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Columbia, SC metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a medical secretary make in Columbia, SC?

In the Columbia, SC metropolitan area, medical secretaries earned a median of $40,160 a year ($19.31 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 2,230 of these jobs there. That is 14% below the $46,430 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $34,480 and $51,360; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and South Carolina tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $33,947 in take-home pay.

Medical secretary pay in Columbia, SC at a glance

Median salary

$40,160$19.31 per hour · $3,347 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$34,480$16.58/hr
25th percentile$36,390$17.49/hr
75th percentile$45,400$21.83/hr
90th percentile$51,360$24.69/hr
Jobs in this metro2,230Location quotient 0.91 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here14% belowAll-jobs median $46,430
Against South Carolinaabout the same asStatewide median $40,170
Against the U.S.13% belowNational median $45,930

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

Take-home payWhat $40,000 a year leaves after tax in South CarolinaFederal tax, FICA and South Carolina withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$19 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $40,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $40,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation South Carolina publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about South Carolina.

Medical secretary salary in Columbia, SC after taxes

$40,160
$15,000$85,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$40,160
Net 85%
Fed 7%
SC 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$33,947After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,829Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,306Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,639 / yr
South Carolina state income tax$501 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,072 / yr
Customize deductions in full South Carolina calculator

Medical secretaries 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 medical secretaries earned in the Columbia, SC metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (SC)
10th percentile$16.58/hr$2,873$34,480$29,497
25th percentile$17.49/hr$3,033$36,390$30,994
MedianMedian$19.31/hr$3,347$40,160$33,947
75th percentile$21.83/hr$3,783$45,400$37,964
90th percentile$24.69/hr$4,280$51,360$42,358

Is $40,160 a good salary in Columbia, SC?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for medical secretaries 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 household58.7%of area median income

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

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Medical secretaries pay in other South Carolina metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Columbia, SC. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Medical secretary pay in Columbia, SC: common questions

What is the median salary for medical secretaries in Columbia, SC?

The BLS median annual wage for medical secretaries in the Columbia, SC metro area was $40,160 in May 2025, about $3,347 a month or $19.31 an hour. Statewide, the South Carolina median for this job is $40,170, so the metro pays about the same as the state.

What is the hourly pay for medical secretaries in Columbia, SC?

The median hourly wage for medical secretaries in Columbia, SC was $19.31 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $16.58 an hour and one in ten earned more than $24.69.

How many medical secretaries work in Columbia, SC?

BLS estimated 2,230 jobs for medical secretaries in the metro in May 2025, or 5.7 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.91 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for medical secretaries in Columbia, SC?

BLS wage estimates for medical secretaries in Columbia, SC run from $34,480 at the 10th percentile to $36,390 at the 25th, $45,400 at the 75th, and $51,360 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do medical secretaries take home after taxes in Columbia, SC?

On a median gross salary of $40,160, an estimated $33,947 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,306 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in South Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,213 (an effective rate of 15.5%).

How much do medical secretaries make per month in Columbia, SC?

On the median annual salary of $40,160, gross monthly income is $3,347. After federal, FICA, and South Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,829 per month (or $1,306 every two weeks).

Is $40,160 a good salary in Columbia, SC?

At $40,160, the median salary for medical secretaries is 58.7% of the Columbia, SC median household income ($68,359). It is 14% 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.