Construction Laborers
Median $20.65 an hour in South Carolina · 19,620 jobs
South Carolina · 2026 take-home pay
$20 an hour after taxes in South Carolina
At $20 an hour in South Carolina you keep about $16.86 of every hour — $674 a week, $2,922 a month or $35,068 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 $20 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $41,600 | $800 | $20.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$2,812 | −$54 | −$1.35 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$2,579 | −$50 | −$1.24 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$603 | −$12 | −$0.29 |
| South Carolina income tax | −$538 | −$10 | −$0.26 |
| Take-home pay | $35,068 | $674 | $16.86 |
Effective tax rate 15.7% · federal bracket 12% · South Carolina bracket 1.99%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $800.00 | $674.38 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,600.00 | $1,348.75 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,733.33 | $1,461.15 |
| Monthly (12) | $3,466.67 | $2,922.30 |
$20 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 $20 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* | $400 | $358 | $18,623 |
| 30 hours a week | $600 | $518 | $26,927 |
| 40 hours a week | $800 | $674 | $35,068 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $950 | $787 | $40,913 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $1,100 | $897 | $46,663 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $20 an hour good pay in South Carolina?
- Minimum wage: $20 an hour is 2.8 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 40th percentile of hourly pay in South Carolina (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 40 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 $35,068 a year buys about what $37,406 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $1,040 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,461 a month for needs, $877 for wants and $584 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in South Carolina that pay about $20 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in South Carolina is within 4% of $20 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Median $19.31 an hour in South Carolina · 15,630 jobs
Medical Assistants
Median $19.79 an hour in South Carolina · 12,110 jobs
Pharmacy Technicians
Median $20.25 an hour in South Carolina · 8,070 jobs
Firefighters
Median $20.47 an hour in South Carolina · 7,780 jobs
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders
Median $19.24 an hour in South Carolina · 4,890 jobs
How South Carolina compares on $20 an hour
South Carolina ranks 10th of 51 for take-home pay on $20 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 | $16.86 | $35,068 | $7.25 | — |
| Georgia | $16.48 | $34,278 | $7.25 | −$790 a year |
| North Carolina | $16.56 | $34,454 | $7.25 | −$614 a year |
How the federal tax on $41,600 ($20 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $41,600 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $25,500. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $13,100 | $1,572 |
| Total | $25,500 | $2,812 |
How the South Carolina income tax on $41,600 ($20 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $41,600 of South Carolina wages minus $14,564 standard deduction = $27,036.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 1.99% | $27,036 | $538 |
| Total | $27,036 | $538 |
Common questions
How much is $20 an hour after taxes in South Carolina?
About $16.86 for every hour you work, or $35,068 a year at 40 hours a week ($41,600 gross). Taxes take about 15.7% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $20 an hour a week after taxes in South Carolina?
About $674 a week at 40 hours, from $800 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,349.
How much is $20 an hour a month after taxes in South Carolina?
About $2,922 a month at 40 hours a week, from $3,467 gross.
Is $20 an hour good pay in South Carolina?
$20 an hour is 2.8 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 40th percentile of hourly pay in South Carolina (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 40 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in South Carolina is $22.35. After taxes and local prices, $35,068 a year buys about what $37,406 would at national-average prices.
Is South Carolina a high-tax state for $20 an hour?
It ranks 10th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $20 an hour. The most you'd keep is $35,606 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $32,757 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates 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
- $21 an hour in South Carolina
- $22 an hour in South Carolina
- $23 an hour in South Carolina
- $24 an hour in South Carolina
$20 an hour in every state · $40,000 a year in South Carolina · $45,000 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.