Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
Median $21.58 an hour in South Carolina · 30,180 jobs
South Carolina · 2026 take-home pay
$21 an hour after taxes in South Carolina
At $21 an hour in South Carolina you keep about $17.64 of every hour — $706 a week, $3,057 a month or $36,686 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 $21 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $43,680 | $840 | $21.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$3,062 | −$59 | −$1.47 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$2,708 | −$52 | −$1.30 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$633 | −$12 | −$0.30 |
| South Carolina income tax | −$591 | −$11 | −$0.28 |
| Take-home pay | $36,686 | $706 | $17.64 |
Effective tax rate 16% · federal bracket 12% · South Carolina bracket 1.99%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $840.00 | $705.50 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,680.00 | $1,411.01 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,820.00 | $1,528.59 |
| Monthly (12) | $3,640.00 | $3,057.18 |
$21 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 $21 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* | $420 | $374 | $19,459 |
| 30 hours a week | $630 | $541 | $28,149 |
| 40 hours a week | $840 | $706 | $36,686 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $998 | $822 | $42,734 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $1,155 | $938 | $48,772 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $21 an hour good pay in South Carolina?
- Minimum wage: $21 an hour is 2.9 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 44th percentile of hourly pay in South Carolina (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 44 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 $36,686 a year buys about what $39,132 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $1,092 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,529 a month for needs, $917 for wants and $611 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in South Carolina that pay about $21 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in South Carolina is within 4% of $21 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Construction Laborers
Median $20.65 an hour in South Carolina · 19,620 jobs
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
Median $21.00 an hour in South Carolina · 14,210 jobs
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks
Median $20.88 an hour in South Carolina · 14,160 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
How South Carolina compares on $21 an hour
South Carolina ranks 10th of 51 for take-home pay on $21 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 | $17.64 | $36,686 | $7.25 | — |
| Georgia | $17.23 | $35,846 | $7.25 | −$840 a year |
| North Carolina | $17.33 | $36,043 | $7.25 | −$643 a year |
How the federal tax on $43,680 ($21 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $43,680 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $27,580. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $15,180 | $1,822 |
| Total | $27,580 | $3,062 |
How the South Carolina income tax on $43,680 ($21 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $43,680 of South Carolina wages minus $13,996 standard deduction = $29,684.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 1.99% | $29,684 | $591 |
| Total | $29,684 | $591 |
Common questions
How much is $21 an hour after taxes in South Carolina?
About $17.64 for every hour you work, or $36,686 a year at 40 hours a week ($43,680 gross). Taxes take about 16% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $21 an hour a week after taxes in South Carolina?
About $706 a week at 40 hours, from $840 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,411.
How much is $21 an hour a month after taxes in South Carolina?
About $3,057 a month at 40 hours a week, from $3,640 gross.
Is $21 an hour good pay in South Carolina?
$21 an hour is 2.9 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 44th percentile of hourly pay in South Carolina (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 44 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in South Carolina is $22.35. After taxes and local prices, $36,686 a year buys about what $39,132 would at national-average prices.
Is South Carolina a high-tax state for $21 an hour?
It ranks 10th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $21 an hour. The most you'd keep is $37,277 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $34,254 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in South Carolina
- $17 an hour in South Carolina
- $18 an hour in South Carolina
- $19 an hour in South Carolina
- $20 an hour in South Carolina
- $22 an hour in South Carolina
- $23 an hour in South Carolina
- $24 an hour in South Carolina
- $25 an hour in South Carolina
$21 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.