Athletes and Sports Competitors Salary
The median pay for a athletes and sports competitors in South Carolina is $45,720/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $19K at the entry level to $71K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $49,072 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,263/month, about 40.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $46K actually covers in South Carolina, month by month
About athletes and sports competitors
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Pay for athletes and sports competitors in South Carolina runs about 31% below the U.S. median of $67K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,263/month, which is 40.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.17 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for athletes and sports competitors.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Carolina
Entry-level athletes and sports competitors (10th percentile) start around $19K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $71K or more, a $52K spread from bottom to top.
Athletes and Sports Competitors salary by metro in South Carolina
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $46K | -0% | 60 |
Compare to other states
Track athletes and sports competitors salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when South Carolina numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a athletes and sports competitor afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 40.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,263/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for athletes and sports competitors in South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new athletes and sports competitors typically earn — is $19K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,423/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 89% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is athletes and sports competitor a high-paying job in South Carolina?
Local pay runs 31% below the national median — $46K here vs. $67K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does South Carolina compare to the national average for athletes and sports competitors?
South Carolina pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s -31%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do athletes and sports competitors make in South Carolina?
The median is $45,720 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $18,950, and experienced athletes and sports competitors can clear $70,910. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,123/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 40.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a athletes and sports competitors salary go in South Carolina?
South Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 93.17 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median athletes and sports competitors salary is worth about $49,072 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do athletes and sports competitors get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.