Light Truck Drivers Salary
Light Truck Drivers in South Carolina make a median of $37,680 a year, or about $18.12 an hour. The range runs from $24K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $40,442 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,263/month, about 49.1% 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 $38K get you in South Carolina?
About light truck drivers
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Pay for light truck drivers in South Carolina runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $45K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,263/month, which is 48.1% 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 light truck driverss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Carolina
Entry-level light truck drivers (10th percentile) start around $24K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $39K spread from bottom to top.
Light Truck Drivers salary by metro in South Carolina
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $39K | +2% | 2,170 |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $38K | +2% | 2,030 |
| Florence | $38K | +0% | 630 |
| Sumter | $38K | +0% | 150 |
| Columbia | $38K | -0% | 2,100 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal | $37K | -1% | 300 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $36K | -3% | 750 |
| Spartanburg | $32K | -15% | 1,340 |
Compare to other states
Track light truck drivers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when South Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a light truck driver afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 48.1% 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 $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for light truck drivers in South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new light truck drivers typically earn — is $24K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,410/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 90% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is light truck driver a high-paying job in South Carolina?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $38K here vs. $45K 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 light truck drivers?
South Carolina pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $40K — below the national median.
How much do light truck drivers make in South Carolina?
The median is $37,680 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $23,500, and experienced light truck drivers can clear $62,870. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,628/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 48.1% 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 light truck drivers 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 light truck drivers salary is worth about $40,442 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do light truck drivers 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.