How much do glaziers make in South Carolina in 2026?

Glaziers in South Carolina earn a median wage of $50,650 per year, which works out to about $24.35 an hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That figure sits in the middle of the pack — half of glaziers in the state earn more, half earn less. The spread is meaningful: the bottom quarter tops out at $44,720 ($21.50/hr), while the top quarter starts at $57,870 ($27.82/hr). That $13,150 gap between the 25th and 75th percentile tells you experience, specialization, and employer type move the needle significantly in this trade.

South Carolina's glazier market tracks closely with the state's construction growth. The Upstate corridor around Greenville and Spartanburg has seen consistent commercial and industrial build-out, while the Charleston metro drives demand for both new commercial glazing and high-end residential work. Columbia, as the state capital, supports a steady flow of institutional projects — government buildings, schools, and hospitals — where glazing scopes tend to be larger and more technically complex. Glaziers working on those larger commercial jobs in these metros typically land closer to or above the 75th percentile, while those doing residential service and replacement work in smaller markets often fall near the median or below.

Entry-level glaziers, or those less than two years in, will generally start around or under the 25th percentile figure of $44,720. Glaziers who have completed a formal apprenticeship — typically a three- to four-year program combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction — move up faster. An apprentice who earns journeyman status and then picks up skills in specialty areas like structural glazing, curtain wall systems, or blast-resistant glass can realistically reach the $57,870 range within five to seven years.

South Carolina does not have a statewide glazier licensing requirement, though some municipalities and employers require proof of training or apprenticeship completion. There is no union scale available for this trade in South Carolina, which means wages are set entirely by individual employers and market demand. In non-union shops, your ability to negotiate directly matters. Glaziers who can document specific system experience — frameless storefronts, point-fixed assemblies, or fire-rated glazing — have real leverage when asking for a raise or moving to a new shop.

Overtime is a meaningful income lever in this trade. Glaziers working on deadline-driven commercial projects regularly log 48 to 55 hours a week during busy stretches. At the median rate of $24.35 an hour, overtime hours (paid at 1.5x) come out to roughly $36.53 per overtime hour. A glazier averaging just five overtime hours a week for 30 weeks adds over $5,400 to their annual gross — enough to shift someone from the median into the upper quarter on paper.

Tool allowances, vehicle stipends, and per diem for travel jobs are common in South Carolina's glazing sector, especially for crews traveling to large commercial sites outside their home market. These benefits don't show up in BLS wage data, so the numbers on this page represent base wages only. Your total compensation package can run noticeably higher once those extras are factored in.

All figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. BLS collects data from employer payroll records, so it captures what glaziers are actually paid on the books — it does not include cash work, unreported income, or non-wage benefits.