High paying entry level jobs in South Carolina

These occupations in South Carolina ask for no prior experience in a related job and no on-the-job training period: you are expected to be productive on arrival. That is precisely why most of them want a specific qualification instead — the credential does the work the experience would have. Read the line under each title for what that qualification is; several here are doctorates. If you need something you can start without one, use the no-experience list.

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 · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$265,480
Master's degree
$210,100 – $401,6001,010
2Dentists, General$158,640
Doctoral or professional degree
$96,920 – $310,8402,140
3Pharmacists$135,700
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,430 – $170,2705,320
4Software Developers$129,450
Bachelor's degree
$76,010 – $212,46013,230
5Nuclear Engineers$126,570
Bachelor's degree
$83,970 – $159,7401,440
6Nurse Practitioners$123,290
Master's degree
$97,080 – $160,1705,670
7Physician Assistants$122,490
Master's degree
$77,620 – $158,8602,250
8Veterinarians$122,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$48,140 – $200,8601,380
9Lawyers$120,310
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,140 – $301,1407,890
10Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$113,720
Bachelor's degree
$79,350 – $161,8901,030
11Computer Occupations, All Other$112,260
Bachelor's degree
$53,840 – $165,6404,300
12Engineers, All Other$110,490
Bachelor's degree
$65,240 – $180,9601,280
13Mechanical Engineers$104,580
Bachelor's degree
$74,260 – $166,3405,780
14Civil Engineers$101,600
Bachelor's degree
$67,950 – $156,3807,180
15Physical Therapists$101,330
Doctoral or professional degree
$72,810 – $123,4803,930
16Occupational Therapists$101,130
Master's degree
$75,370 – $123,1101,840
17Industrial Engineers$101,060
Bachelor's degree
$75,000 – $136,7207,960
18Computer Programmers$99,740
Bachelor's degree
$63,130 – $135,250790
19Electrical Engineers$98,440
Bachelor's degree
$69,260 – $156,3303,490
20Computer Systems Analysts$98,280
Bachelor's degree
$58,000 – $148,6607,700
21Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$97,500
Bachelor's degree
$50,070 – $135,3901,740
22Project Management Specialists$95,040
Bachelor's degree
$56,710 – $159,31017,040
23Financial and Investment Analysts$93,670
Bachelor's degree
$58,420 – $157,7003,600
24Database Administrators$93,640
Bachelor's degree
$54,040 – $149,000990
25Network and Computer Systems Administrators$92,520
Bachelor's degree
$63,310 – $151,2103,580
26Data Scientists$91,990
Bachelor's degree
$61,600 – $156,0003,750
27Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$88,080
Bachelor's degree
$57,520 – $135,9402,170
28Dental Hygienists$84,340
Associate's degree
$65,700 – $97,2203,160
29Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$83,290
Associate's degree
$69,530 – $102,5401,340
30Registered Nurses$82,360
Bachelor's degree
$66,860 – $106,52049,750
31Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$82,300
Doctoral or professional degree
$53,360 – $150,920750
32Web and Digital Interface Designers$80,930
Bachelor's degree
$43,720 – $162,880800
33Logisticians$80,330
Bachelor's degree
$49,460 – $123,6405,250
34Operations Research Analysts$80,240
Bachelor's degree
$52,500 – $125,7001,380
35Chemists$79,670
Bachelor's degree
$54,420 – $139,570770
36Business Operations Specialists, All Other$79,110
Bachelor's degree
$48,310 – $142,6808,910
37Business Teachers, Postsecondary$78,830
Doctoral or professional degree
$38,780 – $172,5801,500
38Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$77,940
Doctoral or professional degree
$30,670 – $104,5801,600
39Respiratory Therapists$77,740
Associate's degree
$63,700 – $90,6701,960
40Commercial and Industrial Designers$77,300
Bachelor's degree
$33,580 – $125,090810
41Accountants and Auditors$76,560
Bachelor's degree
$50,370 – $131,22015,270
42Financial Specialists, All Other$76,400
Bachelor's degree
$44,130 – $122,930930
43Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$75,160
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,230 – $84,6001,660
44Occupational Therapy Assistants$73,740
Associate's degree
$52,050 – $87,860830
45Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$73,450
Associate's degree
$49,470 – $107,5902,060
46Physical Therapist Assistants$70,500
Associate's degree
$47,510 – $88,0701,870
47Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$70,080
Associate's degree
$46,450 – $83,8602,400
48Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$69,600
Associate's degree
$51,860 – $96,0203,630
49Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$69,580
Associate's degree
$49,350 – $96,6101,290
50Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$69,440
Bachelor's degree
$39,950 – $153,09011,920

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	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$265,480	$210,100 – $401,600	1,010
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$158,640	$96,920 – $310,840	2,140
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$135,700	$82,430 – $170,270	5,320
4	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$129,450	$76,010 – $212,460	13,230
5	Nuclear EngineersBachelor's degree	$126,570	$83,970 – $159,740	1,440
6	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$123,290	$97,080 – $160,170	5,670
7	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$122,490	$77,620 – $158,860	2,250
8	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$122,130	$48,140 – $200,860	1,380
9	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$120,310	$63,140 – $301,140	7,890
10	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$113,720	$79,350 – $161,890	1,030
11	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$112,260	$53,840 – $165,640	4,300
12	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$110,490	$65,240 – $180,960	1,280
13	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$104,580	$74,260 – $166,340	5,780
14	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,600	$67,950 – $156,380	7,180
15	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,330	$72,810 – $123,480	3,930
16	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$101,130	$75,370 – $123,110	1,840
17	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,060	$75,000 – $136,720	7,960
18	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$99,740	$63,130 – $135,250	790
19	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,440	$69,260 – $156,330	3,490
20	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$98,280	$58,000 – $148,660	7,700
21	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$97,500	$50,070 – $135,390	1,740
22	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$95,040	$56,710 – $159,310	17,040
23	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$93,670	$58,420 – $157,700	3,600
24	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$93,640	$54,040 – $149,000	990
25	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$92,520	$63,310 – $151,210	3,580
26	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$91,990	$61,600 – $156,000	3,750
27	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$88,080	$57,520 – $135,940	2,170
28	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$84,340	$65,700 – $97,220	3,160
29	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$83,290	$69,530 – $102,540	1,340
30	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$82,360	$66,860 – $106,520	49,750
31	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$82,300	$53,360 – $150,920	750
32	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$80,930	$43,720 – $162,880	800
33	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$80,330	$49,460 – $123,640	5,250
34	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$80,240	$52,500 – $125,700	1,380
35	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$79,670	$54,420 – $139,570	770
36	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$79,110	$48,310 – $142,680	8,910
37	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$78,830	$38,780 – $172,580	1,500
38	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$77,940	$30,670 – $104,580	1,600
39	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$77,740	$63,700 – $90,670	1,960
40	Commercial and Industrial DesignersBachelor's degree	$77,300	$33,580 – $125,090	810
41	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$76,560	$50,370 – $131,220	15,270
42	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$76,400	$44,130 – $122,930	930
43	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,160	$45,230 – $84,600	1,660
44	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$73,740	$52,050 – $87,860	830
45	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$73,450	$49,470 – $107,590	2,060
46	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$70,500	$47,510 – $88,070	1,870
47	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$70,080	$46,450 – $83,860	2,400
48	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$69,600	$51,860 – $96,020	3,630
49	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$69,580	$49,350 – $96,610	1,290
50	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$69,440	$39,950 – $153,090	11,920

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in South Carolina. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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.

High paying entry level jobs in South Carolina

More for South Carolina

Metro areas in South Carolina

By field in South Carolina

Without a degree

High paying entry level jobs in each state