Lawyers Salary in South Carolina
In South Carolina, lawyers earn a median $120,310 a year, well below the national median of $159,670 (−25%); the state ranks 36th of 51 states by median. Lawyers earn 2.6 times the median across all occupations in South Carolina ($46,490). Every neighbouring state pays more: Georgia and North Carolina range from $127,710 in North Carolina to $134,830 in Georgia. South Carolina employs 7,890 lawyers, 3.42 per 1,000 jobs, the 26th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.71 means it is less common in South Carolina than nationally.
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 | $30.36 | $38.88 | $57.84 | $83.95 | $144.78 | $69.57 | 7,890 | 3.42 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $63,140 | $80,870 | $120,310 | $174,620 | $301,140 | $144,700 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $37.67 | $49.51 | $76.76 | $106.43 | $169.04 | $89.35 | 754,500 | – | – |
| Annual | $78,360 | $102,990 | $159,670 | $221,370 | $351,600 | $185,840 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 36th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 26th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.71
- Jobs per 1,000
- 3.42
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 lawyers, 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 | $75.57 | $157,180 | $61,830 | $371,170 | 5,380 | 3.96 | 0.82 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $61.19 | $127,280 | $75,960 | $272,990 | 1,590 | 4.03 | 0.83 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $60.08 | $124,970 | $70,540 | $341,840 | 1,290 | 2.96 | 0.61 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $59.59 | $123,960 | $74,880 | $202,780 | 630 | 2.72 | 0.56 |
| Spartanburg, SC | $57.84 | $120,310 | $63,290 | $315,870 | 310 | 1.85 | 0.38 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $57.19 | $118,950 | $61,370 | $265,820 | 440 | 3.01 | 0.62 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $51.80 | $107,740 | $61,600 | $219,990 | 370 | 4.58 | 0.94 |
| Columbia, SC | $50.58 | $105,200 | $63,030 | $293,340 | 1,950 | 4.94 | 1.02 |
| Sumter, SC | $48.99 | $101,900 | $61,270 | $268,560 | 70 | 1.97 | 0.41 |
| Florence, SC | $46.54 | $96,790 | $54,710 | $227,330 | 190 | 2.16 | 0.45 |
| Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $56.58 | $117,680 | $59,120 | $211,870 | 130 | 1.42 | 0.29 |
| Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $49.42 | $102,790 | $45,840 | $262,040 | 200 | 2.60 | 0.54 |
| Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $48.83 | $101,560 | $47,220 | $212,990 | 110 | 2.06 | 0.42 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | $57.84 | $120,310 | 7,890 | 0.71 |
| Georgia | $64.82 | $134,830 | 23,930 | 1.01 |
| North Carolina | $61.40 | $127,710 | 17,000 | 0.71 |
See the national page for Lawyers (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.