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Charleston engineer salary

Estimate

Updated March 2025

What engineers earn in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro, with a full breakdown by role.

Typical pay

$113,317

Charleston

Top earners

$162,727

Higher end

vs national

-6% vs national

U.S. $120,395

State

SC

South Carolina

Engineers in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro earn an estimated $113,317, -6% vs national, with top earners near $162,727. See the full breakdown by role below, or estimate your own total compensation — the number sharpens as local engineers contribute.

Engineering pay by role in Charleston

Estimated pay for each discipline in Charleston. Filter the list or open a role for the full picture.

18results

What affects engineering pay in Charleston

  • ▹Local market. Charleston pay runs -6% vs national for the typical engineer, usually above the South Carolina statewide estimate.
  • ▹Industry concentration.A metro's dominant employers (tech, defense, energy, healthcare) shift which engineering disciplines command a premium locally.
  • ▹Experience & specialization. Seniority and in-demand skills swing pay well beyond the metro median — see the role table above and the calculator.
  • ▹Remote work.Remote offers may anchor to a company's HQ market rather than Charleston, raising or lowering local pay.

Other South Carolina metros

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Engineer salaries in Charleston — FAQ

How much do engineers make in Charleston?
Engineers in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro earn a blended median of $113,317 per year — 6% below the national average — across 9 engineering occupations and 6,570 local jobs. There is no single BLS "engineer" occupation, so this blends the published medians of the engineering occupations reported for the area, weighted by local employment (BLS OEWS May 2024).
What is the highest-paying engineering role in Charleston?
Engineering Managers have the highest published median in Charleston, at $168,290 per year (BLS OEWS May 2024). Local industry concentration shifts which disciplines command the biggest premium.
How does engineering pay in Charleston compare to the national average?
The Charleston engineering median of $113,317 is 6% below the national average of $120,395, against a South Carolina statewide blend of $104,836.
Source details

BLS publishes no single "engineer" occupation. This blends the published medians of 9 engineering occupations in Charleston-North Charleston, SC, weighted by local employment (6,570 jobs).

Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →

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