SOUTH CAROLINA PAYCHECK CALCULATOR

Our South Carolina Paycheck Calculator 2026 gives Palmetto State workers a fast, accurate snapshot of what their paycheck delivers after every required deduction. South Carolina is a state in active tax transition: its top income tax rate has been cut repeatedly from a high of 7% and now stands at 5.7% in 2026, with a legally mandated path toward a 4.99% floor still ahead. For most workers, the effective SC rate is well below the headline top rate once the state’s generous deductions — which mirror federal amounts — are factored in.

Enter your gross pay, select your pay frequency and filing status, and this calculator applies the correct 2026 South Carolina brackets, the SC standard deduction, the personal exemption, and all federal withholdings to deliver your verified take-home estimate.

Curious how South Carolina stacks up in the Southeast and beyond? Browse all states at our USA Paycheck Calculator hub, or compare directly with North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, or Tennessee.

What Comes Out of a South Carolina Paycheck in 2026

South Carolina's paycheck deduction list is one of the cleanest in the Southeast. There is no disability insurance withholding, no paid family leave deduction, and no local income tax at the city or county level anywhere in the state. Every South Carolina worker — whether in Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, or Myrtle Beach — faces exactly the same four statewide deductions:

• Federal Income Tax — Applied using the 2026 progressive schedule from 10% to 37%. After the federal standard deduction reduces the taxable base, the remaining income moves through the federal bracket tiers.
• Social Security — 6.2% on gross wages up to the 2026 annual ceiling of $176,100. Wages above that mark are Social Security-exempt for the rest of the calendar year.
• Medicare — 1.45% on all earned income with no cap. An additional 0.9% Medicare surtax applies to individual wages exceeding $200,000 per year.
• South Carolina State Income Tax — Three brackets at 0%, 3%, and 5.7%, applied after SC's standard deduction and personal exemption reduce the gross income figure. Because these deductions are identical to the federal amounts, workers who itemize federally will likely itemize at the state level too — but the standard deduction route covers the vast majority of SC filers.

South Carolina Income Tax Brackets 2026

South Carolina's three-bracket structure is one of the simplest active income tax systems in the country. The bottom tier is a 0% zone — meaning the first $3,460 of South Carolina taxable income is completely untaxed. The 3% middle tier covers a relatively narrow band. Above $17,330 of SC taxable income, every additional dollar is taxed at the current top rate of 5.7%:

Because the brackets apply to SC taxable income — not gross wages — the combined standard deduction and personal exemption dramatically shapes what actually enters each tier. A Single worker earning $70,000 gross first subtracts $15,000 (SC standard deduction) and $4,740 (personal exemption), arriving at $50,260 of SC taxable income. The first $3,460 of that is untaxed, the next $13,870 faces 3%, and the remaining $32,930 is taxed at 5.7%.

South Carolina's Rate Cut Journey — From 7% Toward 4.99%

South Carolina's income tax reform story is one of the more deliberate and legislatively structured rate-reduction programs in the Southeast. Act 228, signed into law in 2022, mapped out a path to take the top personal income tax rate from 7% all the way down to a 4.99% floor — conditional on the state meeting annual revenue benchmarks.

The progression has moved faster than the initial baseline schedule in some years due to strong state revenue performance:

Each step down in the top rate translates directly to real paycheck savings. A Single worker earning $100,000 in South Carolina saves approximately $195 per year for every 0.3 percentage point cut — meaning the cumulative reductions since the 7% era have already put well over $1,000 back into high-income South Carolina paychecks annually. When the rate eventually reaches 4.99%, the total savings versus the old 7% rate on a $100,000 salary will approach $2,000 per year.

The Federal Deduction Mirror — South Carolina's Big Advantage

One of the most taxpayer-friendly design choices in South Carolina's income tax is that the state mirrors the federal standard deduction exactly. Single filers deduct $15,000, MFJ filers deduct $30,000, and HOH filers deduct $22,500 before South Carolina's brackets are even consulted. On top of that, South Carolina provides its own personal exemption of approximately $4,740 per filer.

The practical result: a Single worker on $70,000 has only $50,260 of SC taxable income — not $70,000. That $19,740 removed from the taxable base saves the worker $1,125 in SC state tax at the 5.7% rate (compared to if the state applied its rate to gross wages like Pennsylvania does). This federal-mirror design makes South Carolina substantially more generous than peer Southern states that use smaller, independent deduction amounts.

South Carolina vs Southeast Neighbors — Paycheck Comparison at $70,000

South Carolina's geographic position in the Southeast puts it alongside states with a wide spectrum of income tax approaches. Here is how the state income tax burden compares for a Single filer earning $70,000:

South Carolina's $2,293 state tax at $70,000 Single is lower than neighboring North Carolina (despite SC's higher top rate) because SC's larger deductions — particularly the federal-mirrored $15,000 standard deduction — shrink the taxable base substantially. Against Florida and Tennessee, which have no wage income tax, South Carolina workers pay roughly $2,293 more in state tax annually on a $70,000 salary — the full SC income tax bill with no offset.

No Local Income Tax Anywhere in South Carolina

Unlike Pennsylvania (where nearly every municipality levies a local earned income tax) or Maryland (where every county charges a local income tax surcharge), South Carolina permits no local income taxes at the city or county level. A worker earning $70,000 in Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Greenville, or Hilton Head pays exactly the same South Carolina income tax — the statewide rate applies uniformly with no geographic surcharge.

This simplicity is a genuine advantage for workers evaluating where to live and work in the Carolinas. Moving across the state for a job does not change the income tax calculation at all, and workers with multiple job sites within South Carolina face no complicated local apportionment rules.

2026 Federal Tax Brackets for South Carolina Workers

Federal income tax applies identically to South Carolina employees as everywhere else. After the 2026 federal standard deduction, taxable income passes through these tiers for Single filers:

• 10% on the first $11,925 of taxable income
• 12% from $11,925 to $48,475
• 22% from $48,475 to $103,350
• 24% from $103,350 to $197,300
• 32% from $197,300 to $250,525
• 35% from $250,525 to $626,350
• 37% on taxable income above $626,350

South Carolina Paycheck Calculator FAQs

What is South Carolina's income tax rate in 2026?
South Carolina uses three brackets in 2026: 0% on the first $3,460 of SC taxable income, 3% on $3,460–$17,330, and 5.7% above $17,330. The top rate is being reduced annually under Act 228 of 2022, with 4.99% as the stated target floor.

What is deducted from a South Carolina paycheck in 2026?
Federal income tax (10%–37%), Social Security at 6.2% up to the $176,100 wage base, Medicare at 1.45% plus 0.9% above $200,000, and South Carolina state income tax at 0%–5.7%. There is no SDI, TDI, paid family leave contribution, or local income tax anywhere in South Carolina.

Does South Carolina match the federal standard deduction?
Yes. SC uses the same standard deduction amounts as the federal government — $15,000 for Single, $30,000 for MFJ, and $22,500 for HOH in 2026. On top of that, SC provides a personal exemption of approximately $4,740 per filer ($9,480 for MFJ). Both deductions reduce SC taxable income before brackets apply.

How much will I take home on a $70,000 salary in South Carolina?
Filing as Single on $70,000, you would owe approximately $7,014 in federal income tax, $5,355 in FICA, and $2,293 in South Carolina state income tax — producing an estimated annual take-home of about $55,338, or roughly $4,611 per month. Use the calculator above for your precise figures.

When will South Carolina reach its 4.99% income tax target?
South Carolina's Act 228 does not set a fixed year for reaching 4.99% — instead, the reduction schedule depends on annual revenue benchmarks. Given strong revenue performance in recent years, cuts have arrived at or faster than the baseline schedule. If that pace continues, the 4.99% floor could be reached within a few years, but the exact timeline remains tied to legislative review each year.

Does South Carolina have any local income taxes?
No. South Carolina does not authorize any city, county, or local government to impose an income tax on wages. Every South Carolina worker pays the same statewide flat and bracket rates regardless of municipality.

Run your South Carolina estimate again any time: South Carolina Paycheck Calculator 2026