South Carolina prevailing wage rates, by county
Federal Davis-Bacon base + fringe for every South Carolina county, next to the market wage, with the determination numbers to cite.
Look up a South Carolina county
Key trades by county (Building)
Highest electrician packages
- 1Abbeville, Aiken and 5 more$49.20
- 2Berkeley, Calhoun and 10 more$46.79
- 3Georgetown, Hampton and 2 more$46.75
Lowest
- 1Chester, Chesterfield and 5 more$15.00
- 2Charleston$15.86
- 3Horry$18.15
Building type, base + fringe per hour; counties sharing a rate are grouped. Swatch: union contract rate or survey rate. Select a county to see every classification.
| County | Electrician | Plumber | Carpenter | Construction laborer | Heavy equipment operator | Ironworker | Sheet metal worker | Painter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbeville | $49.20 | $19.16* | $15.24* | $10.52* | $17.93* | — | $16.00* | $14.75* |
| Aiken | $49.20 | $17.81* | $18.30* | $9.55* | $19.48* | $53.33* | $57.37* | $12.00* |
| Allendale | $24.03* | $19.16* | $15.42* | $11.17* | $18.22* | $53.33* | $20.30* | $13.50* |
| Anderson | $45.97 | $23.77* | $17.98* | $13.57* | $18.01* | — | — | $12.36* |
| Bamberg | $24.03* | $19.16* | $15.42* | $11.17* | $18.22* | — | $20.30* | $13.50* |
| Barnwell | $24.03* | $19.16* | $15.42* | $11.17* | $18.22* | $53.33* | $20.30* | $13.96* |
| Beaufort | $18.33* | $19.85* | $15.96* | $11.88* | $21.76* | — | $20.30* | $13.50* |
| Berkeley | $46.79 | $24.30* | $17.61* | $12.82* | $23.16* | $47.75 | — | $12.74* |
| Calhoun | $46.79 | $17.81* | $20.23* | $10.33* | $19.48* | — | — | $12.24* |
| Charleston | $15.86* | $24.30* | $17.19* | $12.78* | $23.16* | $47.75 | — | $12.74* |
| Cherokee | $49.20 | $19.16* | $15.24* | $10.52* | $17.93* | — | $16.00* | $14.75* |
| Chester | $15.00* | $19.16* | $15.24* | $10.52* | $17.93* | — | $16.00* | $14.75* |
| Chesterfield | $15.00* | $19.16* | $15.24* | $10.52* | $17.93* | — | $16.00* | $14.75* |
| Clarendon | $15.00* | $19.16* | $15.24* | $10.52* | $17.93* | — | $16.00* | $14.75* |
| Colleton | $46.79 | $19.85* | $16.00* | $11.52* | $18.78* | — | $20.30* | $13.50* |
| Darlington | $46.79 | $17.81* | $18.30* | $12.12* | $19.48* | $47.75 | — | $12.00* |
| Dillon | $15.00* | $19.16* | $15.24* | $10.52* | $17.93* | — | $16.00* | $14.75* |
| Dorchester | $46.79 | $24.30* | $17.61* | $12.82* | $23.16* | $47.75 | — | $12.74* |
| Edgefield | $49.20 | $17.81* | $18.30* | $9.55* | $19.48* | — | — | $12.00* |
| Fairfield | $46.79 | $17.81* | $20.23* | $10.33* | $19.48* | — | — | $12.24* |
| Florence | $46.79 | $17.81* | $18.30* | $12.12* | $19.48* | $47.75 | — | $12.00* |
| Georgetown | $46.75 | $19.85* | $16.00* | $11.41* | $18.78* | — | $20.30* | $13.50* |
| Greenville | $45.97 | $23.77* | $19.04* | $14.18* | $18.70* | — | — | $12.74* |
| Greenwood | $45.97 | $19.16* | $15.24* | $9.64* | $17.93* | — | $16.00* | $14.75* |
| Hampton | $46.75 | $19.85* | $16.00* | $11.41* | $18.78* | — | $20.30* | $13.50* |
| Horry | $18.15* | $24.42* | $20.23* | $11.31* | $17.29* | — | — | $12.36* |
| Jasper | $46.75 | $19.85* | $16.00* | $11.41* | $18.78* | — | $20.30* | $13.50* |
| Kershaw | $46.79 | $17.81* | $20.23* | $11.85* | $19.48* | — | — | $12.24* |
| Lancaster | $45.97 | $19.16* | $15.24* | $10.52* | $17.93* | — | $16.00* | $14.75* |
| Laurens | $45.97 | $23.77* | $18.91* | $14.10* | $18.47* | — | — | $12.74* |
| Lee | $15.00* | $19.16* | $15.24* | $10.52* | $17.93* | — | $16.00* | $14.75* |
| Lexington | $46.79 | $17.81* | $20.23* | $10.33* | $19.48* | — | — | $12.24* |
| Marion | $15.00* | $19.16* | $15.24* | $10.52* | $17.93* | — | $16.00* | $14.75* |
| Marlboro | $15.00* | $19.16* | $15.24* | $10.52* | $17.93* | — | $16.00* | $14.75* |
| McCormick | $49.20 | $19.16* | $15.24* | $10.52* | $17.93* | — | $16.00* | $14.75* |
| Newberry | $24.03* | $19.16* | $15.45* | $11.04* | $18.22* | — | $20.30* | $13.50* |
| Oconee | $49.20 | $19.16* | $15.24* | $10.52* | $17.93* | — | $16.00* | $14.75* |
| Orangeburg | $24.03* | $19.16* | $15.45* | $11.17* | $18.22* | — | $20.30* | $13.50* |
| Pickens | $45.97 | $23.77* | $18.91* | $14.10* | $18.47* | — | — | $12.74* |
| Richland | $46.79 | $17.88* | $20.15* | $10.73* | $19.48* | — | — | $12.24* |
| Saluda | $46.79 | $17.81* | $20.23* | $10.33* | $19.48* | — | — | $12.24* |
| Spartanburg | $45.97 | $23.77* | $15.67* | $11.18* | $18.01* | $47.75 | — | $12.36* |
| Sumter | $46.79 | $17.81* | $18.30* | $10.14* | $19.48* | — | — | $12.00* |
| Union | $49.20 | $19.16* | $15.24* | $10.52* | $17.93* | — | $16.00* | $14.75* |
| Williamsburg | $46.75 | $19.85* | $16.00* | $11.41* | $18.78* | — | $20.30* | $13.50* |
| York | $45.97 | $23.77* | $17.14* | $11.26* | $18.01* | — | $19.11* | $12.36* |
Building construction type, base + fringe per hour, current revision. * = survey rate. Not the official determination; use the lookup for the determination number and a link to the official text.
Rates that have not kept up
Survey-based rates that are eight or more years old and how they compare with today's market median for the county's metro (or state).
| County | Trade | Survey year | Required package $/hr | Market median $/hr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allendale | Electrician | 2011 | $24.03 | $28.24 |
| Bamberg | Electrician | 2011 | $24.03 | $28.24 |
| Barnwell | Electrician | 2011 | $24.03 | $28.24 |
| Abbeville | Plumber | 2011 | $19.16 | $25.93 |
| Aiken | Plumber | 2011 | $17.81 | $26.29 |
| Allendale | Plumber | 2011 | $19.16 | $25.93 |
| Abbeville | Carpenter | 2011 | $15.24 | $24.36 |
| Aiken | Carpenter | 2011 | $18.30 | $28.33 |
| Allendale | Carpenter | 2011 | $15.42 | $24.36 |
| Abbeville | Construction laborer | 2011 | $10.52 | $20.65 |
| Aiken | Construction laborer | 2011 | $9.55 | $18.62 |
| Allendale | Construction laborer | 2011 | $11.17 | $20.65 |
| Abbeville | Heavy equipment operator | 2011 | $17.93 | $23.53 |
| Aiken | Heavy equipment operator | 2011 | $19.48 | $23.17 |
| Allendale | Heavy equipment operator | 2011 | $18.22 | $23.53 |
| Aiken | Ironworker | 2008 | $53.33 | $27.35 |
| Allendale | Ironworker | 2008 | $53.33 | $24.40 |
| Barnwell | Ironworker | 2008 | $53.33 | $24.40 |
| Abbeville | Sheet metal worker | 2011 | $16.00 | $24.00 |
| Aiken | Sheet metal worker | 2008 | $57.37 | $23.54 |
| Allendale | Sheet metal worker | 2011 | $20.30 | $24.00 |
| Abbeville | Painter | 2011 | $14.75 | $19.64 |
| Aiken | Painter | 2011 | $12.00 | $19.75 |
| Allendale | Painter | 2011 | $13.50 | $19.64 |
Questions this page answers
What is the prevailing wage in South Carolina?
For federally funded construction, the Davis-Bacon determinations for South Carolina (66 active documents covering Building, Residential, Heavy and Highway work) set the required base wage and fringe by county and classification. Union-contract rates apply to electricians in 31 of 46 counties with a Building rate; the typical union package is $46.79 an hour.
How many Davis-Bacon determinations cover South Carolina?
66 active general wage determinations cover South Carolina: 30 Building, 14 Heavy, 8 Highway, 16 Residential. Together they list rates for 46 counties in the Building type shown here. State-funded projects may fall under a separate South Carolina prevailing wage law; this page covers the federal rates.
How often do the rates change?
The Department of Labor publishes modifications most Thursdays. The latest change to a South Carolina determination in our data is dated 2026-09-10. New determination numbers are issued each January.
Sources and notes
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations for South Carolina, current revisions as of 2026-09-28: Heavy 14, Building 30, Highway 8, Residential 16.
- BLS OEWS May 2025 for market medians.
- Classification labels normalised to trades by Skilled Wages; where a determination lists several electrician or laborer classes, the journeyman / general class is shown. The official text governs.