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Salary Guides / South Carolina
Carpenter Salary in South Carolina
Discover South Carolina carpenter hourly rates, annual salaries, career levels, credentials, industries, and factors affecting earning potential.
What Carpenter Earns in South Carolina
Carpenters construct, install, and repair structures and fixtures, including framing, concrete forms, doors, windows, flooring, cabinets, and other wood components. CareerOneStop and BLS wage data show South Carolina carpenters earning $17.31 per hour at the 10th percentile, $24.36 at the median, and $38.00 at the 90th percentile. These figures correspond to $36,010, $50,670, and $79,040 annually. Actual pay varies with experience, specialization, location, employer, union status, overtime, and project type. South Carolina's metropolitan areas also show different wage distributions. Contractor licensing and residential specialty registration requirements can apply when a carpenter operates independently rather than working as an employee.
Hourly rates by level in South Carolina
Rates typically increase with experience, skills, and responsibility.
Where do you stand?
Enter your hourly rate to see how it compares to other carpenters in South Carolina.
What are you making?
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Use your base rate, not what you take home after overtime.
You're right around the middle
$28.00 is above roughly 46% of this market. The top quarter starts at $36.00, and the median sits at $29.00.
Calculate pay with extra credentials
Pick your level, add certifications, select shift — the estimate updates live.
1Your level
2Certifications you hold
3Shift & work type
4Overtime & per diem
An estimate, not an offer. Overtime is paid at time and a half past forty hours.
Who pays the most in South Carolina
Specialized construction can offer different work environments and career opportunities.
Commercial Construction
Commercial carpenters work on offices, retail properties, institutions, interiors, framing, fixtures, and larger building projects.
Residential Construction
Residential carpenters handle framing, remodeling, finish work, installations, repairs, and housing-related construction.
Industrial Construction
Industrial carpenters may work on structural components, concrete forms, equipment supports, and specialized construction environments.
Institutional Construction
Institutional projects include schools, hospitals, public facilities, and other large structures requiring substantial construction and finish work.
Heavy Construction
Heavy construction can involve structural carpentry, concrete forms, infrastructure projects, and other specialized construction activities.
Residential Specialty
South Carolina specifically recognizes carpentry as a residential specialty contractor classification for qualifying independent residential work.
Which states pay carpenters the most
Median hourly across every state with a published guide for this trade. Cost of living is not netted out — compare take-home, not just the rate.
What each certification is worth
Sorted by payback speed.
| Certification | Rate bump | Extra / year | Cost | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCCER Carpentry Level 2 | +$1 | $2,080 | $190 | 5 weeks |
| Scaffold User/Competent Person (OSHA-aligned) | +$1 | $2,080 | $210 | 5 weeks |
| NCCER Carpentry Level 1 | +$0.75 | $1,560 | $190 | 6 weeks |
| Fall Protection Competent Person (OSHA-aligned) | +$0.75 | $1,560 | $165 | 6 weeks |
| First Aid/CPR/AED | +$0.25 | $520 | $70 | 7 weeks |
| OSHA 10-Hour Construction | +$0.25 | $520 | $85 | 9 weeks |
| OSHA 30-Hour Construction | +$0.50 | $1,040 | $170 | 9 weeks |
What overtime actually adds
Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $24.36/hr.
Questions workers ask
Does South Carolina require a carpenter to hold a license?▾
Can carpenters register as residential specialty contractors in South Carolina?▾
What does the South Carolina residential carpentry registration cover?▾
Is an examination required for residential specialty contractor registration?▾
When is a South Carolina residential builder license relevant?▾
Can a residential specialty carpenter build additions independently?▾
Does OSHA 30 make a South Carolina carpenter certified?▾
Does South Carolina have a statewide prevailing wage for carpenters?▾
Are carpenter wages different across South Carolina?▾
See Open Carpenter Jobs in South Carolina
Verified positions matching this trade and location.
CareerOneStop and BLS May 2025 wage data show South Carolina carpenters earning $17.31 per hour at the 10th percentile, $24.36 at the median, and $38.00 at the 90th percentile.
Last updated October 1, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.