Physical Therapist · South Carolina · SOC 29-1123
Physical Therapists in South Carolina: 2026 Salary, Real Wage, and Cost-Adjusted Pay
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2024 reference period · BEA Regional Price Parity 2023 vintage · Last synced 2026-05-05.
TL;DR
- $100,950 is the BLS median wage for PTs in South Carolina; $107,994 is the BEA-adjusted purchasing-power equivalent.
- P25-P75 spread runs $81,360 to $108,040; P10 floor $73,420, P90 ceiling $119,560.
- Low BEA RPP (93.5) means the paycheck stretches further than the BLS number suggests; net lift roughly $7,044.
- State ranks #19 nationally on nominal wage, #15 on real (RPP-adjusted) wage.
- South Carolina is a PT Compact member: cross-state practice via Compact Privilege rather than full re-licensure.
Wage breakdown — South Carolina
| Percentile | Nominal (BLS) | Real (BEA RPP-adjusted) |
|---|---|---|
| P10 (entry tier) | $73,420 | $78,543 |
| P25 (lower quartile) | $81,360 | $87,037 |
| P50 (median) | $100,950 | $107,994 |
| P75 (upper quartile) | $108,040 | $115,579 |
| P90 (top tier) | $119,560 | $127,903 |
| Mean | $96,630 | $103,373 |
| Employment | 4,170 PTs in South Carolina | |
Cost of living — BEA Regional Price Parity
| Component | South Carolina index (US = 100) |
|---|---|
| All-items RPP | 93.5 |
| Goods | 95.9 |
| Services | 85.8 |
| Rents | 80.5 |
South Carolina sits below the national baseline (RPP 93.5), so nominal pay translates to a higher real wage than the BLS median suggests — particularly visible in rents at 80.5.
After-tax take-home — South Carolina (2024 BLS · 2024 tax year, single filer)
Layer-by-layer take-home math at the BLS median
| Layer | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gross BLS P50 (PT) | $100,950 | nominal median |
| Federal income tax | −$13,456 | 13.3% effective; std deduction $15,750 applied |
| State income tax | −$4,695 | 0–6.2% (graduated) |
| FICA (SS 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%) | −$7,723 | SS capped at $183,600 wage base |
| Take-home (after-tax) | $75,076 | 74.4% of gross |
| Real take-home (RPP-adjusted) | $80,315 | ÷ (93.5 / 100) BEA cost-of-living |
What the South Carolina state-tax burden means for PT take-home
Mid-band state-tax burden at 4.7% effective. Combined with federal and FICA, take-home is $75,076 (74.4% of gross). After the 93.5 RPP, real take-home is $80,315.
Computed from 2026 IRS federal brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32), 2026 state DOR brackets, and 2026 FICA rates. Single filer, standard deduction, no other adjustments. See methodology · tax for limitations (married filers, ITM/SALT itemizers, retirement deferrals, HSA, dependent credits, etc.).
National context
Across the United States, BLS reports a national median of $101,020 for PTs with mean pay of $102,400 and total employment of 248,630. South Carolina sits at #19 on nominal pay and #15 on real (cost-adjusted) pay among the 51 states and DC. After cost adjustment, South Carolina climbs 4 positions — the cost of living is favorable relative to the wage.
Licensure — South Carolina (PT Compact)
South Carolina participates in the Physical Therapy Compact, with effective participation since 2019. PTs and PTAs with a Compact Privilege issued from another member state may practice in South Carolina without separately applying for a South Carolina license. South Carolina Compact Privilege fees are typically $45 per state per 1-year cycle (vs. $200–$400 + 60–90 days for traditional endorsement), making it the dominant pathway for travel PTs and multi-state telehealth practices.
South Carolina has been a Compact participant for 7 years as of 2026, putting it in the established middle tier — most major hospital systems and travel agencies in South Carolina have updated their credentialing workflows to accept Compact licenses by default.
Source: ptcompact.org state status — re-synced quarterly. See PT Compact reciprocity hub for the cross-state matrix and changelog for status changes.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a PT make in South Carolina?
- BLS reports a median annual wage of $100,950 for PTs in South Carolina as of the latest OES release. That is the 50th-percentile figure — half earn more, half earn less. The 25th-percentile is $81,360 and the 75th-percentile is $108,040.
- What is the real (cost-adjusted) PT salary in South Carolina?
- After BEA RPP adjustment (regional price parity index 93.5 for South Carolina), the real-wage equivalent is $107,994 — what the $100,950 nominal salary actually buys. Quartiles in real terms: $87,037 to $115,579.
- How are South Carolina PT salaries calculated on this page?
- Nominal wages come from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) — annual employer surveys, May 2026 reference period. Real-wage figures use BEA Regional Price Parities (2023 vintage) to adjust for state-level cost of living. No self-report or jobs-board data is mixed in.
- What does the top of the PT pay scale look like in South Carolina?
- The 90th percentile lands at $119,560. That tier typically reflects senior roles, specialty certifications, high-cost-of-living metros within the state, or union-negotiated rate cards. Below that, the P75 quartile is $108,040.
- Why is the BEA RPP for South Carolina different from a single CPI number?
- BEA splits regional price parity into three components — goods, services, and rents — reweighted to the BEA's national consumption basket. South Carolina's overall index of 93.5 reflects rents 80.5, services 85.8, and goods 95.9.
- What are the limits of these PT salary numbers?
- BLS OES is an employer survey of W-2 wages — it excludes contractor pay, bonuses outside the base wage definition, equity compensation, and tip income. Self-employed practitioners and gig workers are not represented. For occupations with significant non-W-2 income, the BLS figure is a floor, not a complete picture.
- Should I negotiate based on the BLS median for South Carolina?
- The BLS median is a calibration anchor, not a ceiling. Use it to validate that an offer is in-band — anything well below the P25 in this state is a flag, anything above the P75 typically requires demonstrable specialty depth, niche credentials, or a high-COL metro within South Carolina.
Sources & methodology
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES), SOC 29-1123, 2024 reference period.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities, 2023 vintage (all-items, goods, services, rents).
- Real-wage figures = nominal BLS wage ÷ (state RPP / 100).
- See the methodology page for full computation details and limitations.
Cross-comparison: see how South Carolina PT pay ranks against the other 254 state × occupation pages on the Real Wage Atlas → — four-way ranking by real wage, after-tax take-home, state-tax savings, and cost-of-living arbitrage.