South Carolina Average Salary 2026
Average pay, top-paying occupations, and cost of living across South Carolina.
The average salary in South Carolina is $98,325 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS 2025 data aggregated across 1 metropolitan areas (Greenville). The highest-paying tracked occupation in the state is Family Medicine Physician at $231,790 median; 27 occupations pay six-figure ($100K+) medians. Adjusted for the state's average cost-of-living index of 90, the average median equates to $109,250 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
South Carolina has 1 metropolitan areas in our BLS OEWS coverage. Wages within the state vary substantially by metro — large coastal cities typically pay materially more than smaller inland ones, though the cost-of-living gap closes a lot of the apparent difference. BLS OEWS data captures every metropolitan statistical area (MSA) above a population threshold. Cities below that threshold roll up to non-metropolitan areas, which are not represented in the per-metro view but are captured in state-level rollups.
For workers comparing South Carolina job markets, the per-metro pages give the role-specific breakdown that headline state averages obscure. The role-specific ranking pages — which list the highest-paying cities for a single occupation — are particularly useful when geographic flexibility is real and the role is the constraint.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in South Carolina
Family Medicine Physician
Healthcare · 310 jobs in state · top metro: Greenville ($231,790)
Pediatrician
Healthcare · 180 jobs in state · top metro: Greenville ($227,540)
Computer and Information Systems Manager
Technology · 870 jobs in state · top metro: Greenville ($161,180)
Computer Network Architect
Technology · 390 jobs in state · top metro: Greenville ($161,170)
Optometrist
Healthcare · 70 jobs in state · top metro: Greenville ($149,380)
Marketing Manager
Management · 720 jobs in state · top metro: Greenville ($148,480)
Financial Manager
Finance · 1,880 jobs in state · top metro: Greenville ($145,610)
Dentist
Healthcare · 540 jobs in state · top metro: Greenville ($139,940)
Pharmacist
Healthcare · 900 jobs in state · top metro: Greenville ($135,580)
Sales Manager
Management · 1,770 jobs in state · top metro: Greenville ($129,090)
Cities in South Carolina
Frequently Asked Questions
The average salary in South Carolina is $98,325 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release aggregated across 1 BLS-tracked metros. The figure is employment-weighted, so larger occupations contribute proportionally more to the average. The top-paying role in the state is Family Medicine Physician at $231,790 median.
The top five highest-paying occupations in South Carolina, ranked by employment-weighted median across all tracked metros, are Family Medicine Physician ($231,790), Pediatrician ($227,540), Computer and Information Systems Manager ($161,180), Computer Network Architect ($161,170), Optometrist ($149,380). See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/state/south-carolina.
27 of the 62 BLS-tracked occupations in South Carolina have a state-aggregated median salary of $100,000 or higher. That places this state in the upper tier nationally.
Greenville, SC leads South Carolina with an average median salary of $98,325 across 62 BLS-tracked occupations.
The average cost-of-living index across South Carolina's tracked metros is 90 (national avg = 100). The state average median of $98,325 translates to $109,250 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. Low COL means nominal pay translates to better-than-average buying power.
State aggregates are employment-weighted across the BLS-tracked metros in South Carolina, using the OEWS 2025 reference period.
62 data points · BLS OEWS 2025 · last refreshed 2026-05-21
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.