Registered Nurses Salary
Registered Nurses in South Carolina make a median of $82,360 a year, or about $39.6 an hour. The range runs from $67K at the entry level to $107K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $88,398 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,263/month, or 24.3% 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 $82K get you in South Carolina?
About registered nurses
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Pay for registered nurses in South Carolina runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $98K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,263/month, 24.2% 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. Lower pay, lower costs, South Carolina can be a reasonable trade-off for registered nursess who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Carolina
Entry-level registered nurses (10th percentile) start around $67K. Mid-career wages sit at $82K. Top earners bring in $107K or more, a $40K spread from bottom to top.
Registered Nurses 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 | $93K | +13% | 9,760 |
| Sumter | $86K | +5% | 670 |
| Spartanburg | $82K | +0% | 4,440 |
| Columbia | $82K | -1% | 9,400 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $81K | -1% | 9,730 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal | $81K | -1% | 1,410 |
| Florence | $81K | -1% | 3,120 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $81K | -2% | 3,150 |
Compare to other states
Track registered nurses 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 registered nurse afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $82K, rent takes 24.2% 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 registered nurses in South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new registered nurses typically earn — is $67K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,012/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 31% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is registered nurse a high-paying job in South Carolina?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $82K here vs. $98K 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 registered nurses?
South Carolina pays $82K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $88K — below the national median.
How much do registered nurses make in South Carolina?
The median is $82,360 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $66,860, and experienced registered nurses can clear $106,520. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $82K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,224/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 24.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a registered nurses 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 registered nurses salary is worth about $88,398 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do registered nurses 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.