Civil Engineers Salary
Civil Engineers in South Carolina make a median of $101,600 a year, or about $48.85 an hour. The range runs from $68K at the entry level to $156K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $109,048 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:
So what does $102K get you in South Carolina?
About civil engineers
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Civil engineers pay in South Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $102K locally vs. $101K nationwide, a 1% difference. 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Carolina
Entry-level civil engineers (10th percentile) start around $68K. Mid-career wages sit at $102K. Top earners bring in $156K or more, a $88K spread from bottom to top.
Civil Engineers salary by metro in South Carolina
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $103K | +1% | 1,170 |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $99K | -3% | 1,310 |
| Florence | $95K | -7% | 140 |
| Columbia | $95K | -7% | 1,070 |
| Sumter | $94K | -7% | 40 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $90K | -11% | 120 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal | $83K | -18% | 50 |
| Spartanburg | $79K | -22% | 170 |
Compare to other states
Track civil engineers 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 civil 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 civil engineers in South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new civil engineers typically earn — is $68K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,077/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 31% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is civil engineer a high-paying job in South Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $102K locally vs. $101K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does South Carolina compare to the national average for civil engineers?
South Carolina pays $102K median vs. the U.S. average of $101K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $109K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do civil engineers make in South Carolina?
The median is $101,600 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $67,950, and experienced civil engineers can clear $156,380. 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 $6,249/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 civil 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 civil engineers salary is worth about $109,048 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do civil 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.