Chemical Engineers Salary
Chemical Engineers in South Carolina make a median of $101,570 a year, or about $48.83 an hour. The range runs from $77K at the entry level to $146K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $109,016 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,263/month, or 19.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $102K actually covers in South Carolina, month by month
About chemical engineers
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Pay for chemical engineers in South Carolina runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $125K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,263/month, 20.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. 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. Lower pay, lower costs, South Carolina can be a reasonable trade-off for chemical engineers who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Carolina
Entry-level chemical engineers (10th percentile) start around $77K. Mid-career wages sit at $102K. Top earners bring in $146K or more, a $69K spread from bottom to top.
Chemical Engineers salary by metro in South Carolina
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston | $129K | +27% | 50 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $87K | -15% | 60 |
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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 chemical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $102K, rent takes 20.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,263/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemical engineers in South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemical engineers typically earn — is $77K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,945/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is chemical engineer a high-paying job in South Carolina?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $102K here vs. $125K 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 chemical engineers?
South Carolina pays $102K median vs. the U.S. average of $125K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $109K — below the national median.
How much do chemical engineers make in South Carolina?
The median is $101,570 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $77,140, and experienced chemical engineers can clear $146,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $102K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,247/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 20.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a chemical engineers 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 chemical engineers salary is worth about $109,016 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do chemical engineers 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.