Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Charleston-North Charleston, SC

Each occupation's median wage in Charleston-North Charleston, SC compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Charleston-North Charleston, SC pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Charleston-North Charleston, SC run 1.0% above the national average (2024), so a Charleston-North Charleston, SC salary is worth about 0.99× 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 Charleston-North Charleston, SC

OccupationMedian, Charleston-North Charleston, SC · vs. national

1Crossing Guards and Flaggers$73,990
No formal educational credential
$34,730 – $99,410+94.2%
2Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$162,230
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,790 – $357,080+56.9%
3Social Workers, All Other$99,340
Bachelor's degree
$52,680 – $118,580+38.2%
4Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$62,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,640 – $78,340+29.1%
5Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All Other$47,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,430 – $60,090+28.0%
6Insurance Sales Agents$78,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,180 – $202,900+26.7%
7Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$132,790
Bachelor's degree
$55,670 – $204,950+26.6%
8Landscape Architects$99,330
Bachelor's degree
$66,420 – $130,190+24.4%
9Advertising Sales Agents$80,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,190 – $133,760+24.1%
10Maintenance Workers, Machinery$75,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,340 – $91,300+23.6%
11Medical Records Specialists$61,950
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,240 – $69,350+21.1%
12Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$94,520
Associate's degree
$61,410 – $102,500+20.6%
13Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$88,130
Postsecondary nondegree award
$53,470 – $101,610+18.9%
14Crane and Tower Operators$80,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,990 – $97,340+18.8%
15Chefs and Head Cooks$74,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,480 – $87,600+18.8%
16Operations Research Analysts$104,220
Bachelor's degree
$69,080 – $136,990+17.2%
17Financial Specialists, All Other$94,520
Bachelor's degree
$57,260 – $134,090+16.5%
18Materials Engineers$131,080
Bachelor's degree
$78,860 – $170,970+16.1%
19Tool and Die Makers$74,320
Postsecondary nondegree award
$62,190 – $77,000+16.0%
20Automotive Body and Related Repairers$63,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,790 – $78,110+14.9%
21Sailors and Marine Oilers$59,100
No formal educational credential
$41,070 – $93,720+14.7%
22Real Estate Sales Agents$60,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,990 – $128,090+13.8%
23Tax Preparers$62,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,630 – $80,880+13.5%
24Computer Occupations, All Other$131,600
Bachelor's degree
$79,970 – $172,100+12.9%
25Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$51,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,570 – $70,550+11.6%
26Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$86,370
Associate's degree
$61,790 – $131,300+10.5%
27First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services$53,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,730 – $98,560+10.4%
28Cargo and Freight Agents$57,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,150 – $79,440+10.1%
29Food Service Managers$75,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,840 – $115,650+9.1%
30Education Teachers, Postsecondary$81,870
Doctoral or professional degree
$40,380 – $105,770+8.7%
31Industrial Engineers$110,830
Bachelor's degree
$78,720 – $165,430+8.2%
32Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$48,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,660 – $63,930+7.9%
33Interior Designers$72,400
Bachelor's degree
$44,960 – $106,010+7.8%
34Computer Network Support Specialists$81,990
Associate's degree
$56,100 – $113,780+7.6%
35Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$71,160
Associate's degree
$62,330 – $82,210+7.6%
36Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$96,990
Bachelor's degree
$60,650 – $139,200+7.6%
37First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$79,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,870 – $105,890+7.4%
38Computer Programmers$107,770
Bachelor's degree
$72,040 – $141,950+7.4%
39Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$51,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,230 – $69,240+7.4%
40Compliance Officers$86,260
Bachelor's degree
$49,500 – $130,740+6.8%
41Mechanical Engineers$110,820
Bachelor's degree
$76,970 – $154,890+6.4%
42First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$62,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,750 – $80,750+6.3%
43Massage Therapists$62,140
Postsecondary nondegree award
$18,960 – $99,410+6.3%
44Buyers and Purchasing Agents$82,240
Bachelor's degree
$49,440 – $135,180+5.8%
45Library Assistants, Clerical$39,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,270 – $44,090+5.8%
46Tellers$45,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,050 – $53,580+5.6%
47Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,210 – $72,520+5.4%
48Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators$49,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,380 – $63,360+5.1%
49Bakers$39,070
No formal educational credential
$28,300 – $49,240+5.1%
50Cooks, Fast Food$32,380
No formal educational credential
$21,770 – $38,960+4.8%

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

#	Occupation	MedianCharleston-North Charleston, SC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Crossing Guards and FlaggersNo formal educational credential	$73,990	$34,730 – $99,410	+94.2%
2	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$162,230	$63,790 – $357,080	+56.9%
3	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$99,340	$52,680 – $118,580	+38.2%
4	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,280	$39,640 – $78,340	+29.1%
5	Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,720	$35,430 – $60,090	+28.0%
6	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,890	$46,180 – $202,900	+26.7%
7	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$132,790	$55,670 – $204,950	+26.6%
8	Landscape ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$99,330	$66,420 – $130,190	+24.4%
9	Advertising Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,410	$39,190 – $133,760	+24.1%
10	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,190	$52,340 – $91,300	+23.6%
11	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,950	$38,240 – $69,350	+21.1%
12	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$94,520	$61,410 – $102,500	+20.6%
13	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$88,130	$53,470 – $101,610	+18.9%
14	Crane and Tower OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,880	$46,990 – $97,340	+18.8%
15	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,210	$47,480 – $87,600	+18.8%
16	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$104,220	$69,080 – $136,990	+17.2%
17	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$94,520	$57,260 – $134,090	+16.5%
18	Materials EngineersBachelor's degree	$131,080	$78,860 – $170,970	+16.1%
19	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$74,320	$62,190 – $77,000	+16.0%
20	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,080	$48,790 – $78,110	+14.9%
21	Sailors and Marine OilersNo formal educational credential	$59,100	$41,070 – $93,720	+14.7%
22	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,110	$39,990 – $128,090	+13.8%
23	Tax PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,350	$33,630 – $80,880	+13.5%
24	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$131,600	$79,970 – $172,100	+12.9%
25	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,930	$40,570 – $70,550	+11.6%
26	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$86,370	$61,790 – $131,300	+10.5%
27	First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling ServicesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,620	$33,730 – $98,560	+10.4%
28	Cargo and Freight AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,560	$47,150 – $79,440	+10.1%
29	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,700	$49,840 – $115,650	+9.1%
30	Education Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$81,870	$40,380 – $105,770	+8.7%
31	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$110,830	$78,720 – $165,430	+8.2%
32	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,180	$36,660 – $63,930	+7.9%
33	Interior DesignersBachelor's degree	$72,400	$44,960 – $106,010	+7.8%
34	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$81,990	$56,100 – $113,780	+7.6%
35	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$71,160	$62,330 – $82,210	+7.6%
36	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$96,990	$60,650 – $139,200	+7.6%
37	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,990	$51,870 – $105,890	+7.4%
38	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$107,770	$72,040 – $141,950	+7.4%
39	Healthcare Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,990	$36,230 – $69,240	+7.4%
40	Compliance OfficersBachelor's degree	$86,260	$49,500 – $130,740	+6.8%
41	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$110,820	$76,970 – $154,890	+6.4%
42	First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,090	$40,750 – $80,750	+6.3%
43	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,140	$18,960 – $99,410	+6.3%
44	Buyers and Purchasing AgentsBachelor's degree	$82,240	$49,440 – $135,180	+5.8%
45	Library Assistants, ClericalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,050	$28,270 – $44,090	+5.8%
46	TellersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,430	$38,050 – $53,580	+5.6%
47	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,760	$37,210 – $72,520	+5.4%
48	Fiberglass Laminators and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,270	$39,380 – $63,360	+5.1%
49	BakersNo formal educational credential	$39,070	$28,300 – $49,240	+5.1%
50	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$32,380	$21,770 – $38,960	+4.8%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Charleston-North Charleston, SC

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