South Carolina has a state income tax rate of up to 6.4%. The highest paying profession in South Carolina is Surgeon at $302,900/year. Select any profession below for a full city, experience and take-home pay breakdown.
The table below shows median annual salaries for 50+ professions in South Carolina, ranked from highest to lowest. All figures are sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2024 release, refreshed for 2026. Click any profession for a full breakdown including city-level data, experience levels and a take-home pay calculator.
| Profession | Category | Annual Median | Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surgeon | Healthcare | $302,900 | $145.62 |
| Pilot | Transport | $171,700 | $82.55 |
| Software Developer | Technology | $113,750 | $54.69 |
| Physician Assistant | Healthcare | $111,800 | $53.75 |
| Nurse Practitioner | Healthcare | $106,650 | $51.27 |
| Financial Advisor | Finance | $85,650 | $41.18 |
| Physical Therapist | Healthcare | $84,050 | $40.41 |
| Occupational Therapist | Healthcare | $82,900 | $39.86 |
| Network Administrator | Technology | $79,800 | $38.37 |
| Dental Hygienist | Healthcare | $70,000 | $33.65 |
| Accountant | Finance | $68,700 | $33.03 |
| Registered Nurse | Healthcare | $66,750 | $32.09 |
| Respiratory Therapist | Healthcare | $59,950 | $28.82 |
| Police Officer | Public Safety | $59,500 | $28.61 |
| Radiologic Technologist | Healthcare | $59,250 | $28.49 |
| Plumber | Trades | $54,650 | $26.27 |
| School Counselor | Education | $54,550 | $26.23 |
| Teacher | Education | $53,150 | $25.55 |
| Electrician | Trades | $52,950 | $25.46 |
| Librarian | Education | $52,600 | $25.29 |
| Court Reporter | Legal | $52,500 | $25.24 |
| Paralegal | Legal | $50,900 | $24.47 |
| HVAC Technician | Trades | $49,300 | $23.70 |
| Real Estate Agent | Business | $48,700 | $23.41 |
| Firefighter | Public Safety | $48,450 | $23.29 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | Trades | $48,400 | $23.27 |
| Truck Driver | Transport | $46,700 | $22.45 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | Healthcare | $46,600 | $22.40 |
| Carpenter | Trades | $45,950 | $22.09 |
| Correctional Officer | Public Safety | $45,450 | $21.85 |
| Social Worker | Social Services | $44,500 | $21.39 |
| Mason | Trades | $43,350 | $20.84 |
| Roofer | Trades | $43,050 | $20.70 |
| Paramedic | Public Safety | $42,900 | $20.62 |
| Solar Installer | Trades | $41,200 | $19.81 |
| Bookkeeper | Business | $40,650 | $19.54 |
| Welder | Trades | $40,450 | $19.45 |
| Dispatcher | Transport | $40,350 | $19.40 |
| Painter | Trades | $40,300 | $19.38 |
| Bus Driver | Transport | $39,350 | $18.92 |
| Delivery Driver | Transport | $36,800 | $17.69 |
| Dental Assistant | Healthcare | $36,800 | $17.69 |
| Medical Assistant | Healthcare | $35,000 | $16.83 |
| Pharmacy Technician | Healthcare | $34,650 | $16.66 |
| EMT | Public Safety | $33,400 | $16.06 |
| Veterinary Technician | Healthcare | $33,400 | $16.06 |
| Cosmetologist | Personal Services | $28,750 | $13.82 |
| Teaching Assistant | Education | $27,050 | $13.00 |