Chief Executives Salary
Chief Executives in South Carolina make a median of $168,840 a year, or about $81.17 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $393K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $181,217 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,263/month, or 12.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $169K get you in South Carolina?
About chief executives
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in South Carolina
Pay for chief executives in South Carolina runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $214K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,263/month, 13% 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 chief executivess who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Carolina
Entry-level chief executives (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $169K. Top earners bring in $393K or more, a $344K spread from bottom to top.
Chief Executives salary by metro in South Carolina
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spartanburg | $198K | +17% | 100 |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $197K | +17% | 290 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $194K | +15% | 100 |
| Columbia | $177K | +5% | 320 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal | $174K | +3% | 60 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $166K | -1% | 300 |
| Florence | $161K | -5% | 60 |
Compare to other states
Track chief executives salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when South Carolina numbers change.
Related careers in Management
Frequently asked questions
Can a chief executif afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $169K, rent takes 13% 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 chief executives in South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chief executives typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,986/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 42% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is chief executif a high-paying job in South Carolina?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $169K here vs. $214K 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 chief executives?
South Carolina pays $169K median vs. the U.S. average of $214K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $181K — below the national median.
How much do chief executives make in South Carolina?
The median is $168,840 a year, that works out to about $81 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,760, and experienced chief executives can clear $393,490. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $169K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,748/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 13% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a chief executives 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 chief executives salary is worth about $181,217 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do chief executives 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.