How Much Does an LPN Make in Charleston, SC in 2026?
Typical pay for LPNs in Charleston, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across South Carolina.
BLS OES May 2025 · Charleston · North Charleston metro area
A typical LPN in Charleston, South Carolina earns $30.82 per hour, or $64,100 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $5,342 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $49,210, and the top 10% of earners make over $76,350.
That pay is 4% above the South Carolina figure of $61,820 and right at the national figure of $64,400. Charleston ranks 3rd of 10 metro areas in South Carolina for LPN pay. About 1,480 LPNs work in the Charleston · North Charleston area. Charleston is part of the Charleston · North Charleston metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so North Charleston share these figures.
LPN pay in Charleston at a glance
- Typical pay is $30.82 an hour, or $64,100 a year.
- That is 4% above the South Carolina figure, ranking 3rd of 10 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $49,210; the top 10% make over $76,350.
- Typical pay rose +51% from 2015 to 2025, against +58% for South Carolina as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an LPN make in Charleston?
Pay in Charleston runs from entry-level positions at around $23.66 an hour to more than $36.71 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the South Carolina and national figures.
LPN pay by career stage in Charleston
| Career stage | Charleston | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $49,210$23.66 an hour | $50,370$24.22 an hour | $49,740$23.91 an hour |
| First years | $60,250$28.96 an hour | $57,390$27.59 an hour | $59,000$28.37 an hour |
| Typical LPN | $64,100$30.82 an hour | $61,820$29.72 an hour | $64,400$30.96 an hour |
| Experienced | $73,040$35.12 an hour | $71,220$34.24 an hour | $76,030$36.55 an hour |
| Top 10% | $76,350$36.71 an hour | $76,420$36.74 an hour | $83,440$40.12 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Charleston · North Charleston area as BLS defines it
LPN pay growth in Charleston
Typical (median) annual wage for LPNs in the Charleston · North Charleston area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical LPN pay in Charleston was $42,320 a year. By 2025 it had reached $64,100, a change of +51%, compared with +58% for South Carolina over the same years.
How Charleston compares with other South Carolina cities
Gastonia pays LPNs the most in South Carolina at $65,140 a year, $1,040 more than Charleston. The lowest-paying area in the state is Myrtle Beach at $58,930.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Charleston | LPNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gastonia metro incl. Concord | $65,140 | $31.32 | +2% | 3,890 |
| 2 | Bluffton metro incl. Hilton Head Island · Port Royal | $64,270 | $30.90 | 0% | 250 |
| 3 | Charleston metro incl. North Charleston | $64,100 | $30.82 | this city | 1,480 |
| 4 | Richmond County | $63,760 | $30.65 | -1% | 1,220 |
| 5 | Spartanburg | $63,390 | $30.48 | -1% | 430 |
| 6 | Sumter | $62,640 | $30.11 | -2% | 160 |
| 7 | Columbia | $62,110 | $29.86 | -3% | 1,600 |
| 8 | Greer metro incl. Anderson · Greenville | $61,960 | $29.79 | -3% | 1,680 |
| 9 | Florence | $59,700 | $28.70 | -7% | 680 |
| 10 | North Myrtle Beach metro incl. Conway · Myrtle Beach | $58,930 | $28.33 | -8% | 590 |
Every metro area in South Carolina with LPN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · South Carolina typical pay $61,820
Is Charleston a good place to work as an LPN?
LPN pay in Charleston sits close to the national figure: $64,100 a year, right at the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Charleston · North Charleston area, about 3.8 are LPN positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 4.2. LPN jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an LPN make in Charleston, SC?
- A typical LPN in Charleston earns $64,100 a year, or $30.82 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $49,210 and the top 10% earn over $76,350.
- How much does an LPN make an hour in Charleston?
- Typical hourly pay for LPNs in Charleston is $30.82. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $23.66, and the top 10% earn over $36.71 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an LPN in Charleston?
- Entry-level LPN positions in Charleston typically offer around $23.66 an hour, or $49,210 a year.
- Is LPN pay in Charleston higher than in the rest of South Carolina?
- Charleston pay is 4% above the South Carolina figure of $61,820 a year, ranking 3rd of 10 metro areas in the state. Gastonia pays the most in South Carolina at $65,140.