South Carolina Minimum Wage for 2023, 2024
Contents :: South Carolina Minimum Wage
South Carolina's state minimum wage rate is $7.25 per hour. This is the same as the current Federal Minimum Wage rate. The minimum wage applies to most employees in South Carolina, with limited exceptions including tipped employees, some student workers, and other exempt occupations.†
The South Carolina minimum wage was last changed in 2008, when it was raised $0.70 from $6.55 to $7.25.
The current minimum wage in South Carolina is $7.25 per hour. South Carolina has no state-specific minimum wage law, instead adopting the Federal Minimum Wage by reference.
South Carolina employers may not pay you under $7.25 per hour unless you or your occupation are specifically exempt from the minimum wage under state or federal law.
If you have questions about the South Carolina minimum wage, please ask us and someone will respond to you as soon as possible. Looking for a new job? Use the free South Carolina job search utility to find local job openings hiring now.
All South Carolina employers must display an approved South Carolina minimum wage poster in a prominent place to inform employees about the minimum wage and their worker's rights under South Carolina labor law.
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South Carolina Minimum Wage & Labor Law Posters
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and South Carolina labor law requires all employers in South Carolina to visibly display an approved South Carolina minimum wage poster, and other South Carolina and federal labor law posters, to ensure that all employees are aware of federal and South Carolina labor law and overtime regulations. Failure to display a South Carolina labor law poster in the workplace can result in severe fines.
Get a South Carolina all-in-one labor law poster 
Instead of printing out pages of mandatory South Carolina and Federal labor law posters, you can purchase a professional, laminated all-in-one labor law poster that guarantees compliance with all South Carolina and federal posting requirements. Fully updated for December 2017!
Get All-In-One Poster NowThe South Carolina minimum wage poster, and additional required South Carolina labor law posters, are also available on the South Carolina labor law posters download page.
South Carolina Overtime Minimum Wage
All workers who put in over 40 weekly hours are entitled to a minimum wage of at least 1.5 times the regular applicable minimum wage (learn more about South Carolina overtime pay). Some states require workers who work over a certain number of daily hours to be eligible for this overtime rate as well (South Carolina law does not specify a daily overtime limit).
The FLSA guarantees all SC employees adequate overtime compensation for all qualifying overtime hours worked. If your employer does not pay adequate overtime wages, you can file an unpaid overtime claim with the South Carolina Department of Labor.
South Carolina Minimum Wage Exemptions
In addition to any South Carolina-specific minimum wage exemptions described above, the Federal Fair Labor Standards act defines special minimum wage rates applicable to certain types of workers. You may be paid under the South Carolina minimum wage if you fit into one of the following categories:
- South Carolina Under 20 Minimum Wage - $4.25 - Federal law allows any employer in South Carolina to pay a new employee who is under 20 years of age a training wage of $4.25 per hour for the first 90 days of employment.
- South Carolina Student Minimum Wage - $6.16 - Full-time high school or college students who work part-time may be paid 85% of the South Carolina minimum wage (as little as $6.16 per hour) for up to 20 hours of work per week at certain employers (such as work-study programs at universities).
- South Carolina Tipped Minimum Wage - See Here - Employees who earn a certain amount of tips every month may be paid a lower cash minimum wage, but must earn at least $7.25 including tips every hour. For more details, read about the South Carolina tipped minimum wage.
Frequently Asked Questions - South Carolina Minimum Wage & Labor Law
- What is the South Carolina minimum wage?
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The current South Carolina minimum wage of $7.25 per hour is the lowest amount a non-exempt employee in South Carolina can legally be paid for hourly work. Special minimum wage rates, such as the "South Carolina waitress minimum wage" for tipped employees, may apply to certain workers.[1]
- How much will I earn working a minimum wage jobin South Carolina?
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A full time minimum wage worker in South Carolina working 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, will earn $58.00 per day, $290.00 per week, and $15,080.00 per year1. The national poverty line for a family unit consisting of two people is $16,020.00 per year.
- What is the South Carolina under 18 minimum wage?
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South Carolina employers may pay 18 year olds and minors the youth minimum wage of $4.25 for the first 90 days of employment. Other labor law exemptions for minors in South Carolina may exist.
- I still can't find the answer to my question about the South Carolina minimum wage!
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If you have read the FAQ and still cannot find the information you need, please contact us with your question.
1 These earnings estimates do not account for the South Carolina income tax , federal income tax, or local/municipal income taxes.
2 Poverty line for a family of two in the lower 48 published 2016 by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Labor Law Footnotes, Sources & Citations:
- The weekly earnings estimate of $290.00 is based on a standard 40-hour workweek
- The yearly earnings estimate of $15,080.00 is based on 52 standard 40-hour work weeks. Since most hourly employees don't work full time and/or take time off, actual yearly earnings will likely be lower.