Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
Median $18.04 an hour in South Carolina · 56,700 jobs
South Carolina · 2026 take-home pay
$18 an hour after taxes in South Carolina
At $18 an hour in South Carolina you keep about $15.30 of every hour — $612 a week, $2,651 a month or $31,816 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 $18 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $37,440 | $720 | $18.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$2,313 | −$44 | −$1.11 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$2,321 | −$45 | −$1.12 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$543 | −$10 | −$0.26 |
| South Carolina income tax | −$447 | −$9 | −$0.21 |
| Take-home pay | $31,816 | $612 | $15.30 |
Effective tax rate 15% · federal bracket 12% · South Carolina bracket 1.99%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $720.00 | $611.86 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,440.00 | $1,223.71 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,560.00 | $1,325.69 |
| Monthly (12) | $3,120.00 | $2,651.37 |
$18 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 $18 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* | $360 | $326 | $16,952 |
| 30 hours a week | $540 | $471 | $24,474 |
| 40 hours a week | $720 | $612 | $31,816 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $855 | $717 | $37,271 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $990 | $816 | $42,446 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $18 an hour good pay in South Carolina?
- Minimum wage: $18 an hour is 2.5 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 31st percentile of hourly pay in South Carolina (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 31 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 $31,816 a year buys about what $33,938 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $936 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,326 a month for needs, $795 for wants and $530 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in South Carolina that pay about $18 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in South Carolina is within 4% of $18 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Customer Service Representatives
Median $18.69 an hour in South Carolina · 51,000 jobs
Office Clerks, General
Median $17.71 an hour in South Carolina · 42,250 jobs
Stockers and Order Fillers
Median $17.32 an hour in South Carolina · 41,800 jobs
Nursing Assistants
Median $17.90 an hour in South Carolina · 21,760 jobs
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers
Median $18.52 an hour in South Carolina · 20,120 jobs
How South Carolina compares on $18 an hour
South Carolina ranks 10th of 51 for take-home pay on $18 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 | $15.30 | $31,816 | $7.25 | — |
| Georgia | $14.97 | $31,143 | $7.25 | −$673 a year |
| North Carolina | $15.04 | $31,278 | $7.25 | −$538 a year |
How the federal tax on $37,440 ($18 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $37,440 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $21,340. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $8,940 | $1,073 |
| Total | $21,340 | $2,313 |
How the South Carolina income tax on $37,440 ($18 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $37,440 of South Carolina wages minus $15,000 standard deduction = $22,440.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 1.99% | $22,440 | $447 |
| Total | $22,440 | $447 |
Common questions
How much is $18 an hour after taxes in South Carolina?
About $15.30 for every hour you work, or $31,816 a year at 40 hours a week ($37,440 gross). Taxes take about 15% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $18 an hour a week after taxes in South Carolina?
About $612 a week at 40 hours, from $720 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,224.
How much is $18 an hour a month after taxes in South Carolina?
About $2,651 a month at 40 hours a week, from $3,120 gross.
Is $18 an hour good pay in South Carolina?
$18 an hour is 2.5 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 31st percentile of hourly pay in South Carolina (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 31 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in South Carolina is $22.35. After taxes and local prices, $31,816 a year buys about what $33,938 would at national-average prices.
Is South Carolina a high-tax state for $18 an hour?
It ranks 10th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $18 an hour. The most you'd keep is $32,263 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $29,764 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in South Carolina
- $14 an hour in South Carolina
- $15 an hour in South Carolina
- $16 an hour in South Carolina
- $17 an hour in South Carolina
- $19 an hour in South Carolina
- $20 an hour in South Carolina
- $21 an hour in South Carolina
- $22 an hour in South Carolina
$18 an hour in every state · $35,000 a year in South Carolina · $40,000 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.