Estimated — not yet source-verified.Estimated - not yet source-verified. This cost range is a general knowledge estimate we have not yet confirmed against current regional pricing data. Treat it as a rough guide only and get local contractor quotes.
Contractor costs in South Carolina
Regional labor cost ranges for common DIY projects in South Carolina. These are estimates for planning purposes - always get multiple quotes from licensed local contractors.
Construction labor wages in South Carolina
Official BLS data · OEWS 2024The actual pay range for 18 building trades in South Carolina — 10th percentile, median, and 90th percentile hourly wages straight from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is the verified labor-cost floor behind the project estimates below, not a national average.
Scroll the table horizontally to compare all wage columns. Keyboard: focus the table, then use the arrow keys.
| Trade | 10th %ile | Median /hr | 90th %ile | Employed in SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction supervisors | $23.67 | $35.69 | $51.06 | 12,600 |
| Carpenters | $16.45 | $23.51 | $36.40 | 7,070 |
| Cement masons & concrete finishers | $16.16 | $22.80 | $29.99 | 1,770 |
| Drywall & ceiling-tile installers | $14.86 | $21.48 | $28.79 | 570 |
| Tile & stone setters | $13.26 | $21.68 | $48.45 | 320 |
| Floor layers (non-carpet) | $16.83 | $18.45 | $24.54 | 120 |
| Carpet installers | $13.69 | $15.90 | $24.06 | 130 |
| Painters | $16.54 | $20.65 | $27.36 | 2,060 |
| Glaziers | $16.86 | $22.99 | $31.87 | 560 |
| Insulation workers | $10.32 | $22.06 | $31.98 | 420 |
| Plasterers & stucco masons | $23.23 | $40.46 | $54.82 | 70 |
| Brickmasons & blockmasons | $16.95 | $21.00 | $28.02 | 450 |
| Roofers | $17.34 | $22.05 | $30.37 | 1,060 |
| Electricians | $19.19 | $28.01 | $36.65 | 7,830 |
| Plumbers & pipefitters | $17.05 | $26.37 | $37.34 | 5,480 |
| HVAC technicians | $18.29 | $26.57 | $34.84 | 6,370 |
| Equipment operators | $17.78 | $22.83 | $29.34 | 8,430 |
| Construction laborers | $14.69 | $19.86 | $30.25 | 17,430 |
How building-trade pay has moved since 2019
Median hourly wage by year for South Carolina's headline trades — a 6-year OEWS series (2019–2024) that deepens with each annual BLS release.
$19.86 in 2019 → $23.51 in 2024
$22.06 in 2019 → $28.01 in 2024
$22.23 in 2019 → $26.37 in 2024
$14.97 in 2019 → $19.86 in 2024
State-specific BLS wage signals
These comparisons are calculated from the same official OEWS 2024 rows above, so they vary by South Carolina's actual trade mix instead of repeating a national average. These are worker wages, not contractor billing rates - a contractor's quote adds overhead, insurance, equipment, and margin.
Highest median wage in state
Plasterers & stucco masons
$40.46/hr
Source: BLS OEWS 2024
Largest reported construction trade
Construction laborers
17,430 employed
Source: BLS OEWS 2024
Biggest premium vs trade median
Plasterers & stucco masons
+$13.96/hr vs $26.50
Median across states with this BLS trade row, OEWS 2024
Fastest median-wage growth
Plasterers & stucco masons
+ 145% since 2019
Source: BLS OEWS 2019-2024
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS 2019–2024. These are worker wages, not contractor billing rates — a contractor's quote adds overhead, insurance, equipment, and margin (commonly 1.5–3× the base wage).
Find a contractor in South Carolina
When a project is beyond DIY scale, get quotes from licensed local contractors. Always verify contractor license status with South Carolina's contractor licensing board.