Electrical Engineers Salary
In South Carolina, electrical engineers earn $98,440 at the median, or about $47.33 an hour. The range runs from $69K at the entry level to $156K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $105,656 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,263/month, or 20.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $98K actually covers in South Carolina, month by month
About electrical engineers
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Pay for electrical engineers in South Carolina runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $121K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,263/month, 20.8% 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 electrical engineers who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Carolina
Entry-level electrical engineers (10th percentile) start around $69K. Mid-career wages sit at $98K. Top earners bring in $156K or more, a $87K spread from bottom to top.
Electrical Engineers salary by metro in South Carolina
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston | $110K | +12% | 590 |
| Spartanburg | $103K | +5% | 130 |
| Florence | $102K | +4% | 50 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $102K | +3% | 690 |
| Columbia | $101K | +3% | 510 |
| Sumter | $94K | -4% | 60 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal | $75K | -24% | 50 |
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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 electrical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $98K, rent takes 20.8% 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 electrical engineers in South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new electrical engineers typically earn — is $69K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,526/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is electrical engineer a high-paying job in South Carolina?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $98K here vs. $121K 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 electrical engineers?
South Carolina pays $98K median vs. the U.S. average of $121K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $106K — below the national median.
How much do electrical engineers make in South Carolina?
The median is $98,440 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $69,260, and experienced electrical engineers can clear $156,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $98K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,081/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 20.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a electrical 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 electrical engineers salary is worth about $105,656 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do electrical 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.