Physician Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physician assistants in South Carolina is $122,490/year ($58.89/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $78K at the entry level to $159K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $131,469 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,263/month, or 17% 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 $122K get you in South Carolina?
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Physician assistants pay in South Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $122K locally vs. $136K nationwide, a 10% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,263/month, 17.2% 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 physician assistants (10th percentile) start around $78K. Mid-career wages sit at $122K. Top earners bring in $159K or more, a $81K spread from bottom to top.
Physician Assistants salary by metro in South Carolina
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston | $129K | +5% | 620 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $126K | +3% | 140 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal | $125K | +2% | 80 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $123K | +1% | 440 |
| Spartanburg | $122K | -0% | 80 |
| Florence | $120K | -2% | 90 |
| Columbia | $116K | -5% | 400 |
Compare to other states
Track physician assistants 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 physician assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $122K, rent takes 17.2% 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 physician assistants in South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physician assistants typically earn — is $78K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,657/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physician assistant a high-paying job in South Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $122K locally vs. $136K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does South Carolina compare to the national average for physician assistants?
South Carolina pays $122K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $131K — below the national median.
How much do physician assistants make in South Carolina?
The median is $122,490 a year, that works out to about $59 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $77,620, and experienced physician assistants can clear $158,860. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $122K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,355/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 17.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a physician assistants 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 physician assistants salary is worth about $131,469 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do physician assistants 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.