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

A typical Rad Tech in South Carolina earns about $33.46 per hour ($69,600 per year), according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). That works out to roughly $5,800 a month. Weekly pay lands near $1,338, a figure calculated from the annual number rather than reported directly.

That pay runs 13% below the national figure of $80,110 a year. South Carolina ranks 43rd out of 51 states and territories tracked, a position toward the lower end nationally. Around 3,630 Rad Techs work across the state, giving a sense of scale for how many people share this pay range.

Entry-level positions in South Carolina typically offer around $24.94 an hour, or about $51,860 a year. Pay tends to move toward the typical $69,600 figure within the first few years on the job. New technologists build toward that level as they gain hands-on experience and take on more complex imaging work.

Experienced Rad Techs in South Carolina often earn upwards of $82,560 a year, and the top 10% of earners make over $96,020. That puts the highest earners well above the state's typical pay of $69,600. The gap between entry-level and top pay comes to $44,160, a spread shaped mostly by years on the job, work setting, and which city a technologist works in.

South Carolina's typical Rad Tech pay climbed from $54,120 in 2019 to $69,600 in 2025, a gain of $15,480. That works out to a 29% rise over six years, with steady increases recorded in nearly every year along the way. The single largest jump came between 2024 and 2025, when pay rose by $4,500.

Nationally, Rad Tech pay rose 32% over the same stretch, so South Carolina's gain trailed the country's by a few points. Even so, pay in the state moved up in every year of the decade with no declines recorded. Someone starting now enters a field where earnings have consistently trended higher, though no specific future increase is guaranteed.

Pay runs highest in the Gastonia metro area, where Rad Techs typically earn $78,950 a year, about 13% above the state figure. The Myrtle Beach area follows at $75,570, and Columbia comes in at $74,080. Charleston and North Charleston pay somewhat less, with typical earnings around $72,730.

At the lower end, the Richmond County metro area pays Rad Techs a typical $64,190 a year, putting the full city spread at $14,760. Gastonia also holds the largest Rad Tech workforce among the state's metro areas, with 2,470 employed there. City figures cover each area's full metro region, and lower pay in some cities usually lines up with a lower cost of living.

South Carolina's typical Rad Tech pay trails both of its neighbors. Georgia pays about $74,550 a year, 7% higher than South Carolina, and North Carolina pays a similar $74,450, also about 7% higher. For someone weighing a move, both states offer a modest step up in typical pay. Licensure earned in South Carolina can often be transferred or endorsed into a neighboring state, though requirements vary.

A typical Rad Tech in South Carolina earns $69,600 a year, up $15,480 from 2019, reflecting a decade of steady gains even though the state still trails the national figure. Readers considering the field can check South Carolina's licensing board for state requirements and the ARRT registry for national certification details. City pages offer more detail on local pay in places like Gastonia, Myrtle Beach, and Columbia.