Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses Salary
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses in South Carolina make a median of $61,820 a year, or about $29.72 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $76K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $66,352 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,263/month, about 31.1% 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 $62K get you in South Carolina?
About licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses pay in South Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $62K locally vs. $64K nationwide, a 4% difference. Rent runs $1,263/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. 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. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Carolina
Entry-level licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $76K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses 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 | $64K | +4% | 250 |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $64K | +4% | 1,480 |
| Spartanburg | $63K | +3% | 430 |
| Sumter | $63K | +1% | 160 |
| Columbia | $62K | +0% | 1,600 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $62K | +0% | 1,680 |
| Florence | $60K | -3% | 680 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $59K | -5% | 590 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when South Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 30.7% 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 $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,022/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 42% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse a high-paying job in South Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $62K locally vs. $64K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does South Carolina compare to the national average for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses?
South Carolina pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses make in South Carolina?
The median is $61,820 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,370, and experienced licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses can clear $76,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,115/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 30.7% 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 licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses 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 licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses salary is worth about $66,352 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses 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.