Pharmacists Salary
The median pay for a pharmacists in South Carolina is $135,700/year ($65.24/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $82K at the entry level to $170K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $145,648 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,263/month, or 15.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $136K get you in South Carolina?
About pharmacists
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Pharmacists pay in South Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $136K locally vs. $141K nationwide, a 4% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,263/month, 15.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Carolina
Entry-level pharmacists (10th percentile) start around $82K. Mid-career wages sit at $136K. Top earners bring in $170K or more, a $88K spread from bottom to top.
Pharmacists salary by metro in South Carolina
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florence | $155K | +14% | 320 |
| Spartanburg | $154K | +13% | 480 |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $146K | +8% | 920 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal | $137K | +1% | 180 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $136K | -0% | 900 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $135K | -0% | 320 |
| Columbia | $134K | -1% | 1,050 |
| Sumter | $130K | -4% | 80 |
Compare to other states
Track pharmacists 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 pharmacist afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $136K, rent takes 15.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,263/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for pharmacists in South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new pharmacists typically earn — is $82K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,946/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is pharmacist a high-paying job in South Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $136K locally vs. $141K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does South Carolina compare to the national average for pharmacists?
South Carolina pays $136K median vs. the U.S. average of $141K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $146K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do pharmacists make in South Carolina?
The median is $135,700 a year, that works out to about $65 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $82,430, and experienced pharmacists can clear $170,270. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $136K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,037/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 15.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a pharmacists 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 pharmacists salary is worth about $145,648 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do pharmacists 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.