How Much Does a Pharmacy Tech Make in South Carolina in 2026?

A typical Pharmacy Tech in South Carolina earns about $20.25 per hour ($42,120 per year), according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). That works out to roughly $3,510 a month and $810 a week, figures calculated from the annual median. Pharmacy technicians in the state work in retail pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics under this pay range.

That pay sits 8% below the national typical figure of $45,750 for Pharmacy Techs. South Carolina ranks 39th out of 51 states and the District of Columbia for Pharmacy Tech pay. About 8,070 people work as Pharmacy Techs across the state, giving a sense of scale to these figures.

Entry-level Pharmacy Tech positions in South Carolina typically offer around $17.07 an hour, or about $35,500 a year. Pay tends to rise toward the statewide typical figure of $20.25 an hour within the first few years on the job. New hires in hospital settings sometimes start closer to this higher range than those in retail pharmacies.

Experienced Pharmacy Techs in South Carolina often earn upwards of $24.55 an hour, and the top 10% of earners make over $51,060 a year. That's a spread of $15,560 between entry-level and top pay. The gap usually comes down to years of experience, work setting, and which city the job is in, with hospital and specialty pharmacy roles often paying more than general retail positions.

South Carolina Pharmacy Tech pay rose from $28,950 in 2015 to $42,120 in 2025, a gain of $13,170 over the decade. That's a 45% increase in pay for the profession statewide. The rise was not perfectly even year to year, but each year since 2015 has shown a higher figure than the one before it.

Nationally, Pharmacy Tech pay climbed 50% over the same ten years, a slightly faster pace than South Carolina's 45% rise. Pay for the profession has moved up steadily in the state, though there's no guarantee that pace continues. Someone starting as a Pharmacy Tech in South Carolina today enters a field where pay has trended upward for a decade.

Pay for Pharmacy Techs runs highest in the Gastonia area, where the typical figure reaches $46,220 a year, measured across the full metro area, about 10% above the South Carolina figure. Concord matches that same $46,220 figure. Charleston and North Charleston follow close behind at $45,690 a year, with Greenville, Greer, and Anderson close after that at $45,590.

Sumter posts the lowest figure among South Carolina's listed cities at $38,820 a year, putting the spread between the highest- and lowest-paying cities at $7,400. Gastonia also holds the largest Pharmacy Tech workforce among the cities listed, with 3,970 workers. Higher pay in cities like Gastonia and Charleston generally lines up with a higher cost of living, so a bigger paycheck there doesn't always stretch further than a smaller one in Sumter or Columbia.

South Carolina's Pharmacy Tech pay compares closely with its neighbors. North Carolina pays somewhat more, with a typical figure of $44,530 a year, about 6% above South Carolina's figure. Georgia sits nearly even, at $41,910 a year, close to South Carolina's own figure. Pharmacy Tech licensure or registration in one of these states can often be transferred or endorsed into a neighboring state, which can simplify a move across state lines.

South Carolina Pharmacy Techs typically earn $42,120 a year ($20.25 an hour) today, up 45% from a decade ago. That upward trend has held steady since 2015, even as the state trails the national figure. Readers considering the field can check South Carolina's pharmacy technician registration requirements for licensing details, and look at individual city pages for local pay figures in places like Charleston, Columbia, or Greenville.