Food Preparation Workers
Median $15.47 an hour in South Carolina · 14,460 jobs
South Carolina · 2026 take-home pay
$16 an hour after taxes in South Carolina
At $16 an hour in South Carolina you keep about $13.73 of every hour — $549 a week, $2,380 a month or $28,557 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and South Carolina income tax. South Carolina has a graduated income tax, and its minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.
Where $16 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $33,280 | $640 | $16.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$1,814 | −$35 | −$0.87 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$2,063 | −$40 | −$0.99 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$483 | −$9 | −$0.23 |
| South Carolina income tax | −$364 | −$7 | −$0.17 |
| Take-home pay | $28,557 | $549 | $13.73 |
Effective tax rate 14.2% · federal bracket 12% · South Carolina bracket 1.99%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $640.00 | $549.17 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,280.00 | $1,098.33 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,386.67 | $1,189.86 |
| Monthly (12) | $2,773.33 | $2,379.73 |
$16 an hour at different hours
Take-home in South Carolina for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $16 an hour for hours over 40, as federal law requires for most hourly workers.
| Schedule | Gross a week | Take-home a week | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 hours a week* | $320 | $294 | $15,280 |
| 30 hours a week | $480 | $422 | $21,966 |
| 40 hours a week | $640 | $549 | $28,557 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $760 | $643 | $33,446 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $880 | $735 | $38,230 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $16 an hour good pay in South Carolina?
- Minimum wage: $16 an hour is 2.2 times the federal minimum wage of $7.25, which applies in South Carolina. South Carolina has no state minimum wage law.
- Among South Carolina workers: It's about the 22nd percentile of hourly pay in South Carolina (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 22 in 100 workers earn less. The median is $22.35 an hour.
- Local prices: South Carolina's price level is 93.7% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $28,557 a year buys about what $30,461 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $832 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,190 a month for needs, $714 for wants and $476 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in South Carolina that pay about $16 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in South Carolina is within 4% of $16 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Packers and Packagers, Hand
Median $15.47 an hour in South Carolina · 7,610 jobs
Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment
Median $16.46 an hour in South Carolina · 5,720 jobs
Parts Salespersons
Median $15.47 an hour in South Carolina · 4,600 jobs
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
Median $16.59 an hour in South Carolina · 4,550 jobs
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
Median $16.20 an hour in South Carolina · 3,570 jobs
How South Carolina compares on $16 an hour
South Carolina ranks 10th of 51 for take-home pay on $16 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.
| State | After tax, per hour | A year | Minimum wage | vs South Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | $13.73 | $28,557 | $7.25 | — |
| Georgia | $13.47 | $28,008 | $7.25 | −$549 a year |
| North Carolina | $13.51 | $28,101 | $7.25 | −$456 a year |
How the federal tax on $33,280 ($16 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $33,280 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $17,180. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $4,780 | $574 |
| Total | $17,180 | $1,814 |
How the South Carolina income tax on $33,280 ($16 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $33,280 of South Carolina wages minus $15,000 standard deduction = $18,280.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 1.99% | $18,280 | $364 |
| Total | $18,280 | $364 |
Common questions
How much is $16 an hour after taxes in South Carolina?
About $13.73 for every hour you work, or $28,557 a year at 40 hours a week ($33,280 gross). Taxes take about 14.2% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $16 an hour a week after taxes in South Carolina?
About $549 a week at 40 hours, from $640 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,098.
How much is $16 an hour a month after taxes in South Carolina?
About $2,380 a month at 40 hours a week, from $2,773 gross.
Is $16 an hour good pay in South Carolina?
$16 an hour is 2.2 times the federal minimum wage of $7.25, which applies in South Carolina. South Carolina has no state minimum wage law. It's about the 22nd percentile of hourly pay in South Carolina (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 22 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in South Carolina is $22.35. After taxes and local prices, $28,557 a year buys about what $30,461 would at national-average prices.
Is South Carolina a high-tax state for $16 an hour?
It ranks 10th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $16 an hour. The most you'd keep is $28,920 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $26,771 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in South Carolina
- $12 an hour in South Carolina
- $13 an hour in South Carolina
- $14 an hour in South Carolina
- $15 an hour in South Carolina
- $17 an hour in South Carolina
- $18 an hour in South Carolina
- $19 an hour in South Carolina
- $20 an hour in South Carolina
$16 an hour in every state · $30,000 a year in South Carolina · $35,000 a year in South Carolina · South Carolina paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, South Carolina's income tax rules (methodology). Local income taxes are not included. Minimum wages: U.S. Department of Labor. Wage distribution and jobs: BLS OEWS May 2025. Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities.
- Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods — Internal Revenue Service. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- State Minimum Wage Laws — U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- Regional Price Parities by State — U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Accessed October 14, 2026.