Retail Salespersons
Median $14.75 an hour in South Carolina · 67,310 jobs
South Carolina · 2026 take-home pay
$15 an hour after taxes in South Carolina
At $15 an hour in South Carolina you keep about $12.95 of every hour — $518 a week, $2,244 a month or $26,927 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and South Carolina income tax. South Carolina has a graduated income tax, and its minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.
Where $15 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $31,200 | $600 | $15.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$1,564 | −$30 | −$0.75 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$1,934 | −$37 | −$0.93 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$452 | −$9 | −$0.22 |
| South Carolina income tax | −$322 | −$6 | −$0.15 |
| Take-home pay | $26,927 | $518 | $12.95 |
Effective tax rate 13.7% · federal bracket 12% · South Carolina bracket 1.99%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $600.00 | $517.82 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,200.00 | $1,035.65 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,300.00 | $1,121.95 |
| Monthly (12) | $2,600.00 | $2,243.90 |
$15 an hour at different hours
Take-home in South Carolina for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $15 an hour for hours over 40, as federal law requires for most hourly workers.
| Schedule | Gross a week | Take-home a week | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 hours a week* | $300 | $277 | $14,395 |
| 30 hours a week | $450 | $398 | $20,713 |
| 40 hours a week | $600 | $518 | $26,927 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $713 | $606 | $31,511 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $825 | $694 | $36,079 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $15 an hour good pay in South Carolina?
- Minimum wage: $15 an hour is 2.1 times the federal minimum wage of $7.25, which applies in South Carolina. South Carolina has no state minimum wage law.
- Among South Carolina workers: It's about the 18th percentile of hourly pay in South Carolina (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 18 in 100 workers earn less. The median is $22.35 an hour.
- Local prices: South Carolina's price level is 93.7% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $26,927 a year buys about what $28,722 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $780 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,122 a month for needs, $673 for wants and $449 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in South Carolina that pay about $15 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in South Carolina is within 4% of $15 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Home Health and Personal Care Aides
Median $14.48 an hour in South Carolina · 40,750 jobs
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
Median $14.99 an hour in South Carolina · 30,100 jobs
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
Median $14.55 an hour in South Carolina · 14,500 jobs
Food Preparation Workers
Median $15.47 an hour in South Carolina · 14,460 jobs
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term
Median $14.62 an hour in South Carolina · 7,700 jobs
How South Carolina compares on $15 an hour
South Carolina ranks 10th of 51 for take-home pay on $15 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.
| State | After tax, per hour | A year | Minimum wage | vs South Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | $12.95 | $26,927 | $7.25 | — |
| Georgia | $12.71 | $26,441 | $7.25 | −$486 a year |
| North Carolina | $12.75 | $26,513 | $7.25 | −$414 a year |
How the federal tax on $31,200 ($15 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $31,200 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $15,100. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $2,700 | $324 |
| Total | $15,100 | $1,564 |
How the South Carolina income tax on $31,200 ($15 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $31,200 of South Carolina wages minus $15,000 standard deduction = $16,200.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 1.99% | $16,200 | $322 |
| Total | $16,200 | $322 |
Common questions
How much is $15 an hour after taxes in South Carolina?
About $12.95 for every hour you work, or $26,927 a year at 40 hours a week ($31,200 gross). Taxes take about 13.7% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $15 an hour a week after taxes in South Carolina?
About $518 a week at 40 hours, from $600 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,036.
How much is $15 an hour a month after taxes in South Carolina?
About $2,244 a month at 40 hours a week, from $2,600 gross.
Is $15 an hour good pay in South Carolina?
$15 an hour is 2.1 times the federal minimum wage of $7.25, which applies in South Carolina. South Carolina has no state minimum wage law. It's about the 18th percentile of hourly pay in South Carolina (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 18 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in South Carolina is $22.35. After taxes and local prices, $26,927 a year buys about what $28,722 would at national-average prices.
Is South Carolina a high-tax state for $15 an hour?
It ranks 10th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $15 an hour. The most you'd keep is $27,249 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $25,274 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in South Carolina
- $12 an hour in South Carolina
- $13 an hour in South Carolina
- $14 an hour in South Carolina
- $16 an hour in South Carolina
- $17 an hour in South Carolina
- $18 an hour in South Carolina
- $19 an hour in South Carolina
$15 an hour in every state · $30,000 a year in South Carolina · $35,000 a year in South Carolina · South Carolina paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, South Carolina's income tax rules (methodology). Local income taxes are not included. Minimum wages: U.S. Department of Labor. Wage distribution and jobs: BLS OEWS May 2025. Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities.
- Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods — Internal Revenue Service. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- State Minimum Wage Laws — U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- Regional Price Parities by State — U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Accessed October 14, 2026.