Columbia, SC metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a receptionist make in Columbia, SC?

In the Columbia, SC metropolitan area, receptionists earned a median of $35,530 a year ($17.08 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,880 of these jobs there. That is 23% below the $46,430 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $22,540 and $46,820; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and South Carolina tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $30,320 in take-home pay.

Receptionist pay in Columbia, SC at a glance

Median salary

$35,530$17.08 per hour · $2,961 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$22,540$10.84/hr
25th percentile$28,670$13.78/hr
75th percentile$39,340$18.91/hr
90th percentile$46,820$22.51/hr
Jobs in this metro1,880Location quotient 0.82 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here23% belowAll-jobs median $46,430
Against South Carolinaabout the same asStatewide median $35,510
Against the U.S.7% belowNational median $38,010

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.

Receptionist salary in Columbia, SC after taxes

$35,530
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$35,530
Net 85%
Fed 6%
SC 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$30,320After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,527Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,166Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,084 / yr
South Carolina state income tax$409 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,718 / yr

Receptionists 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 receptionists earned in the Columbia, SC metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (SC)
10th percentile$10.84/hr$1,878$22,540$20,022
25th percentile$13.78/hr$2,389$28,670$24,944
MedianMedian$17.08/hr$2,961$35,530$30,320
75th percentile$18.91/hr$3,278$39,340$33,305
90th percentile$22.51/hr$3,902$46,820$39,011

Is $35,530 a good salary in Columbia, SC?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for receptionists 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 household52%of area median income

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

Receptionist pay in Columbia, SC: common questions

What is the median salary for receptionists in Columbia, SC?

The BLS median annual wage for receptionists in the Columbia, SC metro area was $35,530 in May 2025, about $2,961 a month or $17.08 an hour. Statewide, the South Carolina median for this job is $35,510, so the metro pays about the same as the state.

What is the hourly pay for receptionists in Columbia, SC?

The median hourly wage for receptionists in Columbia, SC was $17.08 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.84 an hour and one in ten earned more than $22.51.

How many receptionists work in Columbia, SC?

BLS estimated 1,880 jobs for receptionists in the metro in May 2025, or 4.8 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.82 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for receptionists in Columbia, SC?

BLS wage estimates for receptionists in Columbia, SC run from $22,540 at the 10th percentile to $28,670 at the 25th, $39,340 at the 75th, and $46,820 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

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

On a median gross salary of $35,530, an estimated $30,320 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,166 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in South Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,210 (an effective rate of 14.7%).

How much do receptionists make per month in Columbia, SC?

On the median annual salary of $35,530, gross monthly income is $2,961. After federal, FICA, and South Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,527 per month (or $1,166 every two weeks).

Is $35,530 a good salary in Columbia, SC?

At $35,530, the median salary for receptionists is 52% of the Columbia, SC median household income ($68,359). It is 23% 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.