Sales Engineers Salary
The median pay for a sales engineers in South Carolina is $114,250/year ($54.93/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $79K at the entry level to $173K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $122,625 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,263/month, or 17.5% 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 $114K get you in South Carolina?
About sales engineers
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Sales engineers pay in South Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $114K locally vs. $125K nationwide, a 9% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,263/month, 18.2% 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 sales engineers (10th percentile) start around $79K. Mid-career wages sit at $114K. Top earners bring in $173K or more, a $94K spread from bottom to top.
Sales Engineers salary by metro in South Carolina
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston | $125K | +9% | 80 |
| Columbia | $109K | -5% | 100 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $103K | -10% | 140 |
| Spartanburg | $97K | -16% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track sales engineers 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 sales engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $114K, rent takes 18.2% 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 sales engineers in South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new sales engineers typically earn — is $79K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,712/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is sales engineer a high-paying job in South Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $114K locally vs. $125K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does South Carolina compare to the national average for sales engineers?
South Carolina pays $114K median vs. the U.S. average of $125K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $123K — below the national median.
How much do sales engineers make in South Carolina?
The median is $114,250 a year, that works out to about $55 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $78,540, and experienced sales engineers can clear $172,850. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $114K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,923/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 18.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a sales engineers 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 sales engineers salary is worth about $122,625 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do sales engineers 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.