Registered nurses at the 90th percentile in South Carolina earn $106,520 per year. When budgeting for senior or specialized roles, plan for offers at or above this threshold, since candidates with advanced experience or specialty credentials will expect compensation at that level or higher. The statewide mean of $87,670 reflects a broad mix of experience levels across the 49,750 employed nurses in the state.
Registered nurse salary in South Carolina (2026)
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The average registered nurse salary in South Carolina is $87,670 per year. A small pool of very high earners pulls that average upward, so the median of $82,360 gives you a more reliable starting point for most hiring decisions. South Carolina employs 49,750 registered nurses, and the $5,310 gap between the mean and median reflects real variation in the candidate pool you will be evaluating. Junior registered nurses in South Carolina typically earn around $66,860, while senior specialists reach and exceed the $106,520 level. Plan for a range rather than a single number when budgeting for a registered nurse hire, and anchor that range to the seniority and specialization of the role you are filling.
Metric / Value
Metric | Value |
Median Annual Salary | $82,360 |
Average Annual Salary | $87,670 |
vs. National Average | 13.6% below the national mean of $101,420 |
Data comes from the BLS OEWS and covers 49,750 employed registered nurses across South Carolina.
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Registered nurse salary percentiles in South Carolina
Percentile | Annual Salary |
10th Percentile | $66,860 |
25th Percentile | $77,320 |
75th Percentile | $97,230 |
90th Percentile | $106,520 |
If you are hiring an entry-level registered nurse in South Carolina, anchoring your offer near $66,860 to $77,320 aligns with what the market pays at the lower end of the distribution. For experienced or specialized candidates, expect offers to move toward $97,230 and above, with senior specialists reaching $106,520 or higher.
Registered nurse salary by city in South Carolina
City | Average Annual Salary |
Charleston | $91,710 |
Columbia | $88,030 |
Greenville | $85,030 |
Spartanburg | $84,020 |
Myrtle Beach | $82,860 |
Where you hire within South Carolina will affect your compensation budget in a meaningful way. Charleston commands the highest average at $91,710, while Myrtle Beach sits at the lower end at $82,860, a spread of nearly $9,000 that should factor into your location-based offer strategy. If you are hiring across multiple markets, build that geographic variation into your compensation bands from the start.
How South Carolina compares to other states
State | Average Annual Salary | Median Annual Salary |
South Carolina | $87,670 | $82,360 |
Georgia | $95,080 | $93,550 |
Virginia | $93,850 | $93,600 |
Florida | $90,650 | $84,190 |
North Carolina | $90,470 | $84,350 |
Tennessee | $85,390 | $81,500 |
South Carolina is a cost-effective market for registered nurse hiring relative to most of its regional peers. The statewide mean of $87,670 sits below Georgia ($95,080), Virginia ($93,850), Florida ($90,650), and North Carolina ($90,470), giving South Carolina employers a real cost advantage when competing for talent locally rather than across state lines. Tennessee is the only nearby state with a lower mean at $85,390, so your offers will generally be competitive within the region without needing to match the higher benchmarks set by Georgia or Virginia.
Frequently asked questions about registered nurse salary in South Carolina
What do the top-earning registered nurses make in South Carolina?
What is the salary range for a registered nurse in South Carolina?
The published salary range for registered nurses in South Carolina runs from $66,860 at the 10th percentile to $106,520 at the 90th percentile. The middle of the market sits between $77,320 at the 25th percentile and $97,230 at the 75th percentile, which is the range most competitive offers will fall within. Use the seniority and specialization of the specific role you are filling to determine where within that band your offer should land.
Registered Nurse salary by state
Data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2025, SOC code 29-1141 (Registered Nurses).
Disclaimer
Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.
Author
The Rippling Team
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