Data Scientist Salary
The median pay for a data scientists in South Carolina is $91,990/year ($44.23/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $156K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $98,733 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,263/month, or 21.7% 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 $92K actually covers in South Carolina, month by month
About data scientists
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Pay for data scientists in South Carolina runs about 23% below the U.S. median of $120K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,263/month, 22% 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 data scientists who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Carolina
Entry-level data scientists (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $92K. Top earners bring in $156K or more, a $94K spread from bottom to top.
Data Scientists salary by metro in South Carolina
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spartanburg | $94K | +3% | 170 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal | $94K | +2% | 60 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $92K | -0% | 100 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $91K | -1% | 660 |
| Columbia | $88K | -4% | 590 |
| Florence | $80K | -13% | 110 |
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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 data scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $92K, rent takes 22% 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 data scientists in South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new data scientists typically earn — is $62K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,102/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 data scientist a high-paying job in South Carolina?
Local pay runs 23% below the national median — $92K here vs. $120K 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 data scientists?
South Carolina pays $92K median vs. the U.S. average of $120K — that’s -23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $99K — below the national median.
How much do data scientists make in South Carolina?
The median is $91,990 a year, that works out to about $44 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,600, and experienced data scientists can clear $156,000. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $92K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,737/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 22% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a data scientists 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 data scientists salary is worth about $98,733 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do data scientists 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.