SOC 19-3051 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Urban and Regional Planners — Charleston
Charleston-North Charleston, SC · 4 metro areas compared
The median wage for Urban and Regional Planners in Charleston, SC is $74,840 per year, 16.2% below the national median of $89,320.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Urban and Regional Planners in Charleston, SC is $74,840 per year, 16.2% below the national median of $89,320. Pay ranges from under $59,380 at the tenth percentile to more than $102,500 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $63,860 to $91,710.
The area has 120 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 0.3 of every thousand jobs. Hilton Head Island leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $94,670. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 165th of 513 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $59,380 | −33.5% |
| 25th | $63,860 | −28.5% |
| Median (50th) | $74,840 | −16.2% |
| 75th | $91,710 | +2.7% |
| 90th | $102,500 | +14.8% |
| Mean | $80,280 | −10.1% |
Other metro areas in South Carolina
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hilton Head Island | $94,670 | 40 | |
| 2 | Greenville | $76,480 | 80 | |
| 3 | Spartanburg | $74,640 | 50 | |
| 4 | Columbia | $71,910 | 70 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Charleston run 6.3% below the national average, so the median of $74,840 goes as far as $79,872 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 10.6% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$74,840as reported by BLSLocal price level
93.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$79,872US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $74,840 a year, 16.2% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $59,380 to $102,500 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 120 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Hilton Head Island, at $94,670.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Urban and Regional Planners in Charleston, SC?
The median annual wage is $74,840, or $35.98 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $89,320, so pay in Charleston, SC is 16.2% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Charleston, SC earns more than $102,500 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $59,380 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Hilton Head Island, at $94,670 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 120 jobs in this occupation in Charleston, SC. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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