Skilled Wages

Carpenter salary in South Carolina

Median $24.36 an hour for 6,950 carpenters, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$24.36/hrMedian hourly wageSouth Carolina, May data
$50,670/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$17.31 – $38.0010th to 90th percentilehourly range
6,950Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Carpenter pay in South Carolina: the full range

Wage percentiles, South CarolinaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrSouth Carolina: 10th $17.31 · 25th $20.97 · median $24.36 · 75th $30.10 · 90th $38.00South Carolina$24.36$17.31$38.00United States: 10th $19.43 · 25th $23.32 · median $29.12 · 75th $36.94 · 90th $48.03United States$29.12
Hourly wage percentiles for carpenters: South Carolina vs United States, May 2025.

South Carolina ranks 39th of 51 states for median carpenter pay, and 45th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $26.00). 6,950 carpenters work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$17.31 – $20.97$36,010 – $43,620roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$20.97 – $30.10$43,620 – $62,610the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$30.10 – $38.00$62,610 – $79,040the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Carpenter pay by metro in South Carolina

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrAugusta: $28.33Augusta$28.33Spartanburg: $24.88Spartanburg$24.88Charlotte: $24.50Charlotte$24.50Charleston: $24.22Charleston$24.22Greenville: $24.08Greenville$24.08Florence: $23.68Florence$23.68Hilton Head: $23.59Hilton Head$23.59Columbia: $23.11Columbia$23.11Myrtle Beach: $22.96Myrtle Beach$22.96Sumter: $21.97Sumter$21.97
Median hourly wage for carpenters by metro area in South Carolina, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Augusta$18.15$28.33$35.9983016% above
Spartanburg$17.92$24.88$36.733002% above
Charlotte$18.39$24.50$31.563,7301% above
Charleston$17.67$24.22$37.851,2401% below
Greenville$17.05$24.08$36.591,3401% below
Florence$16.16$23.68$40.761303% below
Hilton Head$16.92$23.59$39.014403% below
Columbia$17.49$23.11$37.448805% below
Myrtle Beach$17.67$22.96$35.805106% below
Sumter$16.59$21.97$33.857010% below

Carpenter wages in South Carolina over time

South Carolina, 1999-2025South CarolinaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$29.12United States$24.36South Carolina
Median hourly wage for carpenters, South Carolina vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearSouth Carolina $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$12.48$24.12$15.3510,250
2000$13.42$25.09$15.6910,480
2001$13.12$23.85$16.099,190
2002$13.62$24.37$16.449,500
2003$13.60$23.80$16.479,810
2004$13.78$23.49$16.7810,750
2005$14.35$23.66$17.1112,530
2006$14.39$22.98$17.5714,380
2007$14.96$23.23$18.1114,200
2008$15.25$22.80$18.7212,300
2009$15.61$23.43$18.988,930
2010$15.86$23.42$19.007,400
2011$16.00$22.90$19.246,750
2012$16.43$23.04$19.207,400
2013$17.12$23.66$19.477,010
2014$17.47$23.76$19.637,300
2015$17.58$23.88$20.247,030
2016$17.92$24.04$20.968,380
2017$18.53$24.34$21.718,740
2018$18.95$24.30$22.409,330
2019$19.86$25.01$23.248,840
2020$21.24$26.42$23.818,840
2021$18.88$22.43$23.209,700
2022$22.14$24.36$24.719,060
2023$22.94$24.24$27.098,510
2024$23.51$24.13$28.517,070
2025$24.36$24.36$29.126,950

In today's dollars, the median carpenter wage in South Carolina changed by +2.0% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for carpenters in South Carolina

On federally funded construction in South Carolina, contractors must pay carpenters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 46 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $16.00). 46 of the 46 counties still use a survey rate dated 2011 or earlier (for example Abbeville County at $15.24). The market median for the state is $24.36.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, SCAbbeville: $15.24 (survey)Aiken: $18.30 (survey)Allendale: $15.42 (survey)Anderson: $17.98 (survey)Bamberg: $15.42 (survey)Barnwell: $15.42 (survey)Beaufort: $15.96 (survey)Berkeley: $17.61 (survey)Calhoun: $20.23 (survey)Charleston: $17.19 (survey)Cherokee: $15.24 (survey)Chester: $15.24 (survey)Chesterfield: $15.24 (survey)Clarendon: $15.24 (survey)Colleton: $16.00 (survey)Darlington: $18.30 (survey)Dillon: $15.24 (survey)Dorchester: $17.61 (survey)Edgefield: $18.30 (survey)Fairfield: $20.23 (survey)Florence: $18.30 (survey)Georgetown: $16.00 (survey)Greenville: $19.04 (survey)Greenwood: $15.24 (survey)Hampton: $16.00 (survey)Horry: $20.23 (survey)Jasper: $16.00 (survey)Kershaw: $20.23 (survey)Lancaster: $15.24 (survey)Laurens: $18.91 (survey)Lee: $15.24 (survey)Lexington: $20.23 (survey)McCormick: $15.24 (survey)Marion: $15.24 (survey)Marlboro: $15.24 (survey)Newberry: $15.45 (survey)Oconee: $15.24 (survey)Orangeburg: $15.45 (survey)Pickens: $18.91 (survey)Richland: $20.15 (survey)Saluda: $20.23 (survey)Spartanburg: $15.67 (survey)Sumter: $18.30 (survey)Union: $15.24 (survey)Williamsburg: $16.00 (survey)York: $17.14 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$15.45$17.19$18.91survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for carpenters by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (survey)$10$15$20$25$30/hrHorry (Myrtle Beach): market median $22.96, prevailing (survey) $20.23, gap −$2.73Horry (Myrtle Beach)−$2.73Calhoun (Columbia): market median $23.11, prevailing (survey) $20.23, gap −$2.88Calhoun (Columbia)−$2.88Sumter (Sumter): market median $21.97, prevailing (survey) $18.30, gap −$3.67Sumter (Sumter)−$3.67Greenville (Greenville): market median $24.08, prevailing (survey) $19.04, gap −$5.04Greenville (Greenville)−$5.04Darlington (Florence): market median $23.68, prevailing (survey) $18.30, gap −$5.38Darlington (Florence)−$5.38Berkeley (Charleston): market median $24.22, prevailing (survey) $17.61, gap −$6.61Berkeley (Charleston)−$6.61York (Charlotte): market median $24.50, prevailing (survey) $17.14, gap −$7.36York (Charlotte)−$7.36Jasper (Hilton Head): market median $23.59, prevailing (survey) $16.00, gap −$7.59Jasper (Hilton Head)−$7.59Spartanburg (Spartanburg): market median $24.88, prevailing (survey) $15.67, gap −$9.21Spartanburg (Spartanburg)−$9.21Aiken (Augusta): market median $28.33, prevailing (survey) $18.30, gap −$10.03Aiken (Augusta)−$10.03
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for carpenters, metro counties in South Carolina.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
CalhounSurvey SUSC2011-029 2011-08-31$15.57$4.66$20.23SC20260033
FairfieldSurvey SUSC2011-029 2011-08-31$15.57$4.66$20.23SC20260033
HorrySurvey SUSC2011-022 2011-08-31$17.21$3.02$20.23SC20260026
KershawSurvey SUSC2011-023 2011-08-31$15.57$4.66$20.23SC20260027
LexingtonSurvey SUSC2011-029 2011-08-31$15.57$4.66$20.23SC20260033
SaludaSurvey SUSC2011-029 2011-08-31$15.57$4.66$20.23SC20260033
RichlandSurvey SUSC2011-024 2011-08-31$16.32$3.83$20.15SC20260028
GreenvilleSurvey SUSC2011-021 2011-08-31$17.21$1.83$19.04SC20260025
LaurensSurvey SUSC2011-031 2011-08-31$17.26$1.65$18.91SC20260006
PickensSurvey SUSC2011-031 2011-08-31$17.26$1.65$18.91SC20260006
AikenSurvey SUSC2011-028 2011-08-31$15.14$3.16$18.30SC20260032
DarlingtonSurvey SUSC2011-030 2011-08-31$15.14$3.16$18.30SC20260005
EdgefieldSurvey SUSC2011-028 2011-08-31$15.14$3.16$18.30SC20260032
FlorenceSurvey SUSC2011-030 2011-08-31$15.14$3.16$18.30SC20260005
SumterSurvey SUSC2011-026 2011-08-31$15.14$3.16$18.30SC20260030

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the South Carolina prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in South Carolina?

129.7kConstruction jobsSouth Carolina, 2026-08
+4.3%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202660k80k100k120k140k19901995200020052010201520202025130kAug 2026
Construction employment in South Carolina (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Carpenter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in South Carolina

Questions this page answers

How much do carpenters make in South Carolina?

The median carpenter in South Carolina earned $24.36 an hour ($50,670 a year) in May 2025, 16% below the national median of $29.12. The middle half earn $20.97–$30.10; the top 10% earn more than $38.00.

Where does South Carolina rank for carpenter pay?

South Carolina ranks 39th of 51 states for carpenter pay, with a median of $24.36 an hour, and 45th after adjusting for South Carolina's cost of living (BEA price parity 93.7, US = 100).

What is the union carpenter rate in South Carolina?

Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a carpenter classification for most South Carolina counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.

How many carpenters work in South Carolina?

BLS counted 6,950 carpenters in South Carolina in May 2025, 3.0 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.70; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, South Carolina and metro areas, SOC 47-2031.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.