Columbia, SC metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a construction laborer make in Columbia, SC?

In the Columbia, SC metropolitan area, construction laborers earned a median of $42,630 a year ($20.49 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 2,610 of these jobs there. That is 8% below the $46,430 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $30,300 and $62,420; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and South Carolina tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $35,869 in take-home pay.

Construction laborer pay in Columbia, SC at a glance

Median salary

$42,630$20.49 per hour · $3,553 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$30,300$14.57/hr
25th percentile$36,400$17.50/hr
75th percentile$48,160$23.15/hr
90th percentile$62,420$30.01/hr
Jobs in this metro2,610Location quotient 0.94 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here8% belowAll-jobs median $46,430
Against South Carolina1% belowStatewide median $42,940
Against the U.S.10% belowNational median $47,120

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Construction laborer salary in Columbia, SC after taxes

$42,630
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$42,630
Net 84%
Fed 7%
SC 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$35,869After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,989Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,380Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,936 / yr
South Carolina state income tax$564 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,261 / yr

Construction laborers pay range in Columbia, SC, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Columbia, SC metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What construction laborers earned in the Columbia, SC metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (SC)
10th percentile$14.57/hr$2,525$30,300$26,222
25th percentile$17.50/hr$3,033$36,400$31,002
MedianMedian$20.49/hr$3,553$42,630$35,869
75th percentile$23.15/hr$4,013$48,160$39,999
90th percentile$30.01/hr$5,202$62,420$50,512

Is $42,630 a good salary in Columbia, SC?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for construction laborers next to both.

Median household income$68,359Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)93.76.3% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household62.4%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

Construction laborer pay in Columbia, SC: common questions

What is the median salary for construction laborers in Columbia, SC?

The BLS median annual wage for construction laborers in the Columbia, SC metro area was $42,630 in May 2025, about $3,553 a month or $20.49 an hour. Statewide, the South Carolina median for this job is $42,940, so the metro pays 1% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for construction laborers in Columbia, SC?

The median hourly wage for construction laborers in Columbia, SC was $20.49 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.57 an hour and one in ten earned more than $30.01.

How many construction laborers work in Columbia, SC?

BLS estimated 2,610 jobs for construction laborers in the metro in May 2025, or 6.6 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.94 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for construction laborers in Columbia, SC?

BLS wage estimates for construction laborers in Columbia, SC run from $30,300 at the 10th percentile to $36,400 at the 25th, $48,160 at the 75th, and $62,420 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do construction laborers take home after taxes in Columbia, SC?

On a median gross salary of $42,630, an estimated $35,869 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,380 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in South Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,761 (an effective rate of 15.9%).

How much do construction laborers make per month in Columbia, SC?

On the median annual salary of $42,630, gross monthly income is $3,553. After federal, FICA, and South Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,989 per month (or $1,380 every two weeks).

Is $42,630 a good salary in Columbia, SC?

At $42,630, the median salary for construction laborers is 62.4% of the Columbia, SC median household income ($68,359). It is 8% below the $46,430 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 93.7, so prices here run 6.3% below the U.S. average.