South Carolina Salary to Hourly Calculator 2026

South Carolina Income Tax Overview

South Carolina has a three-bracket income tax with 0% on the first $3,640, 3% from $3,640 to $18,230, and 6% on all income above $18,230. The 6% rate kicks in at a very low threshold — most full-time workers earning above $27,000 gross hit the top bracket quickly. South Carolina's standard deduction of $8,350 for single filers is moderate. No South Carolina city charges a local income tax on wages, so Columbia, Charleston, Greenville, and Myrtle Beach workers all pay only the statewide rate. South Carolina's legislature has been slowly reducing the top rate from a previous high of 7%, with the 6% rate representing recent progress.

Here's what a single South Carolina filer keeps in 2026. On a $50,000 salary, take-home is approximately $40,322 per year ($3,360/month) after federal, FICA, and state taxes. At $80,000, take-home is approximately $60,935 ($5,078/month), with the state taking $3,643. At $100,000, you keep about $73,805 ($6,150/month), with $4,843 going to South Carolina. At $150,000, take-home is approximately $105,339 ($8,778/month), with the state taking $7,843. The wide reach of the 6% bracket makes South Carolina's effective rate one of the higher ones in the Southeast.

Compared to neighboring North Carolina (flat 3.99%), a South Carolina worker at $80,000 takes home approximately $960 less per year. Against Georgia (flat 5.19%), South Carolina workers pay roughly $550 more per year at $80,000. Against Tennessee (no income tax), the gap is the full $3,643 at $80,000 — Tennessee's advantage explains why many remote workers in the Carolinas compare their options carefully. Against Virginia (up to 5.75%), South Carolina workers pay somewhat more at middle incomes where the 6% rate dominates.

Watch out: South Carolina's income tax reform trajectory is ongoing but slow. The legislature has shown intent to reduce rates further, but the specific timeline depends on revenue conditions each legislative session. Unlike North Carolina — which has a legislated schedule with specific future rates written into law — South Carolina's reductions are more discretionary. Don't budget on a lower rate until it's officially enacted. Also, South Carolina's $8,350 standard deduction is meaningfully below the federal $16,100, which increases taxable income exposure at all income levels compared to states that use the federal standard deduction.