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m (Text replacement - "*[https://www.ncsl.org/about-state-legislatures/2024-legislator-compensation 2024 salary table from the National Conference of State Legislatures]" to "*[https://www.ncsl.org/about-state-legislatures/2025-legislator-compensation 2025 salary table from the National Conference of State Legislatures]")
 
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{{State salary infobox
 
|State=South Carolina
{{Show Me}}
|Budget=$40.2 billion<ref>[https://higherlogicdownload.s3.amazonaws.com/NASBO/9d2d2db1-c943-4f1b-b750-0fca152d64c2/UploadedImages/SER%20Archive/2024_SER/2024_State_Expenditure_Report_S.pdf ''National Association of State Budget Officers'', "2024 State Expenditure Report," accessed December 18, 2024]</ref> (2024 estimate)
 
}}
This page describes the compensation, salaries and benefits that South Carolina's public employees receive from state and local government.
This page describes the compensation for state government officeholders in South Carolina.
 
Information about South Carolina employees who earn less than $50,000 per year is limited, by statute, to figures that are rounded.
 
==Legislator salaries==
==Legislator salaries==
::''See also: [[Comparison of state legislative salaries]]''  
::''See also: [[Comparison of state legislative salaries]]''  
As of 2015, South Carolina state legislators earn $10,400 per year. Legislators received a per diem up to $140 per day for meals and housing for each statewide session day and committee meeting.<Ref name=legislator>[http://www.ncsl.org/research/about-state-legislatures/2015-state-legislator-compensation.aspx ''NCSL'', "2015 State Legislator Compensation," accessed July 7, 2015]</ref>
{{State legislative salaries|State=South Carolina}}


==State executive salaries==
==State executive salaries==
::''See also: [[Compensation of state executive officers]]''
::''See also: [[Compensation of state executive officers]]''
{| class=wikitable
<APIWidget where="offices.level = 'State' AND offices.branch ='Executive' AND districts.state = 'SC' AND officeholders.is_current = 1 AND offices.id NOT IN ('33509') AND districts.covered=true" template="StateElectedOfficialOfficeholdersSalaries" />
|+ '''State executive salaries'''<Ref>[http://knowledgecenter.csg.org/drupal/system/files/Table_4.11.pdf The Council of States Governments The Book of States 2010 Table 4.11]</ref>
!Office!!'10 salary!!Current official
|-
|Governor
|$106,078
|[[Nikki Haley|Nikki Haley]]
|-
|Lieutenant Governor
|$46,545
|[[Glenn McConnell|Glenn McConnell]]
|-
|Secretary of State
|$92,007
|[[Mark Hammond|Mark Hammond]]
|-
|Attorney General
|$92,007
|[[Alan Wilson|Alan Wilson]]
|-
|Treasurer
|$92,007
|[[Curtis Loftis, Jr.|Curtis Loftis, Jr.]]
|-
|}


As of 2008, the salary of South Carolina's governor ranked 38th among U.S. governors' salaries. The average salary earned by U.S. governors was $128,735. The median salary earned by U.S. governors was $129,962.<ref>[http://www.csg.org/pubs/TheBookoftheStates.aspx ‘‘The Council of State Governments,’’ “The Book of the States: 2008”]</ref>
==Judicial salaries==
::''See also: [[South Carolina court salaries and budgets]]''


==Judicial salaries==
{| class="wikitable" style="align: center; border: 0px; background: white; text-align: center; box-shadow: 0px 2px 5px #A0A0A0; width: 70%;"
::''See also: [[judgepedia|State court budgets and judicial salaries]]''
{| class=wikitable
|+ '''South Carolina judicial salaries'''<ref name=courts>[http://contentdm.ncsconline.org/cgi-bin/showfile.exe?CISOROOT=/judicial&CISOPTR=314 ''The National Center for State Courts,'' "Judicial Salary Resource Center" as of Jan. 1, 2010]</ref>
!Position!!'10 salary!!Current justice
|-
|Chief Justice
|$144,029 
|[[Jean Hoefer Toal|Jean Hoefer Toal]] 
|-
|Associate Justice
|$137,171 
|[[Kaye Hearn|Kaye Hearn]]
|-
|Associate Justice
|$137,171
|[[John Kittredge|John Kittredge]]
|-
|-
|Associate Justice
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#2B2B2B; border: 1px; box-shadow: 0px 2px 5px #A0A0A0; color: white; font-size:130%; padding-top: 0.25em; padding-bottom: 0.25em;" |State court salary information
|$137,171
|[[Costa Pleicones|Costa Pleicones]]
|-
|-
|Associate Justice
!style="background-color:#F6F6F6; border: 0px;" |<big>Supreme Court salary</big>
|$137,171
!style="background-color:#F6F6F6;border: 0px;" |<big>Court of Appeals salary</big>
|[[Donald Beatty|Donald Beatty]]
|-
|}


As of 2010, the salary of South Carolina's chief justice ranked 32nd among U.S. chief justices' salaries.  The average salary earned by U.S. chief justices was $155,230. The median salary earned by U.S. chief justices was $151,284.<ref name=courts/>
As of 2010, the salary of South Carolina's associate justices ranked 37th among U.S. associate justices' salaries. The average salary earned by U.S. associate justices was $151,142. The median salary earned by U.S. associate justices was $145,984.<ref name=courts/>
==State and local employees==
According to 2008 U.S. Census data, the state of South Carolina and local governments in the state employed a total of 290,248 people.<ref name=census>[http://www2.census.gov/govs/apes/08stlsc.txt 2008 South Carolina Public Employment U.S. Census Data]</ref> Of those employees, 241,725 were full-time employees receiving net pay of $826,764,431 per month and 48,703 were part-time employees paid $48,338,796 per month.<ref name=census/> More than 54% of those employees, or 159,155 employees, were in education or higher education.<ref name=census/>
As of 2010, 15,224 employees in South Carolina made over $50,000 per year. Their combined salaries equaled $1,133,969,806.00.<ref>[http://transparency.sc.gov/BCB/transparency/BCB-state-salary-query.phtm The South Carolina Budget and Control Board "Query State Salaries Over $50,000" Last checked March 1, 2011]</ref>
In 2011, the South Carolina Retirement Investment Commission voted to increase the salary of Robert Borden, Chief Investment Officer of the South Carolina Retirement System, to $485,000, an increase of 37 percent. The raise made him one of the state’s highest paid employees.<Ref>[http://www.thestate.com/2011/09/01/1954255/sc-officials-salary-soars-to-450000.html The State "S.C. official’s salary soars to $485,000" Sept. 1, 2011]</ref>
A legislative panel in 2012 approved pay increases of 7 percent and 8 percent for 81 state agency directors – their first pay increases since 2007. The 7 percent increase would go to state agency directors and technical college presidents. The 8 percent increase was for presidents of four-year state colleges and universities.<ref> [http://www.thestate.com/2012/11/14/2518257/legislative-panel-approves-7-percent.html#.ULT-BVElqSp/ The State, Panel approves 7-8% raises for state agency heads, college presidents, Nov. 14, 2012] </ref>
The increases would cost the state $640,220.08. The then-current average salary for an agency director was $123,764.40. Since 2007, lawmakers have increased state workers’ salaries three times: 3 percent in 2006-07, 1 percent in 2008-09 and 3 percent in 2012-13. Those raises did not apply to agency directors, whose salaries are set by the Salary Commission.<ref> [http://www.thestate.com/2012/11/14/2518257/legislative-panel-approves-7-percent.html#.ULT-BVElqSp/ The State, Panel approves 7-8% raises for state agency heads, college presidents, Nov. 14, 2012] </ref>
===Teacher salaries===
{| class="wikitable"
|+ '''Teacher salaries'''<ref> [http://knowledgecenter.csg.org/drupal/search/apachesolr_search/state%20salaries?filters=created%3A2011-01-01T00%3A00%3A00Z%20TO%202012-01-01T00%3A00%3A00Z Teacher Salaries] </ref>
!Beginning teacher salary!!Average salary
|-
|$31,710
|$47,421
|-
|-
| align="center" |{{Supreme salary|State=South Carolina}}
| align="center" |{{COA salary|State=South Carolina}}
|}
|}


==State employee benefits==
{{South Carolina state profile}}
===Paid time off===
'''Holidays'''
 
State employees receive the following 12 paid holidays:<ref name=annual>[http://www.jobs.sc.gov/OHR/applicant/OHR-leavepackage.phtm Leave Package]</ref>
 
*New Year's Day
*Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
*George Washington's Birthday/President's Day
*Confederate Memorial Day
*National Memorial Day
*Independence Day
*Labor Day
*Veterans Day
*Thanksgiving Day
*Day after Thanksgiving
*Christmas Day
*Day after Christmas
 
'''Annual leave'''
 
State employees working 40 hours per week earn 1.25 days of annual leave per month for a total of 15 days per year. Annual leave for a part-time employees in a permanent position is based on the
number of hours worked per week.<ref name=annual/>
 
After 10 years of service with the state, employees earn annual leave at a higher rate that increases annually for each year of service.  No more than 45 annual leave days may be carried over from one calendar year to the next.<ref name=annual/>
 
'''Sick leave'''
 
State employees working 40 hours per week earn 1.25 days of sick leave per month for a total of 15 days per year. Employees may use up to 10 days of sick leave annually to care for immediate family members. Up to 180 sick leave days may be carried over from one calendar year to the next.<ref name=annual/>
 
===Insurance===
Full-time, permanent employees are eligible for insurance benefits.<ref>[http://www.eip.sc.gov/category/index.aspx?cat=1&p=10 Active employees]</ref>
 
'''Medical'''
 
Employees can choose from three different health plans, including a PPO and two HMOs.<ref name=gen>[http://www.eip.sc.gov/ibg/publications/General_Information.pdf General Information on Insurance Benefits]</ref> All plans include prescription and mental health coverage.<ref name=gen/>
 
The different plans each cost the state approximately $260 for an employee seeking individual coverage in 2010.<Ref name=rate>[http://www.eip.sc.gov/publications/2010ACTIVERATES.pdf?ts=1431320309 Insurance Rates]</ref> The PPO offers a savings plan and a standard plan. The standard plan costs employees $9.28. per month for individual coverage and the standard plan costs $93.46 per month for individual coverage.<ref name=gen/>  The HMOs cost employees either $185.56 or $251 per month for individual coverage.<ref name=gen/>
 
On. August 9, 2011, however, the state Budget and Control Board voted to raise premiums for the state health plan by 4.5% for both employees and the state, with the amount of the increase depending on several factors.  The average increase will be $6.82 per month.<ref>[http://www2.wspa.com/news/2011/aug/09/5/sc-budget-board-raises-state-health-care-premiums-ar-2251235/ WSPA.com "SC Budget Board Raises State Healthcare Premiums" Aug. 9, 2011]</ref>
 
'''Dental'''
 
Dental insurance is available to employees, and at no cost to an employee with basic individual coverage.<ref name=rate/> The state contributes $11.71 per month.<ref name=rate/>
 
'''Vision'''
 
Vision insurance is available to employees as well.  Individual coverage costs $7.76 per month.<ref name=rate/>
 
'''Life'''
 
The state provides free term life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance to employees enrolled in a health plan. Employees younger than 70 receive $3,000 in life insurance. Those 70 and older receive $1,500.<ref name=gen/> Employees can increase the amount with supplemental coverage.<ref name=gen/>
 
'''Other'''
 
Employees can also opt to add basic long term disability insurance, supplemental long term disability insurance and long term care insurance.<ref name=gen/>
 
===Retirement===
::''See also: [[South Carolina public pensions]]''
 
Newly hired state employees may elect membership in the South Carolina Retirement System (SCRS) defined benefit plan or the State Optional Retirement Program (State ORP) defined contribution plan. Regardless of the plan, employees contribute a tax-deferred 6.5% of gross pay into their retirement accounts.<ref name=ebb>[http://www.jobs.sc.gov/OHR/employee/ebb2007.pdf Employee Benefits Brochure]</ref> Each employee's account earns 4 percent interest compounded annually on the balance as of the previous June 30.<ref>[http://www.retirement.sc.gov/active/default.htm SCRS Active Members]</ref> The employer contributes 9.24%.<ref>[http://www.retirement.sc.gov/publications/select.pdf Select Your Retirement Plan Publication 2009]</ref>
 
In addition, the SC Deferred Compensation Program (SCDCP) offers two voluntary supplemental retirement plans to South Carolina’s state employees. The SCDCP’s 401(k) and 457 plans permit employees to save on a pre-tax basis for retirement.<ref name=ebb/>
 
===Other benefits===
* Flexible Spending Accounts enable active employees to save money on eligible medical and dependent care costs by paying these expenses with money deducted from salaries before taxes through a Medical Spending Account; a limited-use Medical Spending Account, which can accompany a Health Savings Account; and a Dependent Care Spending Account.<ref name=gen/>


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Public employee salary]]
{{StateExecSeeAlso|State=South Carolina}}


==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.jobs.sc.gov/OHR/OHR-jobs-portal-index.phtm South Carolina Employee Job Opportunities]
*[https://bookofthestates.org/tables/2023-4-11/ 2023 salary table from the Council of State Governments]
* [http://www.statebudgetsolutions.org/state/detail/south-carolina State Budget Solutions, South Carolina]
*[https://www.ncsl.org/about-state-legislatures/2025-legislator-compensation 2025 salary table from the National Conference of State Legislatures]
*[https://nationalcenterforstatecourts.app.box.com/s/ri9x3hjqjp0tepwfaoyj81ox6o2av7c2 2025 salary table from the National Center for State Courts]


==References==
==Footnotes==
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Reflist|2}}
{{SGSP}}
{{SGSP}}
{{South Carolina}}
{{South Carolina}}
[[Category:Elected official salary information by state]]
[[Category:Elected official salary information by state]]
[[Category:Elected_official_salary_information_by_state]]

Latest revision as of 20:45, 2 December 2025


Seal of South Carolina.png

South Carolina Salaries
Total state expenditures:
$40.2 billion[1] (2024 estimate)

This page describes the compensation for state government officeholders in South Carolina.

Legislator salaries

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
State legislative salaries, 2025[2]
SalaryPer diem
$10,400/year$240.07/day

State executive salaries

See also: Compensation of state executive officers
Office and current official Salary

Governor of South Carolina Henry McMaster

$106,078

Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina Pamela Evette

$46,545

Attorney General of South Carolina Alan Wilson

$208,000

South Carolina Secretary of State Mark Hammond

$135,000

South Carolina Director Department of Administration Marcia Adams

South Carolina Director Department of Corrections Joel Anderson

South Carolina Public Service Commissioner Florence Belser

$149,698

South Carolina Public Service Commissioner David Britt

South Carolina Public Service Commissioner Stephen Caston

$149,698

South Carolina State Director Department of Social Services Tony Catone

Democratic Party of South Carolina Vice Chair Colleen Condon

Green Party of South Carolina Chair Brian Cooke

South Carolina Chief Resilience Officer Ben Duncan

South Carolina Director of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation Emily Farr

$190,000

Constitution Party of South Carolina Chair Stephen Fast

South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce William Floyd

South Carolina Director Department of Probation Jake Gadsden

South Carolina Comptroller General Brian Gaines

$151,000

South Carolina Director Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services Sara Goldsby

Alliance Party of South Carolina Vice Chair Michelle Griffith

South Carolina Director Department of Juvenile Justice Eden Hendrick

South Carolina Chief State Law Enforcement Division Mark Keel

South Carolina Director Department of Commerce Harry Lightsey III

South Carolina Treasurer Curtis Loftis

$164,000

South Carolina Secretary of Veterans Affairs Todd McCaffrey

Republican Party of South Carolina Chair Drew McKissick

South Carolina Director Department of Health and Human Services Eunice Medina

Libertarian Party of South Carolina Vice Chair Justico Mitchell

South Carolina State Auditor Sue Moss

South Carolina Director of Natural Resources Thomas Mullikin

$187,000

South Carolina Director Department of Aging Connie Munn

South Carolina Director Department of Parks Duane Parrish

South Carolina Director Department of Revenue Hartley Powell

South Carolina Public Service Commissioner Delton Powers Jr.

$151,863

South Carolina Director Department of Environmental Services Myra Reece

Alliance Party of South Carolina Chair Jim Rex

South Carolina Director Department of Motor Vehicles Kevin Shwedo

South Carolina Director Department of Public Health Edward Simmer

Democratic Party of South Carolina Chair Christale Spain

South Carolina Adjutant General Military Department Robin Stilwell

South Carolina Public Service Commissioner Headen Thomas

$149,698

South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers

$162,000

South Carolina Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver

$214,000

Libertarian Party of South Carolina Chair Kasie Whitener

South Carolina Public Service Commissioner Carolyn Williams

$149,698

South Carolina Public Service Commissioner Justin Williams

$149,698

South Carolina Director of Insurance Michael Wise

$169,305

South Carolina Director Department of Public Safety Robert Woods


Judicial salaries

See also: South Carolina court salaries and budgets
State court salary information
Supreme Court salary Court of Appeals salary
Associates: $233,606[3] Associates: $227,765[4]

State profile

Demographic data for South Carolina
 South CarolinaU.S.
Total population:4,894,834316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):30,0613,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:67.2%73.6%
Black/African American:27.5%12.6%
Asian:1.4%5.1%
Native American:0.3%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0.1%0.2%
Two or more:2%3%
Hispanic/Latino:5.3%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:85.6%86.7%
College graduation rate:25.8%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$45,483$53,889
Persons below poverty level:22%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in South Carolina.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in South Carolina

South Carolina voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

Pivot Counties (2016)

Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, five are located in South Carolina, accounting for 2.43 percent of the total pivot counties.[5]

Pivot Counties (2020)

In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. South Carolina had five Retained Pivot Counties, 2.76 percent of all Retained Pivot Counties.

More South Carolina coverage on Ballotpedia

See also

South Carolina State Executive Elections News and Analysis
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South Carolina State Executive Offices
South Carolina State Legislature
South Carolina Courts
2026 • 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016
South Carolina elections: 2026 • 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016
Party control of state government
State government trifectas
State of the state addresses
Partisan composition of governors

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ National Association of State Budget Officers, "2024 State Expenditure Report," accessed December 18, 2024
  2. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2025 Legislator Compensation," December 2, 2025
  3. ↑ The salary of the chief justice may be higher than an associate justice.
  4. ↑ The salary of the chief judge may be higher than an associate judge.
  5. ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
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