and Counter Workers $27,520
Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other $27,840
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary $27,860
Etchers and Engravers $28,300
Cashiers $28,530
Passenger Attendants $28,710
Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials $29,160
Dishwashers $29,160
Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians $29,300
Cooks, Short Order $29,640
Childcare Workers $29,650
Animal Trainers $29,670

Fastest Growing Jobs

View all 50 →

See national growth projections alongside the published OEWS state employment estimates for each occupation in South Carolina. Based on BLS employment projections 2024-2034.

Salary Guides

Best States for Salaries

Which states pay the most and why

Salary vs. Cost of Living

Compare local wage and price-level benchmarks

Fastest Growing Occupations

Where the job growth is heading

Nationwide states with similar All Occupations pay or employment scale

Two BLS OEWS peer sets outside South Carolina. Local metro cards below stay inside this state; these neighborhoods are cross-state nearest neighbors on published All Occupations mean wage ($59,280 here) and reported employment (2,305,080 jobs here).

Similar mean wage

Nearest other states by BLS All Occupations annual mean wage.

Similar employment scale

Nearest headcount peers (floor 250,000 All Occupations jobs), distinct from the mean-wage column.

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS All Occupations mean annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude states already listed in the mean-wage column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Local OEWS areas and related South Carolina pages

Published local OEWS areas include Charleston-North Charleston, SC, Columbia, SC, Florence, SC, Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC, Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC, Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC, then Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Spartanburg, SC, Sumter, SC.

Charleston-North Charleston, SC

Local OEWS wage area

Columbia, SC

Local OEWS wage area

Florence, SC

Local OEWS wage area

Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC

Local OEWS wage area

Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC

Local OEWS wage area

Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC

Local OEWS wage area

Highest Paying in South Carolina

Top 100 by median salary

Fastest Growing in South Carolina

Projected 2024-2034 growth

General Internal Medicine Physicians

National occupation profile

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average of the top 50 occupation medians in South Carolina? ▼
The equal-weighted mean of the top 50 published occupation medians is $180,789/year (BLS OEWS May 2025). It is not the statewide mean or median and does not describe the wage of a typical worker.
What is the average salary in South Carolina? ▼
BLS publishes an All Occupations annual mean wage of $59,280/year for South Carolina in the May 2025 OEWS release, which ranks 43rd among the 54 states and territories with a published mean. Published local OEWS areas include Charleston-North Charleston, SC, Columbia, SC, Florence, SC, Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC, Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC, Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC, then Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Spartanburg, SC, Sumter, SC. This is an occupational wage estimate, not a household-income statistic or a prediction for one worker.
What is the highest paying job in South Carolina? ▼
The highest paying occupation in South Carolina is General Internal Medicine Physicians with a median salary of $359,500/year according to BLS data. The second highest is Neurologists at $352,680/year.
What jobs pay the least in South Carolina? ▼
The lowest published occupation median in this South Carolina ranking is Waiters and Waitresses at $18,370/year. The table does not classify that occupation as entry-level or explain why its median is lowest.
How many local BLS wage areas are shown for South Carolina? ▼
WageDex has occupation-level wage rows for 8 metro areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas assigned to South Carolina. Published local OEWS areas include Charleston-North Charleston, SC, Columbia, SC, Florence, SC, Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC, Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC, Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC, then Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area, Spartanburg, SC, Sumter, SC. Nonmetropolitan reporting areas are not MSAs. Compare the same occupation and statistic across areas; published coverage can differ by occupation and geography.
How many occupations are shown for South Carolina? ▼
BLS publishes wage data for 709 distinct occupations in South Carolina. The 50 occupations in the displayed upper tier have a combined OEWS employment estimate of approximately 91,480 jobs in covered establishments.

Local-area sources inside South Carolina

BLS OEWS state wage tables → BLS OEWS metro area tables → BLS LAUS unemployment → BEA personal income by state →

What to do with this data

How to use South Carolina wage data in a real decision

  • South Carolina has 11 published OEWS areas starting with Charleston-North Charleston, SC; open General Internal Medicine Physicians inside a metro before using the statewide $359,500 median. Charleston-North Charleston, SC
  • Inside South Carolina, re-check General Internal Medicine Physicians in Charleston-North Charleston, SC, Columbia, SC, Florence, SC, Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC or Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC before treating the statewide median as a metro offer. Charleston-North Charleston, SC
  • Open General Internal Medicine Physicians for percentile bands and local-area rows; South Carolina's statewide median of $359,500 uses a different geography than any single metro estimate. General Internal Medicine Physicians
  • The published South Carolina range runs from Waiters and Waitresses at $18,370 to General Internal Medicine Physicians at $359,500; an offer still depends on the exact role and employer. Salary calculator

BLS OEWS estimates reflect the May 2025 reference period and exclude self-employed workers; some small occupation-area cells are suppressed.

Last updated: May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

State-level employment totals and local-area breakouts from BLS OEWS State and Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, May 2025. Local areas can be metropolitan or nonmetropolitan.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. State wage figures are computed directly from BLS OEWS state-level data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Statewide figures are estimates and may not reflect pay in your specific local wage area or employer.