Columbia, SC metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a laborer or material mover make in Columbia, SC?

In the Columbia, SC metropolitan area, laborers or material movers earned a median of $37,530 a year ($18.04 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 9,410 of these jobs there. That is 19% below the $46,430 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $29,800 and $47,440; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and South Carolina tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,887 in take-home pay.

Laborer or material mover pay in Columbia, SC at a glance

Median salary

$37,530$18.04 per hour · $3,128 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$29,800$14.33/hr
25th percentile$34,820$16.74/hr
75th percentile$45,970$22.10/hr
90th percentile$47,440$22.81/hr
Jobs in this metro9,410Location quotient 1.26 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here19% belowAll-jobs median $46,430
Against South Carolinaabout the same asStatewide median $37,530
Against the U.S.7% belowNational median $40,240

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.

Laborer or material mover salary in Columbia, SC after taxes

$37,530
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$37,530
Net 85%
Fed 6%
SC 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,887After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,657Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,226Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,324 / yr
South Carolina state income tax$448 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,871 / yr

Laborers or material movers 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 laborers or material movers earned in the Columbia, SC metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (SC)
10th percentile$14.33/hr$2,483$29,800$25,830
25th percentile$16.74/hr$2,902$34,820$29,763
MedianMedian$18.04/hr$3,128$37,530$31,887
75th percentile$22.10/hr$3,831$45,970$38,385
90th percentile$22.81/hr$3,953$47,440$39,469

Is $37,530 a good salary in Columbia, SC?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for laborers or material movers 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 household54.9%of area median income

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

Laborer or material mover pay in Columbia, SC: common questions

What is the median salary for laborers or material movers in Columbia, SC?

The BLS median annual wage for laborers or material movers in the Columbia, SC metro area was $37,530 in May 2025, about $3,128 a month or $18.04 an hour. Statewide, the South Carolina median for this job is $37,530, so the metro pays about the same as the state.

What is the hourly pay for laborers or material movers in Columbia, SC?

The median hourly wage for laborers or material movers in Columbia, SC was $18.04 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.33 an hour and one in ten earned more than $22.81.

How many laborers or material movers work in Columbia, SC?

BLS estimated 9,410 jobs for laborers or material movers in the metro in May 2025, or 23.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.26 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for laborers or material movers in Columbia, SC?

BLS wage estimates for laborers or material movers in Columbia, SC run from $29,800 at the 10th percentile to $34,820 at the 25th, $45,970 at the 75th, and $47,440 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do laborers or material movers take home after taxes in Columbia, SC?

On a median gross salary of $37,530, an estimated $31,887 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,226 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in South Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,643 (an effective rate of 15%).

How much do laborers or material movers make per month in Columbia, SC?

On the median annual salary of $37,530, gross monthly income is $3,128. After federal, FICA, and South Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,657 per month (or $1,226 every two weeks).

Is $37,530 a good salary in Columbia, SC?

At $37,530, the median salary for laborers or material movers is 54.9% of the Columbia, SC median household income ($68,359). It is 19% 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.