Fastest growing jobs in South Carolina, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in South Carolina. Percent growth favours small occupations, so the openings column is often the more useful number — a fast-growing job with few openings is harder to enter than a flat one with many.

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

1Nurse Practitioners$123,290
Master's degree
$97,080 – $160,170+47.4%
2Data Scientists$91,990
Bachelor's degree
$61,600 – $156,000+39.2%
3Information Security Analysts$105,800
Bachelor's degree
$66,410 – $166,530+33.8%
4Psychiatric Technicians$40,970
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,390 – $53,170+30.2%
5Operations Research Analysts$80,240
Bachelor's degree
$52,500 – $125,700+29.3%
6Medical and Health Services Managers$105,620
Bachelor's degree
$66,520 – $211,890+28.0%
7Physical Therapist Assistants$70,500
Associate's degree
$47,510 – $88,070+27.8%
8Physician Assistants$122,490
Master's degree
$77,620 – $158,860+27.2%
9Industrial Machinery Mechanics$62,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,060 – $83,050+26.6%
10Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$40,400
Postsecondary nondegree award
$33,000 – $51,360+25.9%
11Occupational Therapy Assistants$73,740
Associate's degree
$52,050 – $87,860+25.6%
12Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$46,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,360 – $57,430+25.5%
13Logisticians$80,330
Bachelor's degree
$49,460 – $123,640+25.2%
14Home Health and Personal Care Aides$30,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$23,600 – $35,590+23.1%
15Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$82,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,460 – $137,930+22.5%
16Cooks, Restaurant$35,740
No formal educational credential
$26,200 – $45,680+22.1%
17Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary$79,540
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,510 – $128,210+21.9%
18Speech-Language Pathologists$90,530
Master's degree
$56,560 – $124,070+21.8%
19Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators$45,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,040 – $61,030+21.4%
20Industrial Engineers$101,060
Bachelor's degree
$75,000 – $136,720+20.9%
21Medical Equipment Repairers$46,120
Associate's degree
$18,060 – $73,540+20.1%
22Software Developers$129,450
Bachelor's degree
$76,010 – $212,460+19.8%
23Tour and Travel Guides$35,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$22,770 – $60,370+19.1%
24Computer and Information Systems Managers$160,860
Bachelor's degree
$95,990 – $233,500+19.0%
25Financial Managers$136,160
Bachelor's degree
$78,930 – $277,850+19.0%
26Stockers and Order Fillers$36,020
No formal educational credential
$29,810 – $46,830+18.6%
27Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$88,080
Bachelor's degree
$57,520 – $135,940+18.5%
28Occupational Therapists$101,130
Master's degree
$75,370 – $123,110+18.5%
29Community Health Workers$47,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,110 – $70,230+18.4%
30Couriers and Messengers$36,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$25,000 – $46,040+18.4%
31Massage Therapists$58,000
Postsecondary nondegree award
$17,340 – $95,540+18.4%
32Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$52,370
Master's degree
$35,010 – $81,420+18.1%
33Medical Assistants$41,160
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,730 – $49,110+17.7%
34Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors$43,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$22,730 – $62,120+17.7%
35Mechanical Engineers$104,580
Bachelor's degree
$74,260 – $166,340+17.5%
36Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers$59,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,940 – $76,540+17.0%
37Training and Development Specialists$63,070
Bachelor's degree
$38,790 – $116,210+16.9%
38Computer Network Architects$134,990
Bachelor's degree
$82,060 – $185,160+16.6%
39Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$83,290
Associate's degree
$69,530 – $102,540+16.4%
40Animal Caretakers$31,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$22,880 – $46,160+16.3%
41Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$46,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,050 – $72,180+16.1%
42Web and Digital Interface Designers$80,930
Bachelor's degree
$43,720 – $162,880+15.9%
43Pharmacy Technicians$42,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,500 – $51,060+15.8%
44Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists—
Doctoral or professional degree
—
— – —+15.8%
45News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists$47,940
Bachelor's degree
$37,070 – $109,330+15.8%
46Personal Financial Advisors$96,330
Bachelor's degree
$45,420 – $250,180+15.8%
47Chiropractors$79,310
Doctoral or professional degree
$44,930 – $126,460+15.8%
48Physical Therapists$101,330
Doctoral or professional degree
$72,810 – $123,480+15.7%
49Veterinarians$122,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$48,140 – $200,860+15.7%
50Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$39,020
Associate's degree
$33,870 – $57,970+15.5%

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	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$123,290	$97,080 – $160,170	+47.4%
2	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$91,990	$61,600 – $156,000	+39.2%
3	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$105,800	$66,410 – $166,530	+33.8%
4	Psychiatric TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$40,970	$35,390 – $53,170	+30.2%
5	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$80,240	$52,500 – $125,700	+29.3%
6	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$105,620	$66,520 – $211,890	+28.0%
7	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$70,500	$47,510 – $88,070	+27.8%
8	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$122,490	$77,620 – $158,860	+27.2%
9	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,330	$45,060 – $83,050	+26.6%
10	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$40,400	$33,000 – $51,360	+25.9%
11	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$73,740	$52,050 – $87,860	+25.6%
12	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,210	$35,360 – $57,430	+25.5%
13	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$80,330	$49,460 – $123,640	+25.2%
14	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$30,110	$23,600 – $35,590	+23.1%
15	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$82,480	$59,460 – $137,930	+22.5%
16	Cooks, RestaurantNo formal educational credential	$35,740	$26,200 – $45,680	+22.1%
17	Nursing Instructors and Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$79,540	$60,510 – $128,210	+21.9%
18	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$90,530	$56,560 – $124,070	+21.8%
19	Fiberglass Laminators and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,250	$37,040 – $61,030	+21.4%
20	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,060	$75,000 – $136,720	+20.9%
21	Medical Equipment RepairersAssociate's degree	$46,120	$18,060 – $73,540	+20.1%
22	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$129,450	$76,010 – $212,460	+19.8%
23	Tour and Travel GuidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35,190	$22,770 – $60,370	+19.1%
24	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$160,860	$95,990 – $233,500	+19.0%
25	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$136,160	$78,930 – $277,850	+19.0%
26	Stockers and Order FillersNo formal educational credential	$36,020	$29,810 – $46,830	+18.6%
27	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$88,080	$57,520 – $135,940	+18.5%
28	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$101,130	$75,370 – $123,110	+18.5%
29	Community Health WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,970	$38,110 – $70,230	+18.4%
30	Couriers and MessengersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,710	$25,000 – $46,040	+18.4%
31	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,000	$17,340 – $95,540	+18.4%
32	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$52,370	$35,010 – $81,420	+18.1%
33	Medical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$41,160	$34,730 – $49,110	+17.7%
34	Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness InstructorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,630	$22,730 – $62,120	+17.7%
35	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$104,580	$74,260 – $166,340	+17.5%
36	Security and Fire Alarm Systems InstallersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,710	$35,940 – $76,540	+17.0%
37	Training and Development SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$63,070	$38,790 – $116,210	+16.9%
38	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$134,990	$82,060 – $185,160	+16.6%
39	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$83,290	$69,530 – $102,540	+16.4%
40	Animal CaretakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$31,280	$22,880 – $46,160	+16.3%
41	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,640	$35,050 – $72,180	+16.1%
42	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$80,930	$43,720 – $162,880	+15.9%
43	Pharmacy TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,120	$35,500 – $51,060	+15.8%
44	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	—	—— – —	+15.8%
45	News Analysts, Reporters, and JournalistsBachelor's degree	$47,940	$37,070 – $109,330	+15.8%
46	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$96,330	$45,420 – $250,180	+15.8%
47	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$79,310	$44,930 – $126,460	+15.8%
48	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,330	$72,810 – $123,480	+15.7%
49	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$122,130	$48,140 – $200,860	+15.7%
50	Veterinary Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$39,020	$33,870 – $57,970	+15.5%

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 growing jobs in South Carolina, 2024–34

More for South Carolina

Metro areas in South Carolina

By field in South Carolina

Without a degree

Fastest growing jobs in each state, 2024–34