Bartenders Salary in South Carolina
In South Carolina, bartenders earn a median $19,370 a year, well below the national median of $34,340 (−44%); the state ranks 51st of 51 states by median. That is 58% less than the median across all occupations in South Carolina ($46,490). Every neighbouring state pays more: North Carolina and Georgia range from $22,830 in Georgia to $36,470 in North Carolina. South Carolina employs 10,680 bartenders, 4.63 per 1,000 jobs, the 24th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.95 is close to the national share.
South Carolina vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| South Carolina | Hourly | $7.25 | $8.26 | $9.31 | $15.36 | $28.57 | $13.67 | 10,680 | 4.63 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $15,080 | $17,190 | $19,370 | $31,950 | $59,430 | $28,440 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $9.67 | $13.17 | $16.51 | $22.87 | $35.47 | $19.61 | 756,390 | – | – |
| Annual | $20,110 | $27,400 | $34,340 | $47,570 | $73,770 | $40,790 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 51st of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 24th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.95
- Jobs per 1,000
- 4.63
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of South Carolina's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in South Carolina
10 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching South Carolina publish a row for bartenders, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $17.97 | $37,390 | $17,300 | $78,780 | 5,660 | 4.17 | 0.86 |
| Florence, SC | $11.05 | $22,990 | $15,230 | $49,410 | 240 | 2.69 | 0.55 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $10.15 | $21,100 | $15,540 | $53,140 | 730 | 3.16 | 0.65 |
| Spartanburg, SC | $9.66 | $20,090 | $15,500 | $58,030 | 440 | 2.64 | 0.54 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $9.63 | $20,030 | $15,690 | $58,620 | 660 | 8.02 | 1.65 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $9.44 | $19,630 | $15,080 | $61,790 | 3,110 | 7.88 | 1.62 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $9.42 | $19,600 | $16,970 | $56,930 | 1,640 | 3.76 | 0.77 |
| Columbia, SC | $9.25 | $19,230 | $15,120 | $72,800 | 1,070 | 2.70 | 0.56 |
| Sumter, SC | $8.67 | $18,040 | $15,080 | $48,390 | 100 | 3.01 | 0.62 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $8.37 | $17,420 | $15,080 | $49,620 | 1,800 | 12.33 | 2.53 |
| Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $9.22 | $19,190 | $15,080 | $43,680 | 130 | 2.40 | 0.49 |
| Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $9.01 | $18,740 | $15,080 | $70,940 | 250 | 2.66 | 0.55 |
| Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $8.56 | $17,810 | $15,080 | $52,130 | 310 | 4.06 | 0.83 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | $9.31 | $19,370 | 10,680 | 0.95 |
| Georgia | $10.98 | $22,830 | 14,600 | 0.61 |
| North Carolina | $17.53 | $36,470 | 20,070 | 0.83 |
See the national page for Bartenders (every state ranked) and the South Carolina wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS South Carolina estimates.
- 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.