Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in South Carolina is $138,400/year ($66.54/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $107K at the entry level to $228K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $148,546 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,263/month, or 15% 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 $138K get you in South Carolina?
About physicists
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Pay for physicists in South Carolina runs about 20% below the U.S. median of $172K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,263/month, 15.4% 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. Lower pay, lower costs, South Carolina can be a reasonable trade-off for physicistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Carolina
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $107K. Mid-career wages sit at $138K. Top earners bring in $228K or more, a $122K spread from bottom to top.
Physicists salary by metro in South Carolina
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $128K | -7% | 70 |
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 physicist afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $138K, rent takes 15.4% 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 physicists in South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $107K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,391/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 20% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physicist a high-paying job in South Carolina?
Local pay runs 20% below the national median — $138K here vs. $172K 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 physicists?
South Carolina pays $138K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s -20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $149K — below the national median.
How much do physicists make in South Carolina?
The median is $138,400 a year, that works out to about $67 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $106,510, and experienced physicists can clear $228,440. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $138K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,177/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 15.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a physicists 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 physicists salary is worth about $148,546 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do physicists 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.