Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics Salary
The median pay for a automotive service technicians and mechanics in South Carolina is $48,100/year ($23.12/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $51,626 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,263/month, about 38.5% 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:
So what does $48K get you in South Carolina?
About automotive service technicians and mechanics
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Automotive service technicians and mechanics pay in South Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $48K locally vs. $51K nationwide, a 5% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,263/month, which is 38.6% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Carolina
Entry-level automotive service technicians and mechanics (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $47K spread from bottom to top.
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics salary by metro in South Carolina
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal | $51K | +6% | 560 |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $49K | +2% | 2,510 |
| Spartanburg | $49K | +1% | 970 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $48K | +0% | 2,310 |
| Columbia | $48K | -0% | 2,500 |
| Sumter | $47K | -3% | 190 |
| Florence | $46K | -4% | 600 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $45K | -6% | 1,040 |
Compare to other states
Track automotive service technicians and mechanics salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when South Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a automotive service technicians and mechanic afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 38.6% 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 $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for automotive service technicians and mechanics in South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new automotive service technicians and mechanics typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,872/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 67% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is automotive service technicians and mechanic a high-paying job in South Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $48K locally vs. $51K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does South Carolina compare to the national average for automotive service technicians and mechanics?
South Carolina pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do automotive service technicians and mechanics make in South Carolina?
The median is $48,100 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,200, and experienced automotive service technicians and mechanics can clear $78,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,270/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 38.6% 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 automotive service technicians and mechanics 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 automotive service technicians and mechanics salary is worth about $51,626 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do automotive service technicians and mechanics 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.