Jobs that pay the biggest premium in South Carolina

Each occupation's median wage in South Carolina 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 South Carolina pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

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 · vs. national

1General Internal Medicine Physicians$359,500
Doctoral or professional degree
$102,500 – $441,010+40.1%
2Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$79,610
Bachelor's degree
$37,860 – $103,660+24.7%
3Chemical Technicians$75,020
Associate's degree
$48,860 – $81,820+24.2%
4Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$59,210
Bachelor's degree
$34,040 – $82,780+16.3%
5Chefs and Head Cooks$71,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,640 – $88,880+15.0%
6Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$51,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,360 – $72,860+12.8%
7Nurse Anesthetists$265,480
Master's degree
$210,100 – $401,600+12.2%
8Cargo and Freight Agents$57,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,220 – $77,530+9.1%
9Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$46,760
Bachelor's degree
$19,630 – $60,510+9.0%
10Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$72,120
Bachelor's degree
$50,620 – $98,060+8.8%
11Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All Other$39,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,140 – $51,960+7.2%
12Real Estate Sales Agents$56,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,530 – $189,590+7.1%
13Maintenance Workers, Machinery$64,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,760 – $79,060+6.7%
14Medical Records Specialists$54,280
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,240 – $71,280+6.1%
15Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$70,080
Associate's degree
$46,450 – $83,860+6.0%
16Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$111,190
Bachelor's degree
$50,690 – $199,820+6.0%
17Advertising Sales Agents$68,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$25,750 – $147,110+5.2%
18Telemarketers$37,090
No formal educational credential
$21,600 – $44,910+4.6%
19Sewing Machine Operators$38,250
No formal educational credential
$26,690 – $47,210+4.3%
20First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$77,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,720 – $103,440+4.1%
21Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,540 – $60,050+3.2%
22Physicians, All Other$274,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$66,320 – $501,690+3.2%
23Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders$39,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,660 – $47,500+3.2%
24Physical Therapist Assistants$70,500
Associate's degree
$47,510 – $88,070+3.1%
25First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$60,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,570 – $78,170+2.9%
26Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,900 – $66,490+2.8%
27Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$49,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,360 – $71,930+2.7%
28Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$101,550
Bachelor's degree
$62,010 – $162,240+2.3%
29Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$51,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,350 – $67,980+2.2%
30Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$45,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,670 – $62,150+2.1%
31First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services$49,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,490 – $78,460+2.0%
32Occupational Therapy Assistants$73,740
Associate's degree
$52,050 – $87,860+2.0%
33Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$45,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,740 – $74,280+1.9%
34Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$75,490
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,580 – $103,170+1.9%
35Tool and Die Makers$65,250
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,920 – $80,990+1.9%
36Opticians, Dispensing$48,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,240 – $73,890+1.6%
37First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$63,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,690 – $90,900+0.9%
38Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$46,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,360 – $57,430+0.8%
39Occupational Therapists$101,130
Master's degree
$75,370 – $123,110+0.8%
40Civil Engineers$101,600
Bachelor's degree
$67,950 – $156,380+0.8%
41Postal Service Clerks$62,610
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,030+0.8%
42Computer Network Architects$134,990
Bachelor's degree
$82,060 – $185,160+0.7%
43Computer Network Support Specialists$76,790
Associate's degree
$48,800 – $113,780+0.7%
44Industrial Production Managers$126,880
Bachelor's degree
$80,510 – $204,910+0.7%
45Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$39,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,230 – $48,530+0.6%
46Mechanical Engineers$104,580
Bachelor's degree
$74,260 – $166,340+0.5%
47Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$77,940
Doctoral or professional degree
$30,670 – $104,580+0.4%
48General and Operations Managers$106,080
Bachelor's degree
$56,520 – $219,350+0.3%
49Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$58,390
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,280-0.1%
50Information and Record Clerks, All Other$49,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,820 – $63,020-0.1%

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	vs. national
1	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$359,500	$102,500 – $441,010	+40.1%
2	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$79,610	$37,860 – $103,660	+24.7%
3	Chemical TechniciansAssociate's degree	$75,020	$48,860 – $81,820	+24.2%
4	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$59,210	$34,040 – $82,780	+16.3%
5	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,860	$47,640 – $88,880	+15.0%
6	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,620	$35,360 – $72,860	+12.8%
7	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$265,480	$210,100 – $401,600	+12.2%
8	Cargo and Freight AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,000	$46,220 – $77,530	+9.1%
9	Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$46,760	$19,630 – $60,510	+9.0%
10	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$72,120	$50,620 – $98,060	+8.8%
11	Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,960	$31,140 – $51,960	+7.2%
12	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,580	$36,530 – $189,590	+7.1%
13	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,910	$46,760 – $79,060	+6.7%
14	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$54,280	$37,240 – $71,280	+6.1%
15	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$70,080	$46,450 – $83,860	+6.0%
16	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$111,190	$50,690 – $199,820	+6.0%
17	Advertising Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,200	$25,750 – $147,110	+5.2%
18	TelemarketersNo formal educational credential	$37,090	$21,600 – $44,910	+4.6%
19	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$38,250	$26,690 – $47,210	+4.3%
20	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,500	$49,720 – $103,440	+4.1%
21	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,040	$38,540 – $60,050	+3.2%
22	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$274,480	$66,320 – $501,690	+3.2%
23	Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,410	$35,660 – $47,500	+3.2%
24	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$70,500	$47,510 – $88,070	+3.1%
25	First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,100	$38,570 – $78,170	+2.9%
26	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,040	$35,900 – $66,490	+2.8%
27	Healthcare Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,730	$35,360 – $71,930	+2.7%
28	Architects, Except Landscape and NavalBachelor's degree	$101,550	$62,010 – $162,240	+2.3%
29	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,800	$38,350 – $67,980	+2.2%
30	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,270	$34,670 – $62,150	+2.1%
31	First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling ServicesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,550	$30,490 – $78,460	+2.0%
32	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$73,740	$52,050 – $87,860	+2.0%
33	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,500	$33,740 – $74,280	+1.9%
34	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,490	$47,580 – $103,170	+1.9%
35	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,250	$41,920 – $80,990	+1.9%
36	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,000	$36,240 – $73,890	+1.6%
37	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,470	$43,690 – $90,900	+0.9%
38	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,210	$35,360 – $57,430	+0.8%
39	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$101,130	$75,370 – $123,110	+0.8%
40	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,600	$67,950 – $156,380	+0.8%
41	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$62,610	$42,600 – $75,030	+0.8%
42	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$134,990	$82,060 – $185,160	+0.7%
43	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$76,790	$48,800 – $113,780	+0.7%
44	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$126,880	$80,510 – $204,910	+0.7%
45	Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,760	$35,230 – $48,530	+0.6%
46	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$104,580	$74,260 – $166,340	+0.5%
47	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$77,940	$30,670 – $104,580	+0.4%
48	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$106,080	$56,520 – $219,350	+0.3%
49	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$58,390	$42,600 – $75,280	-0.1%
50	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,440	$36,820 – $63,020	-0.1%

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.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in South Carolina

More for South Carolina

Metro areas in South Carolina

By field in South Carolina

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state