Financial Examiners Salary
Financial Examiners in Columbia, SC make a median of $90,260 a year, or about $43.4 an hour. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $171K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.66), which stretches that salary to about $96,370 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,276/month, or 22.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $90K 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 financial examiners
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What this looks like in Columbia
Financial examiners pay in Columbia tracks closely to the national median, $90K locally vs. $94K nationwide, a 4% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,276/month, 22.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. 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 financial examiners in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $78K | $84K |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $159K | $157K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $105K | $108K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $78K | $78K |
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 financial examiners (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $90K. Top earners bring in $171K or more, a $114K spread from bottom to top.
Financial Examiners pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Financial Examiners salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $199K | +111% | 470 |
| New York | $129K | +37% | 13,480 |
| Connecticut | $121K | +28% | N/A |
| Washington | $114K | +21% | 420 |
| Massachusetts | $111K | +18% | 950 |
| New Jersey | $106K | +13% | 2,190 |
| California | $106K | +13% | 4,200 |
| Minnesota | $104K | +11% | 1,280 |
| Virginia | $104K | +11% | 1,280 |
| Maryland | $103K | +9% | 350 |
| North Carolina | $101K | +7% | 2,610 |
| Colorado | $100K | +6% | 1,910 |
| Oregon | $95K | +0% | 820 |
| Rhode Island | $94K | -0% | 320 |
| Illinois | $93K | -1% | 4,050 |
| Delaware | $92K | -2% | 430 |
| Utah | $92K | -2% | 960 |
| Alaska | $91K | -4% | 50 |
| South Dakota | $89K | -6% | 150 |
| Tennessee | $87K | -7% | 500 |
| South Carolina | $86K | -8% | 480 |
| Wisconsin | $86K | -8% | 580 |
| Mississippi | $85K | -9% | 420 |
| Idaho | $85K | -9% | 210 |
| Nevada | $85K | -10% | 180 |
| Louisiana | $84K | -10% | 240 |
| North Dakota | $83K | -12% | 220 |
| Indiana | $81K | -14% | 420 |
| Montana | $81K | -14% | 140 |
| Maine | $81K | -14% | 230 |
| New Hampshire | $81K | -14% | 130 |
| Oklahoma | $81K | -14% | 400 |
| Kansas | $80K | -15% | 470 |
| Iowa | $80K | -15% | 1,020 |
| Arizona | $80K | -15% | 1,910 |
| Missouri | $80K | -15% | 2,290 |
| Pennsylvania | $79K | -17% | 2,590 |
| Texas | $78K | -17% | 5,230 |
| Georgia | $78K | -17% | 1,450 |
| Kentucky | $76K | -19% | 640 |
| Florida | $76K | -19% | 4,190 |
| Vermont | $75K | -21% | 170 |
| Nebraska | $74K | -21% | 840 |
| Michigan | $71K | -25% | 710 |
| Ohio | $69K | -27% | 3,680 |
| New Mexico | $68K | -28% | 220 |
| Hawaii | $63K | -33% | 270 |
| West Virginia | $61K | -36% | 240 |
| Arkansas | $58K | -39% | 540 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track financial examiners salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Columbia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a financial examiner afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?
Yes — at the median salary of $90K, rent takes 22.6% 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 financial examiners in Columbia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new financial examiners typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,475/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 financial examiner a high-paying job in Columbia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $90K locally vs. $94K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Columbia compare to the national average for financial examiners?
Columbia pays $90K median vs. the U.S. average of $94K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $96K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do financial examiners make in Columbia, SC?
The median is $90,260 a year, that works out to about $43 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $57,910, and experienced financial examiners can clear $171,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $90K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,645/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,276/month, which eats 22.6% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a financial examiners 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 financial examiners salary is worth about $96,370 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do financial examiners 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.