Firefighters Salary
Firefighters in South Carolina make a median of $42,570 a year, or about $20.47 an hour. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $45,691 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,263/month, about 43.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $43K get you in South Carolina?
About firefighters
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in South Carolina
Pay for firefighters in South Carolina runs about 28% below the U.S. median of $59K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,263/month, which is 43.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for firefighterss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Carolina
Entry-level firefighters (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $33K spread from bottom to top.
Firefighters salary by metro in South Carolina
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal | $50K | +18% | 640 |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $47K | +10% | 1,470 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $46K | +8% | 820 |
| Sumter | $44K | +3% | 90 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $40K | -6% | 1,290 |
| Columbia | $37K | -13% | 1,060 |
| Spartanburg | $36K | -15% | 620 |
| Florence | $33K | -23% | 340 |
Compare to other states
Track firefighters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when South Carolina numbers change.
Related careers in Public Safety
Frequently asked questions
Can a firefighter afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 43.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,263/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for firefighters in South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new firefighters typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,748/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 72% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is firefighter a high-paying job in South Carolina?
Local pay runs 28% below the national median — $43K here vs. $59K 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 firefighters?
South Carolina pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $46K — below the national median.
How much do firefighters make in South Carolina?
The median is $42,570 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,130, and experienced firefighters can clear $62,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,929/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 43.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a firefighters 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 firefighters salary is worth about $45,691 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do firefighters 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.