Chemists Salary
Chemists in South Carolina make a median of $79,670 a year, or about $38.3 an hour. The range runs from $54K at the entry level to $140K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $85,510 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,263/month, or 24.1% 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 $80K actually covers in South Carolina, month by month
About chemists
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Pay for chemists in South Carolina runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $91K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,263/month, 24.9% 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 chemists who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Carolina
Entry-level chemists (10th percentile) start around $54K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $140K or more, a $85K spread from bottom to top.
Chemists salary by metro in South Carolina
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spartanburg | $122K | +54% | 90 |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $90K | +13% | 100 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $81K | +2% | 160 |
| Columbia | $73K | -8% | 190 |
Compare to other states
Track chemists 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 chemist afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 24.9% 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 chemists in South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemists typically earn — is $54K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,659/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 35% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is chemist a high-paying job in South Carolina?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $80K here vs. $91K 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 chemists?
South Carolina pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $91K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $86K — below the national median.
How much do chemists make in South Carolina?
The median is $79,670 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $54,420, and experienced chemists can clear $139,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,080/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 24.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a chemists 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 chemists salary is worth about $85,510 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do chemists 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.