Is South Carolina a good state for your salary to go far?

South Carolina ranks #45 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 94.7 across 371 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 93.7 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.

What is the cost of living in South Carolina?

South Carolina's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 93.7, where the US average is 100. That is at or below the national average, so a dollar buys as much as or more than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / South Carolina

Where Your Salary Goes Furthest in South Carolina

South Carolina ranks #45 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index (mean 94.7, base = 100). Cost of living 93.7 (US = 100); top income tax 6.20%.

Does a salary go further in South Carolina? (cost of living + state tax)

In South Carolina, the cost of living is 93.7 on the BEA index (US = 100) and the Gera US Real Pay Index averages 94.7 across 371 occupations, ranking it #45 of 51 states for how far pay goes after 2025 state income tax and 2024 BEA cost of living. Real BLS OEWS; re-dated annually.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 state estimates · updated annually · last refreshed 19 June 2026

Gera US Real Pay Index

South Carolina ranks #45 of 51 states. Mean across 371 occupations; 100 = the average state, 94.7 means pay goes -5.3% less far after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

94.7

Real pay by occupation in South Carolina (best first)

Occupation	BLS median	Real pay	Index
Chemical Technicians	$75,020	$76,775	127.9
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary	$79,610	$81,368	126.6
Social Workers, All Other	$96,350	$98,117	123.8
Chefs and Head Cooks	$71,860	$73,614	119.1
Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other	$59,210	$60,957	118.6
First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other	$81,330	$83,089	113.3
Administrative Services Managers	$124,320	$126,102	112.3
Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other	$51,060	$52,802	112.1
Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors	$62,940	$64,689	110.8
Occupational Therapy Assistants	$73,740	$75,495	109.6
Optometrists	$145,950	$147,744	109.6
Computer Network Architects	$134,990	$136,778	109.3
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products	$111,190	$112,965	109.0
Healthcare Support Workers, All Other	$49,730	$51,472	108.1
Computer Occupations, All Other	$112,260	$114,036	108.0
Physical Therapist Assistants	$70,500	$72,253	108.0
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval	$101,550	$103,320	107.0
Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other	$80,540	$82,298	106.9
Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks	$43,740	$45,478	106.8
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers	$77,500	$79,257	106.7
Sewing Machine Operators	$38,250	$39,985	106.7
First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services	$49,550	$51,291	106.2
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators	$45,500	$47,239	106.0
Tellers	$42,280	$44,018	106.0
Postmasters and Mail Superintendents	$98,940	$100,708	105.9
Education Administrators, All Other	$97,240	$99,007	105.8
Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants	$36,000	$37,734	105.7
Management Analysts	$100,660	$102,429	105.6
Medical Records Specialists	$54,280	$56,024	105.5
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School	$72,120	$73,874	105.1
Civil Engineers	$101,600	$103,370	104.7
Occupational Therapists	$101,130	$102,900	104.7
First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers	$60,100	$61,847	104.6
Biological Scientists, All Other	$91,560	$93,324	104.6
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other	$67,940	$69,691	104.4
Postal Service Clerks	$62,610	$64,359	104.3
Software Developers	$129,450	$131,235	104.2
Industrial Production Managers	$126,880	$128,664	104.2
Architectural and Engineering Managers	$169,040	$170,846	103.9
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling	$63,470	$65,219	103.6

Showing the 40 highest real-pay occupations of 371 BLS publishes for South Carolina. Real pay = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the 2024 BEA cost of living (93.7, US = 100).

Where does your salary go furthest?

Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In South Carolina, a $85,000 salary is worth about $85,046 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $5,270 (≈ top marginal 6.20% (upper bound)) · take-home $79,730 · BEA cost of living 93.7 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $95,952, a $10,906 gain over South Carolina.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$95,952	88.6
2	Arkansas	$93,959	86.9
3	Louisiana	$93,473	88.2
4	Mississippi	$93,453	87.0
5	Iowa	$93,172	87.8
6	North Dakota	$93,161	89.0
7	Tennessee	$92,522	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$92,167	87.8
9	Wyoming	$91,703	92.7
10	Alabama	$90,911	88.8
11	Kentucky	$90,507	90.2
12	West Virginia	$90,397	89.5

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Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).

South Carolina real pay — FAQ

Is South Carolina a good state for your salary to go far?: South Carolina ranks #45 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 94.7 across 371 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 93.7 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.
What is the cost of living in South Carolina?: South Carolina's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 93.7, where the US average is 100. That is at or below the national average, so a dollar buys as much as or more than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

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Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
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Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for South Carolina is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.