High paying jobs in South Carolina

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in South Carolina. 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 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

1General Internal Medicine Physicians$359,500
Doctoral or professional degree
$102,500 – $441,0101,260
2Physicians, All Other$274,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$66,320 – $501,6904,510
3Nurse Anesthetists$265,480
Master's degree
$210,100 – $401,6001,010
4Family Medicine Physicians$239,200
Doctoral or professional degree
$107,990 – $357,7701,200
5Anesthesiologists$238,970
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,540 – $549,580950
6Architectural and Engineering Managers$169,040
Bachelor's degree
$115,280 – $226,9703,200
7Chief Executives$168,840
Bachelor's degree
$49,760 – $393,4901,740
8Computer and Information Systems Managers$160,860
Bachelor's degree
$95,990 – $233,5004,930
9Dentists, General$158,640
Doctoral or professional degree
$96,920 – $310,8402,140
10Marketing Managers$143,290
Bachelor's degree
$79,870 – $275,4303,760
11Financial Managers$136,160
Bachelor's degree
$78,930 – $277,8509,020
12Pharmacists$135,700
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,430 – $170,2705,320
13Computer Network Architects$134,990
Bachelor's degree
$82,060 – $185,1601,950
14Purchasing Managers$131,720
Bachelor's degree
$83,210 – $201,790830
15Natural Sciences Managers$131,140
Bachelor's degree
$71,790 – $225,160780
16Sales Managers$131,080
Bachelor's degree
$62,060 – $223,7609,340
17Database Architects$130,000
Bachelor's degree
$84,300 – $183,7001,160
18Managers, All Other$129,960
Bachelor's degree
$67,300 – $204,9102,210
19Software Developers$129,450
Bachelor's degree
$76,010 – $212,46013,230
20Industrial Production Managers$126,880
Bachelor's degree
$80,510 – $204,9106,390
21Nuclear Engineers$126,570
Bachelor's degree
$83,970 – $159,7401,440
22Human Resources Managers$124,290
Bachelor's degree
$70,840 – $209,3802,400
23Nurse Practitioners$123,290
Master's degree
$97,080 – $160,1705,670
24Physician Assistants$122,490
Master's degree
$77,620 – $158,8602,250
25Veterinarians$122,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$48,140 – $200,8601,380
26Lawyers$120,310
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,140 – $301,1407,890
27Sales Engineers$114,250
Bachelor's degree
$78,540 – $172,850770
28Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$113,720
Bachelor's degree
$79,350 – $161,8901,030
29Computer Occupations, All Other$112,260
Bachelor's degree
$53,840 – $165,6404,300
30Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$111,190
Bachelor's degree
$50,690 – $199,8203,760
31Engineers, All Other$110,490
Bachelor's degree
$65,240 – $180,9601,280
32Nuclear Technicians$108,490
Associate's degree
$88,210 – $124,190750
33Construction Managers$108,110
Bachelor's degree
$71,490 – $192,0005,620
34Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$106,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$68,150 – $199,9703,460
35General and Operations Managers$106,080
Bachelor's degree
$56,520 – $219,35032,230
36Information Security Analysts$105,800
Bachelor's degree
$66,410 – $166,5301,720
37Medical and Health Services Managers$105,620
Bachelor's degree
$66,520 – $211,8909,350
38Mechanical Engineers$104,580
Bachelor's degree
$74,260 – $166,3405,780
39Facilities Managers$103,940
Bachelor's degree
$68,610 – $169,9501,750
40Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$102,440
Master's degree
$75,810 – $134,4905,000
41Civil Engineers$101,600
Bachelor's degree
$67,950 – $156,3807,180
42Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$101,550
Bachelor's degree
$62,010 – $162,2401,030
43Physical Therapists$101,330
Doctoral or professional degree
$72,810 – $123,4803,930
44Occupational Therapists$101,130
Master's degree
$75,370 – $123,1101,840
45Industrial Engineers$101,060
Bachelor's degree
$75,000 – $136,7207,960
46Management Analysts$100,660
Bachelor's degree
$54,720 – $169,62012,340
47Computer Programmers$99,740
Bachelor's degree
$63,130 – $135,250790
48Electrical Engineers$98,440
Bachelor's degree
$69,260 – $156,3303,490
49Computer Systems Analysts$98,280
Bachelor's degree
$58,000 – $148,6607,700
50Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$97,500
Bachelor's degree
$50,070 – $135,3901,740

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	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$359,500	$102,500 – $441,010	1,260
2	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$274,480	$66,320 – $501,690	4,510
3	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$265,480	$210,100 – $401,600	1,010
4	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$239,200	$107,990 – $357,770	1,200
5	AnesthesiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$238,970	$77,540 – $549,580	950
6	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$169,040	$115,280 – $226,970	3,200
7	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$168,840	$49,760 – $393,490	1,740
8	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$160,860	$95,990 – $233,500	4,930
9	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$158,640	$96,920 – $310,840	2,140
10	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$143,290	$79,870 – $275,430	3,760
11	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$136,160	$78,930 – $277,850	9,020
12	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$135,700	$82,430 – $170,270	5,320
13	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$134,990	$82,060 – $185,160	1,950
14	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$131,720	$83,210 – $201,790	830
15	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$131,140	$71,790 – $225,160	780
16	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$131,080	$62,060 – $223,760	9,340
17	Database ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$130,000	$84,300 – $183,700	1,160
18	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$129,960	$67,300 – $204,910	2,210
19	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$129,450	$76,010 – $212,460	13,230
20	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$126,880	$80,510 – $204,910	6,390
21	Nuclear EngineersBachelor's degree	$126,570	$83,970 – $159,740	1,440
22	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$124,290	$70,840 – $209,380	2,400
23	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$123,290	$97,080 – $160,170	5,670
24	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$122,490	$77,620 – $158,860	2,250
25	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$122,130	$48,140 – $200,860	1,380
26	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$120,310	$63,140 – $301,140	7,890
27	Sales EngineersBachelor's degree	$114,250	$78,540 – $172,850	770
28	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$113,720	$79,350 – $161,890	1,030
29	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$112,260	$53,840 – $165,640	4,300
30	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$111,190	$50,690 – $199,820	3,760
31	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$110,490	$65,240 – $180,960	1,280
32	Nuclear TechniciansAssociate's degree	$108,490	$88,210 – $124,190	750
33	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$108,110	$71,490 – $192,000	5,620
34	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$106,860	$68,150 – $199,970	3,460
35	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$106,080	$56,520 – $219,350	32,230
36	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$105,800	$66,410 – $166,530	1,720
37	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$105,620	$66,520 – $211,890	9,350
38	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$104,580	$74,260 – $166,340	5,780
39	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$103,940	$68,610 – $169,950	1,750
40	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$102,440	$75,810 – $134,490	5,000
41	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,600	$67,950 – $156,380	7,180
42	Architects, Except Landscape and NavalBachelor's degree	$101,550	$62,010 – $162,240	1,030
43	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,330	$72,810 – $123,480	3,930
44	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$101,130	$75,370 – $123,110	1,840
45	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,060	$75,000 – $136,720	7,960
46	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$100,660	$54,720 – $169,620	12,340
47	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$99,740	$63,130 – $135,250	790
48	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,440	$69,260 – $156,330	3,490
49	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$98,280	$58,000 – $148,660	7,700
50	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$97,500	$50,070 – $135,390	1,740

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 jobs in South Carolina

More for South Carolina

Metro areas in South Carolina

By field in South Carolina

Without a degree

By state