Columbia, SC
Across all occupations in the Columbia, SC metropolitan area, the median wage is $46,430 a year ($22.32 an hour) and the mean $59,030, May 2025. That median is −9% against the US median of $50,980 and 0% against South Carolina's $46,490. BLS counts 394,200 jobs in the area. The highest-paying occupation is physicians, all other; the largest is fast food and counter workers.
All occupations: Columbia, SC vs South Carolina and the United States
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| Columbia, SC | Hourly | $13.14 | $16.80 | $22.32 | $33.29 | $48.92 | $28.38 | 394,200 |
| Annual | $27,330 | $34,950 | $46,430 | $69,250 | $101,760 | $59,030 | ||
| South Carolina | Hourly | $13.01 | $16.65 | $22.35 | $33.82 | $49.52 | $28.50 | 2,305,080 |
| Annual | $27,070 | $34,630 | $46,490 | $70,340 | $103,010 | $59,280 | ||
| United States | Hourly | $15.00 | $18.07 | $24.51 | $38.71 | $61.81 | $33.54 | 155,495,730 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $37,590 | $50,980 | $80,520 | $128,560 | $69,770 | ||
510 detailed occupations publish a median in this area. State profile: South Carolina. Compare any occupation across every area in the wage explorer.
20 highest-paying occupations in Columbia, SC
| Rank | Occupation | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Physicians, All Other | $374,300 | $179.95 | 1,050 |
| 2 | Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $296,020 | $142.32 | ** |
| 3 | Anesthesiologists | $290,620 | $139.72 | 70 |
| 4 | Nurse Anesthetists | $271,350 | $130.46 | 210 |
| 5 | Psychiatrists | $251,060 | $120.70 | 90 |
| 6 | Dentists, General | $228,820 | $110.01 | 480 |
| 7 | Family Medicine Physicians | $224,360 | $107.86 | 100 |
| 8 | Chief Executives | $176,890 | $85.04 | 320 |
| 9 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $162,260 | $78.01 | 360 |
| 10 | Advertising and Promotions Managers | $159,950 | $76.90 | 50 |
| 11 | Optometrists | $156,350 | $75.17 | 90 |
| 12 | Computer and Information Systems Managers in South Carolina | $141,570 | $68.06 | 990 |
| 13 | Marketing Managers | $136,930 | $65.83 | 560 |
| 14 | Database Architects | $135,790 | $65.28 | 240 |
| 15 | Pharmacists | $133,850 | $64.35 | 1,050 |
| 16 | Actuaries | $133,060 | $63.97 | 80 |
| 17 | Psychologists, All Other | $130,580 | $62.78 | 40 |
| 18 | Managers, All Other in South Carolina | $129,960 | $62.48 | 410 |
| 18 | Veterinarians | $129,960 | $62.48 | 210 |
| 20 | Computer Hardware Engineers | $129,830 | $62.42 | 70 |
Ranked by median; an occupation whose median BLS withholds or top-codes in this area cannot appear here, however well it pays.
20 largest occupations in Columbia, SC
Most concentrated occupations in Columbia, SC
The 10 occupations with the highest location quotient among those employing at least 100 people in the area. A quotient of 2.00 means the occupation's share of local jobs is twice its national share.
| Rank | Occupation | Location quotient | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hydrologists | 6.42 | 100 | 0.24 | $65,770 |
| 2 | Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians | 4.76 | 150 | 0.39 | $29,000 |
| 3 | Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators | 4.15 | 170 | 0.43 | $44,950 |
| 4 | Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All Other | 3.87 | 130 | 0.34 | $46,370 |
| 5 | Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks | 3.45 | 1,870 | 4.75 | $38,760 |
| 6 | Nuclear Engineers | 3.14 | 120 | 0.31 | $128,340 |
| 7 | Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other | 2.88 | 540 | 1.37 | $51,840 |
| 8 | Agricultural Equipment Operators | 2.73 | 200 | 0.50 | $31,820 |
| 9 | Recreational Therapists | 2.68 | 100 | 0.26 | $43,730 |
| 10 | Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 2.57 | 140 | 0.36 | $36,320 |
Occupation groups in Columbia, SC
| Group | Median annual | Mean annual | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Management | $105,850 | $123,650 | 21,410 | 54.32 | 0.76 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $84,450 | $93,480 | 11,430 | 28.99 | 0.86 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $84,020 | $92,750 | 5,500 | 13.96 | 0.83 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $77,870 | $101,570 | 27,360 | 69.41 | 1.10 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $74,660 | $83,010 | 24,320 | 61.70 | 0.91 |
| Legal | $73,060 | $97,590 | 4,240 | 10.74 | 1.28 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $64,410 | $73,950 | 3,610 | 9.15 | 0.97 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | $59,530 | $62,850 | 22,190 | 56.29 | 0.96 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | $52,420 | $56,850 | 17,400 | 44.14 | 1.13 |
| Community and Social Service | $52,270 | $56,690 | 7,100 | 18.00 | 1.05 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | $50,430 | $63,390 | 3,580 | 9.07 | 0.69 |
| Construction and Extraction | $49,660 | $55,130 | 12,590 | 31.93 | 0.77 |
| Production | $46,000 | $49,550 | 21,430 | 54.36 | 0.99 |
| Office and Administrative Support | $43,520 | $46,830 | 55,110 | 139.82 | 1.22 |
| Protective Service | $42,570 | $47,940 | 12,800 | 32.47 | 1.34 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | $37,230 | $42,470 | 36,320 | 92.14 | 1.05 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | $36,580 | $42,420 | 640 | 1.61 | 0.58 |
| Healthcare Support | $35,550 | $36,600 | 18,590 | 47.17 | 0.93 |
| Sales and Related | $34,730 | $47,140 | 35,770 | 90.73 | 1.05 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | $34,320 | $35,660 | 10,430 | 26.46 | 0.90 |
| Personal Care and Service | $30,260 | $35,080 | 7,480 | 18.98 | 0.91 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | $27,980 | $29,540 | 34,910 | 88.55 | 1.01 |
Every occupation in South Carolina, and the area's place among the state's metros, is on the state profile. All 510 published occupations for this area are in the wage explorer; other metros are on the metros hub.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Columbia, SC estimates (area 17900).
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Jobs per 1,000 is the occupation's employment per 1,000 jobs in the Columbia, SC area; the location quotient is that share divided by the national share.
- The concentration table keeps only occupations with employment of 100 or more in the area, so a quotient built on a handful of rounded jobs cannot top it.