Cartographers and Photogrammetrists Salary
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists in Charleston-North Charleston, SC make a median of $64,290 a year, or about $30.91 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $95K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.96), that's roughly $63,679 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,787/month, about 42.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $64K get you in Charleston-North Charleston?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charleston-North Charleston’s Regional Price Parity (100.96). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About cartographers and photogrammetrists
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What this looks like in Charleston-North Charleston
Pay for cartographers and photogrammetrists in Charleston-North Charleston runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $81K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,787/month, which is 41.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.96) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for cartographers and photogrammetristss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for cartographers and photogrammetrists in metros near Charleston-North Charleston, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $73K | $78K |
| Asheville | $79K | $82K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $77K | $79K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $81K | $83K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charleston-North Charleston, SC
Entry-level cartographers and photogrammetrists (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $95K or more, a $42K spread from bottom to top.
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Cartographers and Photogrammetrists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $103K | +26% | 1,450 |
| Minnesota | $100K | +23% | 100 |
| Washington | $96K | +18% | 870 |
| Nevada | $94K | +15% | 180 |
| Massachusetts | $92K | +13% | 160 |
| New York | $89K | +10% | 230 |
| Alaska | $89K | +10% | 60 |
| New Jersey | $88K | +9% | 170 |
| Oregon | $88K | +8% | 640 |
| Colorado | $87K | +7% | 1,220 |
| Virginia | $87K | +6% | 860 |
| Oklahoma | $86K | +6% | 70 |
| Iowa | $85K | +4% | 90 |
| Maryland | $84K | +4% | 450 |
| Connecticut | $84K | +3% | 150 |
| Arizona | $82K | +1% | 400 |
| Nebraska | $82K | +0% | 50 |
| North Carolina | $81K | -0% | 900 |
| Florida | $80K | -2% | 610 |
| New Mexico | $79K | -3% | 70 |
| Maine | $79K | -3% | 40 |
| Missouri | $77K | -5% | 170 |
| Wisconsin | $77K | -6% | 260 |
| Utah | $75K | -8% | 150 |
| Michigan | $75K | -8% | 250 |
| Indiana | $75K | -8% | 40 |
| Texas | $74K | -9% | 1,780 |
| Pennsylvania | $73K | -10% | 140 |
| Tennessee | $73K | -10% | 150 |
| Idaho | $73K | -10% | 100 |
| South Dakota | $73K | -10% | 140 |
| South Carolina | $72K | -11% | 150 |
| Montana | $72K | -11% | 160 |
| New Hampshire | $72K | -11% | 70 |
| Kentucky | $71K | -12% | 90 |
| North Dakota | $71K | -13% | 80 |
| Ohio | $71K | -13% | 490 |
| Wyoming | $71K | -13% | 100 |
| Georgia | $63K | -23% | 490 |
| Louisiana | $60K | -26% | N/A |
| Illinois | $55K | -33% | 180 |
Showing 1–10 of 41 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track cartographers and photogrammetrists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Charleston-North Charleston numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a cartographers and photogrammetrist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charleston-North Charleston?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 41.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,787/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for cartographers and photogrammetrists in Charleston-North Charleston?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cartographers and photogrammetrists typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,142/month. At HUD’s $1,787/month FMR, rent would take 57% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is cartographers and photogrammetrist a high-paying job in Charleston-North Charleston?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $64K here vs. $81K nationally.
How does Charleston-North Charleston compare to the national average for cartographers and photogrammetrists?
Charleston-North Charleston pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $81K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.96), the purchasing-power equivalent is $64K — below the national median.
How much do cartographers and photogrammetrists make in Charleston-North Charleston, SC?
The median is $64,290 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,360, and experienced cartographers and photogrammetrists can clear $94,690. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Charleston-North Charleston?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,261/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,787/month, which eats 41.9% 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 cartographers and photogrammetrists salary go in Charleston-North Charleston?
Charleston-North Charleston has a Regional Price Parity of 100.96 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median cartographers and photogrammetrists salary is worth about $63,679 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do cartographers and photogrammetrists 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.
