Want $100K a year? These 3 SC job sectors pay the most on average, Census data shows
South Carolina residents who want to earn the most money in the state should probably aim for work in one of three job sectors, according to a new report.
Workers in utilities, management of companies and enterprises, as well as finance and insurance, earn the most money on average in the state, Venture Smarter says. The report from the business advice company used U.S. Census data on employment numbers and total salary per sector as of March 2021 to determine the average salary of each industry.
Top earners in South Carolina
Utilities
The report concluded that workers in South Carolina’s utility industry earn the highest average salary of any sector in the state, at around $100,000 a year. More than 10,000 people work in this sector across electric power, natural gas, steam supply, water supply and sewage removal. Utility workers in South Carolina were paid a total of about $1.036 billion over a year, equating to 1.24% of the accumulated earnings of all employees in the state.
“With the highest average annual salary of $100,445, those working in utilities are in the best position in South Carolina,” Venture Smarter states.
Management
Employees in management roles at companies and enterprises are the second-highest earners in South Carolina — earning $95,889 on average, the report states. More than 29,000 workers are in management roles in South Carolina, earning an an accumulated $2.86 billion a year. These earnings comprised 3.44% of the total wages statewide in a year.
Finance and insurance
The finance and insurance sector rounded out the list for third highest-earning, with an average annual wage of $82,253. Approximately 63,785 people work in insurance and finance across the state in positions like insurance brokers and financial advisors. These workers earned an accumulated annual salary of about $5.24 billion, making up 6.29% of the total of statewide earnings.
Lowest earners in South Carolina
The report also shows that, despite being one of South Carolina’s most populated industries with more than 200,000 employees, workers in the accommodation and food services sector earn the lowest average annual salary at $21,362. These jobs include servers, housekeepers and other hospitality positions.
South Carolina residents in the arts, entertainment and recreation job sector are the second-lowest paid, with $24,297 as an average annual salary.
This story was originally published August 19, 2023 at 6:00 AM.
