Waiters and Waitresses Salary in South Carolina
In South Carolina, waiters and waitresses earn a median $18,370 a year, well below the national median of $35,230 (−48%); the state ranks 49th of 51 states by median. That is 60% less than the median across all occupations in South Carolina ($46,490). Every neighbouring state pays more: North Carolina and Georgia range from $18,700 in Georgia to $32,150 in North Carolina. South Carolina employs 47,200 waiters and waitresses, 20.5 per 1,000 jobs, the 16th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.40 means the occupation is more concentrated 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 | $7.25 | $8.17 | $8.83 | $14.38 | $22.51 | $12.45 | 47,200 | 20.48 | 1.40 |
| Annual | $15,080 | $16,980 | $18,370 | $29,910 | $46,820 | $25,900 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $8.70 | $13.34 | $16.94 | $22.65 | $31.12 | $19.26 | 2,270,910 | – | – |
| Annual | $18,100 | $27,750 | $35,230 | $47,110 | $64,720 | $40,060 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 49th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 16th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.40
- Jobs per 1,000
- 20.48
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 waiters and waitresses, 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 | $17.51 | $36,430 | $18,100 | $74,440 | 19,990 | 14.71 | 1.01 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $9.59 | $19,950 | $15,410 | $46,730 | 9,090 | 20.90 | 1.43 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $9.53 | $19,830 | $15,870 | $50,010 | 3,390 | 41.44 | 2.84 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $9.30 | $19,340 | $16,340 | $59,790 | 9,580 | 24.31 | 1.66 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $8.84 | $18,390 | $15,080 | $47,390 | 3,820 | 16.48 | 1.13 |
| Spartanburg, SC | $8.83 | $18,370 | $15,750 | $42,760 | 2,140 | 12.96 | 0.89 |
| Columbia, SC | $8.56 | $17,810 | $15,080 | $43,540 | 6,580 | 16.70 | 1.14 |
| Florence, SC | $8.39 | $17,460 | $15,080 | $42,120 | 1,250 | 14.08 | 0.96 |
| Sumter, SC | $8.39 | $17,440 | $15,080 | $51,030 | 490 | 14.06 | 0.96 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $8.34 | $17,350 | $15,080 | $46,150 | 6,390 | 43.72 | 2.99 |
| Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $8.59 | $17,860 | $15,080 | $33,990 | 860 | 16.40 | 1.12 |
| Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $8.51 | $17,700 | $15,080 | $35,550 | 1,670 | 21.68 | 1.48 |
| Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $8.43 | $17,520 | $15,080 | $39,680 | 1,370 | 14.68 | 1.01 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | $8.83 | $18,370 | 47,200 | 1.40 |
| Georgia | $8.99 | $18,700 | 76,470 | 1.07 |
| North Carolina | $15.46 | $32,150 | 71,940 | 1.00 |
See the national page for Waiters and Waitresses (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.