What do skilled trades pay in South Carolina in 2026?
Median pay for 28 skilled trades in South Carolina (BLS OEWS May 2025).
In 2026, the highest-paying skilled trades in South Carolina are Elevator Installer (~$90,860) and Power-Line Worker (~$76,870), across 28 trades tracked (BLS OEWS May 2025). Last updated June 2026.
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Which trade is best in South Carolina?
Different trades win on different measures — here's the top on each. Pick the one that matters to you.
Highest median pay
Elevator Installer
$90,860
Most jobs
Construction Laborer
19,620 jobs
Across 28 trades: $40,840–$90,860 (median $50,210).
South Carolina tracks 28 skilled trades on TradesPays, all drawn from BLS OEWS May 2025 statewide median wages. At the top of the range, Elevator Installers pull $90,860 a year; at the bottom, Painters come in at $40,840. The midpoint trade earns around $50,210, with most trades falling between $48,145 and $57,143. These are statewide figures — TradesPays does not hold South Carolina metro-level breakdowns or apprentice-versus-journeyman splits beyond union scale data. If you work one of these trades in South Carolina, these numbers are your negotiating floor: what the market is actually paying, nothing inflated.
Trades ranked by pay in South Carolina
| # | Trade | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elevator Installer | $90,860 |
| 2 | Power-Line Worker | $76,870 |
| 3 | Boilermaker | $74,840 |
| 4 | Industrial Machinery Mechanic | $62,330 |
| 5 | Millwright | $61,700 |
| 6 | Telecom Line Installer | $59,790 |
| 7 | Electrician | $58,740 |
| 8 | HVAC Technician | $56,610 |
| 9 | Plumber | $53,940 |
| 10 | Ironworker | $50,750 |
See all 28
| 11 | Carpenter | $50,670 |
| 12 | Glazier | $50,650 |
| 13 | Solar Installer | $50,490 |
| 14 | Insulation Worker | $50,440 |
| 15 | Welder | $49,980 |
| 16 | Sheet Metal Worker | $49,920 |
| 17 | Floor Layer | $49,860 |
| 18 | Cement Mason | $49,360 |
| 19 | Hazardous Materials Removal Worker | $49,170 |
| 20 | Brickmason | $49,010 |
| 21 | Construction Equipment Operator | $48,940 |
| 22 | Roofer | $45,760 |
| 23 | Drywall Installer | $45,340 |
| 24 | Pipelayer | $45,180 |
| 25 | Tile & Stone Setter | $43,510 |
| 26 | Construction Laborer | $42,940 |
| 27 | Rebar Worker | $41,020 |
| 28 | Painter | $40,840 |
Where is the union premium biggest in South Carolina?
Named locals and the premium over the BLS all-worker median.
We don't have union scale data for South Carolina across our trades yet — these trades are predominantly non-union, or we haven't added IBEW/UA data. Submitting your pay helps build complete data for South Carolina.
How South Carolina trade pay is spread
Across the 28 trades tracked in South Carolina, the pay range runs from $40,840 to $90,860 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025, statewide median wages). The 25th-to-75th band — $48,145 to $57,143 — is where most trades land, with a midpoint of $50,210. Elevator Installer sits at the top at $90,860; Painter anchors the bottom at $40,840. Every figure here is a nominal BLS dollar — the number BLS reports, before any cost-of-living adjustment. TradesPays does not apply cost-of-living indices to state wage data, so don't read a higher South Carolina figure as automatically "better" than a lower number elsewhere until you account for what it costs to live where you work.
Where the jobs are in South Carolina
By headcount, Construction Laborer is the most-employed trade TradesPays tracks in South Carolina, with about 19,620 workers reported (BLS OEWS May 2025 total employment). Employment and pay are separate signals: the trade that employs the most people is rarely the top-paying one. TradesPays surfaces them separately on purpose — we don't blend headcount and wage into a single "best trade" score, because they answer different questions. If you want the highest wage, look at Elevator Installer; if you want the widest hiring market, Construction Laborer is where the volume is.
Trades in South Carolina: FAQ
- What is the highest-paying skilled trade in South Carolina?
- Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data, Elevator Installer is the top-paying trade tracked in South Carolina, at a statewide median of $90,860.
- What is the lowest-paying trade in South Carolina's dataset?
- Painter sits at the bottom of the 28 trades tracked in South Carolina, with a statewide median of $40,840 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
- What does the typical skilled trade pay in South Carolina?
- Across the 28 trades TradesPays tracks in South Carolina, the midpoint trade earns about $50,210 (the median of the per-trade statewide medians), with most trades falling between $48,145 and $57,143 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
- How many skilled trades does TradesPays track in South Carolina?
- TradesPays tracks 28 skilled trades at the state level in South Carolina. All figures are statewide medians from BLS OEWS May 2025.
- Which trade employs the most workers in South Carolina?
- Construction Laborer is the most-employed trade TradesPays tracks in South Carolina, with about 19,620 workers reported (BLS OEWS May 2025 total employment). The trade that hires the most isn't the highest-paying — that's Elevator Installer at $90,860.
- Are South Carolina's trade wages adjusted for cost of living?
- No. Every wage figure on TradesPays is a nominal BLS dollar — the number reported in BLS OEWS May 2025 before any cost-of-living adjustment. TradesPays does not apply cost-of-living indices to state figures, so what these dollars buy depends on where in South Carolina you live and work.
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