Registered Nurses Salary in South Carolina
In South Carolina, registered nurses earn a median $82,360 a year, well below the national median of $97,550 (−16%); the state ranks 39th of 51 states by median. Registered Nurses earn 77% more than the median across all occupations in South Carolina ($46,490). Every neighbouring state pays more: Georgia and North Carolina range from $84,350 in North Carolina to $93,550 in Georgia. South Carolina employs 49,750 registered nurses, 21.6 per 1,000 jobs, the 25th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.99 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 | $32.14 | $37.17 | $39.60 | $46.75 | $51.21 | $42.15 | 49,750 | 21.58 | 0.99 |
| Annual | $66,860 | $77,320 | $82,360 | $97,230 | $106,520 | $87,670 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $33.14 | $38.62 | $46.90 | $54.02 | $66.09 | $48.76 | 3,379,720 | – | – |
| Annual | $68,940 | $80,330 | $97,550 | $112,350 | $137,470 | $101,420 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 39th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 25th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.99
- Jobs per 1,000
- 21.58
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 registered nurses, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $44.62 | $92,800 | $71,120 | $117,900 | 9,760 | 24.77 | 1.14 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $43.57 | $90,620 | $69,680 | $110,020 | 27,010 | 19.89 | 0.91 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $42.19 | $87,760 | $69,760 | $116,640 | 6,880 | 29.65 | 1.36 |
| Sumter, SC | $41.47 | $86,260 | $66,830 | $104,660 | 670 | 19.33 | 0.89 |
| Spartanburg, SC | $39.60 | $82,360 | $70,180 | $101,420 | 4,440 | 26.87 | 1.24 |
| Columbia, SC | $39.39 | $81,920 | $68,460 | $108,210 | 9,400 | 23.84 | 1.10 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $39.14 | $81,400 | $68,530 | $100,630 | 9,730 | 22.37 | 1.03 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $39.14 | $81,400 | $64,180 | $97,590 | 1,410 | 17.22 | 0.79 |
| Florence, SC | $39.02 | $81,170 | $65,710 | $174,900 | 3,120 | 34.98 | 1.61 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $38.77 | $80,640 | $66,250 | $100,380 | 3,150 | 21.57 | 0.99 |
| Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $39.72 | $82,620 | $65,740 | $98,210 | 1,810 | 19.29 | 0.89 |
| Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $39.33 | $81,800 | $67,110 | $104,170 | 1,100 | 21.09 | 0.97 |
| Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $38.22 | $79,500 | $57,760 | $100,900 | 1,060 | 13.83 | 0.64 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | $39.60 | $82,360 | 49,750 | 0.99 |
| Georgia | $44.98 | $93,550 | 100,950 | 0.95 |
| North Carolina | $40.56 | $84,350 | 111,120 | 1.03 |
See the national page for Registered Nurses (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.