In South Carolina, the number you write on line 5 of the SC W-4 does more work than in almost any other state. The withholding formula gives a fixed deduction for each allowance and, on top of that, a standard deduction worked out as a share of your wages up to a ceiling. Both disappear if you claim zero allowances. Claiming even one allowance therefore switches on two separate breaks at once, and the gap between zero and one on the stub can be larger than people expect.
The SC W-4 worksheet hands out allowances generously: one for yourself, one if you file jointly, one for head of household, one if you hold a single job or your spouse does not work, one per dependent, and one more for each dependent young enough to meet the form’s age test. Marital status is asked on the form but plays no part in the withholding formula itself; the allowance count carries all of that information.
After those deductions the rate schedule is short. A small first slice of wages is withheld at nothing, the next band at a low rate, and everything above a fairly modest level at the top rate. For a typical full-time salary most of the taxable wage sits in the top band, so the state line moves almost proportionally with pay once you are past the lower bands. The table further down this page shows how that works out at several salaries.
There are no state payroll levies for disability or family leave, and South Carolina cities and counties do not tax wages, so the state income tax is the only state line on the stub. South Carolina has no reciprocal agreements either. That matters around Charlotte, where many people live in York or Lancaster County and work across the North Carolina line: North Carolina withholds its own tax, and South Carolina gives a credit for it on the resident return.
To test different allowance counts, change the SC W-4 fields in the calculator below.
How South Carolina taxes your paycheck
State income tax withholding
On the tax return, South Carolina taxes income in brackets, and the rate on the highest bracket is 6%. Employers' withholding tables use the same rates, so the highest slice of pay is withheld at 6% too. The withholding figures here follow South Carolina's own instructions for employers.
For a single filer paid every two weeks, South Carolina withholds 3.8% of a $30,000 salary and 5.6% of $150,000:
| Salary | South Carolina tax withheld | Share of pay |
|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $1,144 | 3.8% |
| $50,000 | $2,344 | 4.7% |
| $75,000 | $3,844 | 5.1% |
| $100,000 | $5,344 | 5.3% |
| $150,000 | $8,344 | 5.6% |
City and county taxes
No South Carolina city or county withholds income tax from wages, so state income tax is the only South Carolina line on your pay stub.
Living in one state and working in another
South Carolina has no reciprocal agreements, so it withholds from everyone who works there, wherever they live. If you live elsewhere, your home state may withhold too, usually less a credit for the South Carolina tax.
If you live in South Carolina and the job is across a state line, both states withhold, but South Carolina takes the other state's tax off its own amount. The calculator does this when you enter both states, and the guide to reciprocity agreements explains where neighboring states skip withholding altogether.
South Carolina take-home pay by salary
Net pay per paycheck at each salary, single with no 401(k), benefits or extra withholding, living and working in South Carolina. It runs from $966.96 every two weeks on $30,000 to $4,055.66 on $150,000. For a 401(k), health premiums or a different filing status, use the calculator above.
| Salary | Weekly | Every two weeks | Twice a month | Monthly | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $483.47 | $966.96 | $1,047.54 | $2,095.09 | $25,141 |
| $40,000 | $626.47 | $1,252.93 | $1,357.34 | $2,714.68 | $32,576 |
| $50,000 | $769.44 | $1,538.90 | $1,667.12 | $3,334.26 | $40,011 |
| $60,000 | $912.43 | $1,824.84 | $1,976.92 | $3,953.84 | $47,446 |
| $75,000 | $1,110.56 | $2,221.10 | $2,406.20 | $4,812.37 | $57,749 |
| $90,000 | $1,296.17 | $2,592.35 | $2,808.38 | $5,616.75 | $67,401 |
| $100,000 | $1,419.93 | $2,839.85 | $3,076.51 | $6,153.01 | $73,836 |
| $125,000 | $1,728.07 | $3,456.13 | $3,744.15 | $7,488.30 | $89,859 |
| $150,000 | $2,027.83 | $4,055.66 | $4,393.63 | $8,787.25 | $105,447 |
Hourly pay after tax in South Carolina
At 40 hours a week, $25.00 an hour comes to $798.04 in a weekly paycheck and $41,498 over the year, which is $19.95 for each hour worked. Overtime, tips and a different schedule change these figures: switch the calculator to its Hourly tab to enter them.
| Hourly wage | Weekly paycheck | Year | Per hour after tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15.00 | $500.64 | $26,033 | $12.52 |
| $20.00 | $649.34 | $33,766 | $16.23 |
| $25.00 | $798.04 | $41,498 | $19.95 |
| $30.00 | $946.74 | $49,230 | $23.67 |
| $40.00 | $1,212.03 | $63,025 | $30.30 |
| $50.00 | $1,469.43 | $76,410 | $36.74 |
Worked example: the median wage in South Carolina
The median annual wage in South Carolina is $46,490: half of all jobs pay more and half pay less, in the Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey for May 2025 (all occupations; survey date May 31, 2025). Paid every two weeks as a single filer, with no 401(k) or benefits, that salary works out like this.
| Line | Each paycheck | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $1,788.08 | $46,490.00 |
| Federal income tax | $130.72 | $3,398.71 |
| Social Security | $110.86 | $2,882.36 |
| Medicare | $25.93 | $674.18 |
| South Carolina income tax | $82.05 | $2,133.30 |
| Take-home pay | $1,438.52 | $37,401.45 |
You keep 80.5% of gross pay. Of the $9,089 withheld, federal income tax is the largest part at $3,399, followed by Social Security at $2,882.
South Carolina paycheck questions
How much is $46,490 a year after taxes in South Carolina?
Paid every two weeks as a single filer with no pre-tax deductions, $46,490 a year in South Carolina leaves $37,401 after tax, or $1,438.52 a paycheck. Federal income tax takes $3,399 and Social Security and Medicare $3,557; South Carolina income tax takes $2,133. $46,490 is the median annual wage for all jobs in South Carolina in the Bureau of Labor Statistics survey for May 2025.
What is the top income tax rate in South Carolina on a paycheck?
On the tax return, South Carolina taxes income in brackets, and the rate on the highest bracket is 6%. Employers' withholding tables use the same rates, so the highest slice of pay is withheld at 6% too. At the median wage, South Carolina withholds 4.6% of gross pay.
I live in another state and work in South Carolina. Which state withholds?
South Carolina has no reciprocal agreements, so it withholds from everyone who works there. Your home state may withhold too, usually less a credit for the South Carolina tax.
What is $75,000 a year biweekly in South Carolina?
$2,221.10 a paycheck, single, with no 401(k) or other deductions. Paid twice a month it is $2,406.20, and monthly $4,812.37. Over the year that is $57,749.
Sources
Rules checked . How we calculate.