South Carolina Minimum Wage 2026
South Carolina's minimum wage of $7.25 in 2026 is below average in the United States, and it is the same as than the base federal minimum wage of $7.25 still used in 20 states.
Federal 
South Carolina Assuming a standard 40-hour work week, the weekly minimum wage in South Carolina is $290. For full-time employees working 52 weeks per year, the annual minimum wage in South Carolina is $15.1K.
Based on $7.25/hr minimum
Based on $7.25/hr minimum
The minimum wage rate of South Carolina and its neighboring states ranges from $7.25 to $7.25, with an average of $7.25. South Carolina, at $7.25, has the highest hourly minimum wage within this group of states. Georgia and North Carolina share the same $7.25 hourly rate as South Carolina.
South Carolina South Carolina's cost of living index for 2025 is 94.7, which places it as the 29th most expensive state to live in the United States.
National 100
South Carolina 94.7
Assuming a standard 40-hour work week, the real wage in South Carolina, adjusted for the state’s cost of living index of 94.7, is approximately $7.66 per hour. This means that while the nominal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, the purchasing power of those earnings is higher due to South Carolina's lower cost of living expenses. For full-time employees, the real weekly earnings amount to roughly $306.23, translating to an annual purchasing power of $15,923.97 when working 52 weeks per year.
Adjusted
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According to the most recent data, the median household income in the United States has seen a significant increase in 2023.
South Carolina’s minimum wage remains at the federal baseline of $7.25 per hour, as the state has not enacted its own higher minimum wage or an automatic adjustment system. Any changes to the minimum wage depend on federal legislation rather than state-level updates, and there are no statewide scheduled increases or index-based adjustments in place.
