Auto mechanic salary in South Carolina
Updated September 27, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
Auto mechanics in South Carolina earn a median of $48,100 a year, or $23.12 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. One in ten earns more than $78,030. Nationally the median is $50,620, so South Carolina pays 5% less than the U.S. overall and ranks 41st of 51.
- Entry-level starting pay (estimate)
- $15.00/hr
- Jobs in South Carolina
- 13,420
- After cost of living
- $51,310
- Median hourly pay
- $23.12/hr
- vs U.S. median
- −5%
- Rank among states
- 41st of 51
Entry-level to master auto mechanic pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | $31,200–$37,430$15.00–$17.99/hr | |
| Experienced technician | $48,100$23.12/hr | |
| Master / top earners | $63,610–$78,030$30.58–$37.51/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
Pay over time
The median auto mechanic wage in South Carolina rose 28%, from $37,580 in May 2021 to $48,100 in May 2025. Prices rose 19.4% over the same period, so after inflation it rose 7.2%.
| Year | Median a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $37,580 | $18.07/hr |
| May 2022 | $43,700 | $21.01/hr |
| May 2023 | $44,210 | $21.25/hr |
| May 2024 | $45,950 | $22.09/hr |
| May 2025 | $48,100 | $23.12/hr |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, each May release; inflation from the BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U, May of each year). BLS cautions against reading much into year-to-year changes, so we compare the first and last years. How we compare years
How South Carolina compares
- Auto mechanics are more concentrated in South Carolina than nationally: 5.8 of every 1,000 jobs, 1.3 times the U.S. share.
- The 90th-percentile wage, $78,030, is 2.5 times the 10th-percentile wage, $31,200: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
Pay by metro area
Rural South Carolina
- Southern South Carolina$45,400
- Northwestern South Carolina$44,150
- Northeastern South Carolina$43,680
Other trades in South Carolina
Questions
- How much do auto mechanics make in South Carolina?
- Auto mechanics in South Carolina earn a median of $48,100 a year, or $23.12 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. One in ten earns more than $78,030.
- How much do auto mechanics make an hour in South Carolina?
- The median hourly wage is $23.12. The middle half earn between $17.99 and $30.58 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do entry-level auto mechanics make in South Carolina?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $15.00 an hour ($31,200 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $17.99.
- Has auto mechanic pay gone up in South Carolina?
- The median auto mechanic wage in South Carolina rose 28%, from $37,580 in May 2021 to $48,100 in May 2025. Prices rose 19.4% over the same period, so after inflation it rose 7.2%. (BLS wage data and Consumer Price Index.)
- Where in South Carolina do auto mechanics earn the most?
- Among South Carolina metro areas, Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia has the highest median at $53,660 a year, and Myrtle Beach–Conway–North Myrtle Beach the lowest at $45,360.
- Do auto mechanics in South Carolina earn more than the national average?
- The South Carolina median of $48,100 is 5% less than the U.S. median of $50,620. Prices in South Carolina run 6% below the national average (BEA), so the median buys about what $51,310 would nationally.
About this data
Wages are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for May 2025, occupation 49-3023 (Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics), area code 45. BLS counts wage and salary workers only, so self-employed auto mechanics and business owners aren't included. The cost-of-living figure divides the median by the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity for 2024 (93.7, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 27, 2026. How we calculate these figures