High paying jobs in Columbia, SC

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Columbia, SC. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

Cost of living: prices in Columbia, SC run 6.3% below the national average (2024), so a Columbia, SC 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.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

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

Find high paying jobs in Columbia, SC

OccupationMedian, Columbia, SC · Employed

1Physicians, All Other$374,300
Doctoral or professional degree
$99,230 – $501,6901,050
2Nurse Anesthetists$271,350
Master's degree
$214,000 – $333,030210
3Dentists, General$228,820
Doctoral or professional degree
$104,860 – $310,840480
4Chief Executives$176,890
Bachelor's degree
$81,450 – $353,060320
5Architectural and Engineering Managers$162,260
Bachelor's degree
$111,360 – $232,130360
6Computer and Information Systems Managers$141,570
Bachelor's degree
$87,410 – $222,560990
7Marketing Managers$136,930
Bachelor's degree
$78,920 – $273,130560
8Database Architects$135,790
Bachelor's degree
$84,310 – $169,610240
9Pharmacists$133,850
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,390 – $169,5401,050
10Managers, All Other$129,960
Bachelor's degree
$71,080 – $193,190410
11Veterinarians$129,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,510 – $220,150210
12Business Teachers, Postsecondary$129,380
Doctoral or professional degree
$37,180 – $211,950230
13Sales Managers$128,650
Bachelor's degree
$60,030 – $214,8401,360
14Industrial Production Managers$128,050
Bachelor's degree
$78,020 – $196,910850
15Computer Network Architects$125,510
Bachelor's degree
$84,010 – $162,990270
16Financial Managers$124,790
Bachelor's degree
$77,490 – $235,2401,800
17Software Developers$123,380
Bachelor's degree
$70,950 – $172,4602,070
18Nurse Practitioners$118,470
Master's degree
$97,010 – $150,700920
19Physician Assistants$115,840
Master's degree
$91,980 – $155,600400
20Engineers, All Other$114,560
Bachelor's degree
$63,280 – $173,310130
21Purchasing Managers$112,530
Bachelor's degree
$80,190 – $180,930130
22Construction Managers$112,180
Bachelor's degree
$74,380 – $180,570820
23Human Resources Managers$109,440
Bachelor's degree
$67,430 – $190,420460
24Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$109,080
Bachelor's degree
$48,330 – $200,180450
25Medical and Health Services Managers$107,280
Bachelor's degree
$69,520 – $186,0801,640
26Lawyers$105,200
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,030 – $293,3401,950
27Training and Development Managers$104,470
Bachelor's degree
$69,230 – $169,200150
28General and Operations Managers$103,950
Bachelor's degree
$54,080 – $214,4204,890
29Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$102,890
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,150 – $163,030370
30Occupational Therapists$102,650
Master's degree
$77,060 – $112,260280
31Mechanical Engineers$102,280
Bachelor's degree
$72,120 – $150,630450
32Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$101,830
Master's degree
$78,880 – $130,410960
33Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary$101,340
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,960 – $206,230260
34Information Security Analysts$101,330
Bachelor's degree
$64,410 – $161,370370
35Electrical Engineers$101,320
Bachelor's degree
$69,260 – $154,870510
36Education Administrators, Postsecondary$101,150
Master's degree
$64,310 – $192,420580
37Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$101,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$67,860 – $165,650540
38Education Administrators, All Other$100,440
Bachelor's degree
$42,330 – $131,120130
39Social Workers, All Other$100,420
Bachelor's degree
$70,260 – $122,280160
40Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$100,200
Bachelor's degree
$61,640 – $154,480140
41Physical Therapists$99,840
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,880 – $118,260670
42Industrial Engineers$98,780
Bachelor's degree
$73,510 – $138,280760
43Computer Programmers$98,490
Bachelor's degree
$63,130 – $132,330190
44Facilities Managers$98,020
Bachelor's degree
$64,800 – $158,530240
45Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$97,550
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,930 – $158,660150
46Environmental Engineers$96,140
Bachelor's degree
$95,770 – $136,990130
47Civil Engineers$94,520
Bachelor's degree
$66,490 – $147,4301,070
48Personal Financial Advisors$94,130
Bachelor's degree
$45,370 – $327,880430
49Management Analysts$93,250
Bachelor's degree
$49,120 – $157,8203,120
50Computer Occupations, All Other$91,920
Bachelor's degree
$41,990 – $153,780770

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

#	Occupation	MedianColumbia, SC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$374,300	$99,230 – $501,690	1,050
2	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$271,350	$214,000 – $333,030	210
3	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$228,820	$104,860 – $310,840	480
4	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$176,890	$81,450 – $353,060	320
5	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$162,260	$111,360 – $232,130	360
6	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$141,570	$87,410 – $222,560	990
7	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$136,930	$78,920 – $273,130	560
8	Database ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$135,790	$84,310 – $169,610	240
9	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$133,850	$81,390 – $169,540	1,050
10	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$129,960	$71,080 – $193,190	410
11	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$129,960	$77,510 – $220,150	210
12	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$129,380	$37,180 – $211,950	230
13	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$128,650	$60,030 – $214,840	1,360
14	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$128,050	$78,020 – $196,910	850
15	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$125,510	$84,010 – $162,990	270
16	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$124,790	$77,490 – $235,240	1,800
17	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$123,380	$70,950 – $172,460	2,070
18	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$118,470	$97,010 – $150,700	920
19	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$115,840	$91,980 – $155,600	400
20	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$114,560	$63,280 – $173,310	130
21	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$112,530	$80,190 – $180,930	130
22	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$112,180	$74,380 – $180,570	820
23	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$109,440	$67,430 – $190,420	460
24	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$109,080	$48,330 – $200,180	450
25	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$107,280	$69,520 – $186,080	1,640
26	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$105,200	$63,030 – $293,340	1,950
27	Training and Development ManagersBachelor's degree	$104,470	$69,230 – $169,200	150
28	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$103,950	$54,080 – $214,420	4,890
29	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$102,890	$62,150 – $163,030	370
30	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$102,650	$77,060 – $112,260	280
31	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,280	$72,120 – $150,630	450
32	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$101,830	$78,880 – $130,410	960
33	Nursing Instructors and Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$101,340	$64,960 – $206,230	260
34	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$101,330	$64,410 – $161,370	370
35	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,320	$69,260 – $154,870	510
36	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$101,150	$64,310 – $192,420	580
37	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$101,030	$67,860 – $165,650	540
38	Education Administrators, All OtherBachelor's degree	$100,440	$42,330 – $131,120	130
39	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$100,420	$70,260 – $122,280	160
40	Architects, Except Landscape and NavalBachelor's degree	$100,200	$61,640 – $154,480	140
41	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$99,840	$64,880 – $118,260	670
42	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,780	$73,510 – $138,280	760
43	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$98,490	$63,130 – $132,330	190
44	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$98,020	$64,800 – $158,530	240
45	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$97,550	$58,930 – $158,660	150
46	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$96,140	$95,770 – $136,990	130
47	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$94,520	$66,490 – $147,430	1,070
48	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$94,130	$45,370 – $327,880	430
49	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$93,250	$49,120 – $157,820	3,120
50	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$91,920	$41,990 – $153,780	770

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Columbia, SC. 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.

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

High paying jobs in Columbia, SC

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