Pharmacy Technicians Salary
The median pay for a pharmacy technicians in South Carolina is $42,120/year ($20.25/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $51K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $45,208 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,263/month, about 44% 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 $42K get you in South Carolina?
About pharmacy technicians
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Pharmacy technicians pay in South Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $42K locally vs. $46K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,263/month, which is 43.5% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Carolina
Entry-level pharmacy technicians (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $51K or more, a $16K spread from bottom to top.
Pharmacy Technicians salary by metro in South Carolina
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston | $46K | +8% | 1,420 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $46K | +8% | 1,270 |
| Spartanburg | $44K | +4% | 630 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal | $40K | -4% | 290 |
| Florence | $39K | -7% | 460 |
| Columbia | $39K | -7% | 1,470 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $39K | -8% | 570 |
| Sumter | $39K | -8% | 130 |
Compare to other states
Track pharmacy technicians 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 pharmacy technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 43.5% 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 pharmacy technicians in South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new pharmacy technicians typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,130/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 59% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is pharmacy technician a high-paying job in South Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $42K locally vs. $46K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does South Carolina compare to the national average for pharmacy technicians?
South Carolina pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — below the national median.
How much do pharmacy technicians make in South Carolina?
The median is $42,120 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,500, and experienced pharmacy technicians can clear $51,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,901/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 43.5% 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 pharmacy technicians 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 pharmacy technicians salary is worth about $45,208 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do pharmacy technicians 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.