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Average Salary in South Carolina
This page shows what jobs actually pay in South Carolina, occupation by occupation, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for May 2024. BLS publishes wage estimates for 700 occupations in South Carolina. For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage in May 2024 was $67,920, the median wage was $23.80 an hour, and total U.S. employment covered by the survey was 154,187,380 jobs. Use the tables below to see South Carolina's highest-paying occupations, its largest occupations, and which South Carolina jobs pay more — or less — than the same job nationally.
Highest-paying occupations in South Carolina
The highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for South Carolina is cardiologists, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ — 602.9% higher than the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920 — and a median wage of $239,200+ across 130 jobs. Compared with the same occupation nationally (mean $239,200+), South Carolina pays 10.4% higher for this work. Next on the list are orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric at a mean of $239,200+ and surgeons, all other at $239,200+. These top-paying fields are small: together the top three employ 290 people in South Carolina, so they describe the top of the South Carolina wage ladder rather than the typical worker's experience.
| Occupation | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiologists | 130 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | 90 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Surgeons, All Other | 70 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Neurologists | 80 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, All Other | 6,020 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Anesthesiologists | 870 | $110.51 | $229,870 | $239,200+ |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 950 | $108.56 | $225,800 | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, Pathologists | 150 | $110.02 | $228,850 | $239,200+ |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 1,060 | $113.92 | $236,950 | $239,200+ |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | 130 | $99.26 | $206,450 | $239,200+ |
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | 60 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Pediatricians, General | 320 | $97.11 | $201,990 | $226,540 |
| Chief Executives | 2,950 | $87.42 | $181,830 | $221,870 |
| Psychiatrists | 120 | $65.16 | $135,530 | $200,320 |
| Orthodontists | 280 | $71.35 | $148,410 | $192,480 |
Largest occupations in South Carolina
The occupation with the most jobs in South Carolina is retail salespersons, employing an estimated 69,010 people at a median annual wage of $29,450 and a mean of $33,150. Nationally the same occupation pays a median of $34,580, so South Carolina's typical pay for this work runs 14.8% lower. The next-largest occupations are fast food and counter workers (63,380 jobs, median $26,830) and cashiers (59,470 jobs, median $27,590). Because these occupations are so large, their wages move the overall picture of South Carolina pay far more than the small, highly paid fields above.
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 69,010 | $29,450 | $33,150 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 63,380 | $26,830 | $26,730 |
| Cashiers | 59,470 | $27,590 | $27,220 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 54,530 | $37,190 | $38,250 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 52,840 | $37,940 | $40,750 |
| Registered Nurses | 50,300 | $79,900 | $84,930 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 47,370 | $42,350 | $44,970 |
| Office Clerks, General | 45,700 | $36,980 | $38,980 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 43,950 | $35,330 | $35,840 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 43,730 | $18,530 | $24,360 |
| General and Operations Managers | 39,170 | $99,340 | $118,180 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 35,960 | $29,030 | $29,390 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 32,700 | $51,810 | $55,110 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 32,560 | $29,560 | $31,260 |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 27,820 | $46,800 | $49,370 |
Where South Carolina pays a premium — and where it lags
Comparing each occupation's South Carolina median with its own national median shows where South Carolina's labor market is strong. Among occupations with at least 1,000 South Carolina jobs, the largest premium is for advertising sales agents: a median of $74,840 in South Carolina versus $61,460 nationally, 21.8% higher. The largest discount is for bartenders, at $18,390 in South Carolina versus $33,530 nationally, 45.2% lower. In total, 35 of the 297 occupations with 1,000 or more South Carolina jobs pay a median above their national median. Separately, 206 of the 700 occupations published for South Carolina have a median annual wage above the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920, which underlines how much of South Carolina's job base sits in lower-wage service work even in a state with high-paying headline jobs.
| Occupation | South Carolina median | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advertising Sales Agents | $74,840 | $61,460 | +21.8% |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary | $74,710 | $61,490 | +21.5% |
| Medical Records Specialists | $58,510 | $50,250 | +16.4% |
| Automotive Body and Related Repairers | $59,190 | $51,680 | +14.5% |
| Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $49,730 | $45,130 | +10.2% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | $24,510 | $35,240 | -30.4% |
| Lawyers | $104,160 | $151,160 | -31.1% |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $63,060 | $93,580 | -32.6% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $18,530 | $33,760 | -45.1% |
| Bartenders | $18,390 | $33,530 | -45.2% |
South Carolina salary FAQ
What is the highest-paying job in South Carolina?
By average pay, cardiologists is the highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for South Carolina, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ and a median of $239,200+ in May 2024.
What is the average salary in South Carolina?
For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage was $67,920 in May 2024. In South Carolina, the largest occupation, retail salespersons, paid a median of $29,450 across 69,010 jobs, and the tables on this page show mean and median pay for all 700 published occupations.
How many jobs does the largest occupation in South Carolina have?
Retail Salespersons is the largest occupation published for South Carolina, with an estimated 69,010 jobs in May 2024 and a mean annual wage of $33,150.
Which occupations pay more in South Carolina than in the U.S. overall?
Among occupations with at least 1,000 South Carolina jobs, advertising sales agents shows the largest premium: a median of $74,840 in South Carolina versus $61,460 nationally, 21.8% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.