Emergency Management Directors Salary
In Columbia, SC, emergency management directors earn $71,110 at the median, or about $34.19 an hour. The range runs from $57K at the entry level to $137K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.66), which stretches that salary to about $75,924 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,276/month, or 27.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $71K get you in Columbia?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbia’s Regional Price Parity (93.66). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About emergency management directors
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Columbia
Pay for emergency management directors in Columbia runs about 24% below the U.S. median of $93K. Rent runs $1,276/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for emergency management directors in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston | $94K | $93K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $104K | $104K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $101K | $104K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $105K | $107K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbia, SC
Entry-level emergency management directors (10th percentile) start around $57K. Mid-career wages sit at $71K. Top earners bring in $137K or more, a $80K spread from bottom to top.
Emergency Management Directors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Emergency Management Directors salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $184K | +98% | 150 |
| New Mexico | $146K | +56% | 170 |
| Washington | $131K | +40% | 180 |
| California | $130K | +39% | 1,170 |
| Colorado | $130K | +39% | N/A |
| Massachusetts | $123K | +32% | 220 |
| New Jersey | $121K | +30% | 490 |
| Connecticut | $113K | +21% | 180 |
| Oregon | $111K | +19% | 120 |
| Maryland | $107K | +15% | 150 |
| Minnesota | $107K | +15% | 190 |
| Nevada | $106K | +13% | 60 |
| Alaska | $102K | +9% | 120 |
| Virginia | $100K | +7% | 450 |
| Idaho | $100K | +7% | 80 |
| Florida | $99K | +6% | 720 |
| Louisiana | $97K | +3% | 180 |
| Ohio | $95K | +1% | 250 |
| North Carolina | $94K | +1% | 420 |
| South Carolina | $94K | +0% | 330 |
| Texas | $94K | +0% | 1,210 |
| New York | $93K | -1% | 790 |
| Nebraska | $90K | -4% | 120 |
| Michigan | $88K | -6% | 220 |
| Rhode Island | $88K | -6% | 30 |
| Utah | $85K | -9% | 170 |
| Maine | $84K | -10% | 80 |
| Illinois | $84K | -10% | 450 |
| Georgia | $83K | -11% | 430 |
| Arizona | $82K | -12% | 160 |
| Tennessee | $82K | -12% | 370 |
| Pennsylvania | $82K | -13% | 520 |
| New Hampshire | $77K | -17% | 50 |
| Wisconsin | $77K | -17% | 240 |
| North Dakota | $77K | -18% | 80 |
| Missouri | $76K | -19% | 310 |
| Kentucky | $75K | -20% | 150 |
| Hawaii | $74K | -20% | 90 |
| Iowa | $74K | -21% | 130 |
| Kansas | $68K | -27% | 140 |
| South Dakota | $67K | -28% | 120 |
| Wyoming | $64K | -31% | 50 |
| Montana | $63K | -33% | 90 |
| Oklahoma | $61K | -35% | 310 |
| West Virginia | $60K | -35% | 120 |
| Arkansas | $50K | -46% | 160 |
| Mississippi | $49K | -48% | 230 |
Showing 1–10 of 47 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track emergency management directors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Columbia numbers change.
Related careers in Management
Frequently asked questions
Can a emergency management director afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?
Yes — at the median salary of $71K, rent takes 27.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,276/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for emergency management directors in Columbia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new emergency management directors typically earn — is $57K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,419/month. At HUD’s $1,276/month FMR, rent would take 37% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is emergency management director a high-paying job in Columbia?
Local pay runs 24% below the national median — $71K here vs. $93K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Columbia compare to the national average for emergency management directors?
Columbia pays $71K median vs. the U.S. average of $93K — that’s -24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $76K — below the national median.
How much do emergency management directors make in Columbia, SC?
The median is $71,110 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,990, and experienced emergency management directors can clear $137,470. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $71K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,624/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,276/month, which eats 27.6% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a emergency management directors salary go in Columbia?
Columbia has a Regional Price Parity of 93.66 (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 emergency management directors salary is worth about $75,924 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do emergency management directors 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.