Fastest declining jobs in South Carolina, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in South Carolina, most negative first. A declining projection does not mean a job is disappearing — most of these still hire steadily to replace people who leave.

State projections are produced by South Carolina's own workforce agency and collected by Projections Central — the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes projections only at the national level. Methodology varies by state, so these are not directly comparable with the national figures. Wages remain BLS OEWS.

Cost of living: prices in South Carolina run 6.3% below the national average (2024), so a South Carolina salary is worth about 1.07× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in South Carolina.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in South Carolina

OccupationMedian, South Carolina · Growth 2024–34

1Data Entry Keyers$38,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,920 – $51,890-22.7%
2Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service$34,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,940 – $43,730-21.2%
3Telemarketers$37,090
No formal educational credential
$21,600 – $44,910-20.2%
4Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$52,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,180 – $77,660-13.1%
5Order Clerks$41,740
Some college, no degree
$31,360 – $54,640-12.2%
6File Clerks$39,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,710 – $56,800-11.9%
7Tellers$42,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,300 – $48,590-10.8%
8Logging Equipment Operators$47,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,910 – $65,320-10.2%
9Power Plant Operators$79,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,880 – $100,200-9.7%
10Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan$38,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,430 – $53,110-8.7%
11Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$58,390
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,280-8.3%
12Nuclear Technicians$108,490
Associate's degree
$88,210 – $124,190-8.1%
13Cooks, Fast Food$27,420
No formal educational credential
$21,690 – $37,140-7.8%
14Engine and Other Machine Assemblers$46,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,700 – $64,920-7.5%
15Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders$39,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,660 – $47,500-7.4%
16Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$38,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,330 – $48,020-7.3%
17Bill and Account Collectors$43,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,390 – $57,470-6.9%
18Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$39,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,230 – $48,530-6.9%
19Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$46,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,110 – $61,200-6.6%
20Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$75,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,640 – $104,050-6.2%
21Printing Press Operators$40,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,490 – $59,010-5.7%
22Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$35,110
No formal educational credential
$27,350 – $49,060-5.6%
23School Bus Monitors$26,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$17,490 – $36,090-5.4%
24Machine Feeders and Offbearers$38,050
No formal educational credential
$29,760 – $66,130-5.2%
25Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers—
High school diploma or equivalent
—
— – —-5.1%
26Correctional Officers and Jailers$47,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,090 – $71,390-5.0%
27Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$51,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$16,350 – $88,610-4.8%
28Procurement Clerks$49,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,980 – $72,080-4.6%
29Sewing Machine Operators$38,250
No formal educational credential
$26,690 – $47,210-4.4%
30Helpers--Production Workers$36,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,570 – $50,830-4.1%
31Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All Other$39,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,140 – $51,960-3.9%
32Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$45,300
Associate's degree
$33,620 – $58,410-3.7%
33Postal Service Mail Carriers$57,700
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040-3.6%
34Postal Service Clerks$62,610
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,030-3.5%
35First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers$56,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,460 – $87,510-3.2%
36Packers and Packagers, Hand$32,180
No formal educational credential
$25,870 – $44,050-2.5%
37Library Assistants, Clerical$33,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$23,980 – $44,090-2.3%
38Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$44,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,000 – $62,410-2.2%
39Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,560 – $79,320-2.1%
40Insurance Underwriters$79,570
Bachelor's degree
$51,020 – $134,950-2.1%
41Library Technicians$36,070
Postsecondary nondegree award
$23,690 – $49,800-2.1%
42Office Clerks, General$36,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$19,570 – $56,430-2.1%
43Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service$36,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,630 – $51,540-2.0%
44Medical Transcriptionists$33,870
Postsecondary nondegree award
$29,020 – $48,360-2.0%
45Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders$38,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,520 – $46,370-2.0%
46Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$44,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,380 – $61,450-1.8%
47Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals$35,090
No formal educational credential
$16,310 – $78,560-1.8%
48Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$44,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,960 – $58,380-1.6%
49Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$52,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,060 – $76,850-1.6%
50Computer Programmers$99,740
Bachelor's degree
$63,130 – $135,250-1.5%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianSouth Carolina	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Growth 2024–34
1	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,070	$28,920 – $51,890	-22.7%
2	Switchboard Operators, Including Answering ServiceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$34,010	$29,940 – $43,730	-21.2%
3	TelemarketersNo formal educational credential	$37,090	$21,600 – $44,910	-20.2%
4	Payroll and Timekeeping ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,240	$38,180 – $77,660	-13.1%
5	Order ClerksSome college, no degree	$41,740	$31,360 – $54,640	-12.2%
6	File ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,350	$27,710 – $56,800	-11.9%
7	TellersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,280	$35,300 – $48,590	-10.8%
8	Logging Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,650	$37,910 – $65,320	-10.2%
9	Power Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,900	$58,880 – $100,200	-9.7%
10	Interviewers, Except Eligibility and LoanHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,830	$26,430 – $53,110	-8.7%
11	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$58,390	$42,600 – $75,280	-8.3%
12	Nuclear TechniciansAssociate's degree	$108,490	$88,210 – $124,190	-8.1%
13	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$27,420	$21,690 – $37,140	-7.8%
14	Engine and Other Machine AssemblersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,950	$39,700 – $64,920	-7.5%
15	Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,410	$35,660 – $47,500	-7.4%
16	Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,280	$33,330 – $48,020	-7.3%
17	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,140	$33,390 – $57,470	-6.9%
18	Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,760	$35,230 – $48,530	-6.9%
19	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,910	$41,110 – $61,200	-6.6%
20	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,370	$46,640 – $104,050	-6.2%
21	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,470	$29,490 – $59,010	-5.7%
22	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$35,110	$27,350 – $49,060	-5.6%
23	School Bus MonitorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$26,240	$17,490 – $36,090	-5.4%
24	Machine Feeders and OffbearersNo formal educational credential	$38,050	$29,760 – $66,130	-5.2%
25	Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	—	—— – —	-5.1%
26	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,890	$40,090 – $71,390	-5.0%
27	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,060	$16,350 – $88,610	-4.8%
28	Procurement ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,810	$36,980 – $72,080	-4.6%
29	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$38,250	$26,690 – $47,210	-4.4%
30	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,610	$26,570 – $50,830	-4.1%
31	Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,960	$31,140 – $51,960	-3.9%
32	Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and TimekeepingAssociate's degree	$45,300	$33,620 – $58,410	-3.7%
33	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$57,700	$42,390 – $81,040	-3.6%
34	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$62,610	$42,600 – $75,030	-3.5%
35	First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,730	$46,460 – $87,510	-3.2%
36	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$32,180	$25,870 – $44,050	-2.5%
37	Library Assistants, ClericalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$33,980	$23,980 – $44,090	-2.3%
38	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,420	$34,000 – $62,410	-2.2%
39	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,040	$37,560 – $79,320	-2.1%
40	Insurance UnderwritersBachelor's degree	$79,570	$51,020 – $134,950	-2.1%
41	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$36,070	$23,690 – $49,800	-2.1%
42	Office Clerks, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,840	$19,570 – $56,430	-2.1%
43	Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal ServiceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,780	$31,630 – $51,540	-2.0%
44	Medical TranscriptionistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$33,870	$29,020 – $48,360	-2.0%
45	Food Cooking Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,220	$36,520 – $46,370	-2.0%
46	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,650	$37,380 – $61,450	-1.8%
47	Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural AnimalsNo formal educational credential	$35,090	$16,310 – $78,560	-1.8%
48	Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,560	$37,960 – $58,380	-1.6%
49	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,090	$39,060 – $76,850	-1.6%
50	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$99,740	$63,130 – $135,250	-1.5%

More for South Carolina

Metro areas in South Carolina

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in South Carolina

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in South Carolina to rank honestly.

Fastest declining jobs in South Carolina, 2024–34

More for South Carolina

Metro areas in South Carolina

By field in South Carolina

Without a degree

Fastest declining jobs in each state, 2024–34