BLS OEWS May 2025 · SOC 47-2111
Electrician Salary in South Carolina 2026
Snapshot 6 September 2026
$58,740/yr median · $28.24/hr
State Median
$59k
vs. National
-$4k
Top 10%
$78k
COL-Adjusted
$62k
Electrician Salary Range in South Carolina
The full wage spread for electricians (occupation 47-2111) in South Carolina, from the lowest-paid 10% to the highest-paid 10%. All three figures are reported directly by BLS. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 47-2111. Snapshot taken 6 September 2026.
10th percentile
$44k
$44,330/yr
Lowest-paid 10%
Median (50th)
$59k
$58,740/yr
Typical electrician
90th percentile
$78k
$77,800/yr
Highest-paid 10%
An electrician in the bottom 10% of South Carolina earners makes about $44,330/yr, while the top 10% earn $77,800/yr or more, a range of $33,470. The 10th percentile is a published BLS wage observation (it typically reflects apprentices and newly-licensed journeymen). OEWS publishes no separate entry-level figure, so none is shown.
Where South Carolina Ranks
South Carolina ranks #43 of 50 states for electrician median wages. The national median is $63,190 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 47-2111). South Carolina pays $4,450 below the national average.
South Carolina's cost-of-living index is 94 (MERIC 2026, where 100 = US average). After adjustment, the purchasing power of an electrician's salary here is equivalent to $62,489/yr in national-average dollar terms. This is a MERIC 2026 figure, not a BLS one. The below-average cost of living means electricians here retain more purchasing power than the nominal wage suggests.
Pay by Metro Area
Median annual wage for the major metropolitan areas in South Carolina. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan wage estimates, occupation 47-2111. Metros are ordered highest to lowest.
| Metro Area | Median Annual | vs. State Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Spartanburg | $62,050 | +3.3k |
| Columbia | $60,390 | +1.6k |
| Greenville-Anderson | $60,210 | +1.5k |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $59,010 | +0.3k |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway | $51,200 | -7.5k |
Pay by Experience Level
Editorial estimates built from state apprenticeship wage schedules and IBEW/IEC agreement rates. Not BLS: OEWS reports all electricians together under 47-2111 and publishes no apprentice, journeyman or master split.
| Level | Hourly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Apprentice (Year 1) | $13 - $17/hr | $27,000 - $35,000 |
| Apprentice (Year 4) | $19 - $24/hr | $39,000 - $50,000 |
| Journeyman (Employee) | $24 - $34/hr | $50,000 - $71,000 |
| Master Electrician (Employee) | $30 - $43/hr | $62,000 - $89,000 |
| Self-Employed Contractor | $65 - $130/hr billed | $60,000 - $170,000 net |
South Carolina Licensing Requirements
See full 50-state licensing matrix at electriciansalary.com/licensing
Union Presence in South Carolina
IBEW Locals: IBEW Local 776 (Charleston / North Charleston, inside-construction jurisdiction covering most of South Carolina), Local 379 (Charlotte-based, Upstate: Greenville and Spartanburg, with a Williamston SC office), Local 772 (Columbia, utility / V.C. Summer nuclear)
Union membership (all workers): In 2025, 2.7% of all wage and salary workers in South Carolina were union members and 4.1% were covered by a union contract (BLS, all occupations, not electricians alone).
Union pay gap: Nationally in 2025, full-time union members in construction and extraction occupations had median weekly earnings of $1,561, against $1,004 for non-union workers, about 55% higher before benefits (BLS). BLS does not publish this split for electricians alone or by state.
Source: BLS, Union Members 2025 (Current Population Survey annual averages), Tables 4 and 5. BLS publishes no electrician-only union rate by state.
Full IBEW wage scale breakdown and union vs non-union analysis
Job Outlook in South Carolina
South Carolina has one of the strongest industrial electrical demand profiles in the Southeast. BMW Manufacturing in Spartanburg (the largest BMW plant in the world) is investing billions in electric-vehicle and high-voltage battery production. Boeing South Carolina assembles the 787 Dreamliner in North Charleston. Scout Motors is building a roughly $2 billion electric-vehicle plant in Blythewood near Columbia, and Volvo Cars (Ridgeville) and Redwood Materials (Berkeley County) add further EV and battery electrical work. Port of Charleston expansion and utility grid modernization sustain long-term demand.
Major Employers in South Carolina
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do electricians make in South Carolina?
What is the salary range for electricians in South Carolina?
How does South Carolina rank for electrician pay?
Do I need a license to work as an electrician in South Carolina?
Are union electricians better paid in South Carolina?
What is the job outlook for electricians in South Carolina?
Related Pages
State 10th-percentile, median and 90th-percentile wage figures: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 47-2111. Snapshot taken 6 September 2026. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Metro figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan wage estimates, occupation 47-2111. Cost-of-living index: MERIC cost of living index, 2026 (100 = US average), a separate non-BLS source. Pay-by-level ladder: Editorial estimates built from state apprenticeship wage schedules and IBEW/IEC agreement rates. Not BLS: OEWS reports all electricians together under 47-2111 and publishes no apprentice, journeyman or master split. IBEW local agreements 2025-2026.