What do the trades pay in South Carolina?
Median hourly pay, May 20251. Pick a trade for training, pay and the license.
Electrician
Wiring, panels and fixtures
$28.24/hrSouth Carolina median
Plumber
Water, drain and gas lines
$25.93/hrSouth Carolina median
HVAC tech
Heating, cooling and ductwork
$27.22/hrSouth Carolina median
Roofer
New roofs and repairs
$22.00/hrSouth Carolina median
General contractor
Runs the job and the crews
$36.23/hrSouth Carolina median, construction supervisors
Is there work in South Carolina?
Construction jobs in South Carolina, September 2026: 130,200, up 4.4% from a year earlier.
BLS Current Employment Statistics, Sep 2026New homes permitted in South Carolina, September 2026: 3,530, down 1.0% from a year earlier.
Census Building Permits Survey, Sep 2026People working in these five trades in South Carolina: 34,700.
BLS OEWS, May 2025Who licenses contractors in South Carolina?
South Carolina licenses general contractors and the electrical, plumbing, HVAC and roofing trades at the state level.2
- ElectricalState licenseSC Contractors' Licensing Board (LLR)
- PlumbingState licenseSC Contractors' Licensing Board (LLR)
- HVACState licenseSC Contractors' Licensing Board (LLR)
- RoofingState licenseSC Residential Builders Commission (LLR)
- General contractorState licenseSC Contractors' Licensing Board (LLR)
Check a South Carolina contractor
Search the license on the board's own site.
Training near you
Apprentices are hired first and paid while they learn on the job and in class. Trade school comes first and charges tuition.
Apprenticeships in South Carolina
Trade schools in South Carolina
Where to train and find work near you
Union locals take apprenticeship applications and send members out to union contractors. Open-shop chapters run apprenticeship classes for the people their member contractors hire.
IBEW union locals
- IBEW Local 776Charleston(843) 554-1080
- IBEW Local 379Office in Charlotte, NC(704) 455-4595
- IBEW Local 508Office in Savannah, GA(912) 964-5080
- IBEW Local 1579Office in Augusta, GA(706) 722-6357
Electrical training centers (JATCs)
- Charleston Area Elec. JATC3350 Hill Park Drive Ste E, North Charleston(843) 990-9984
IEC chapters (open shop)
No IEC chapter lists an office in South Carolina. Chapters cover several states; the finder shows each one's area. IEC chapter finder
UA union locals
- UA Local 421North Charleston(843) 554-3655
Training
UA apprenticeships run through a joint committee of the local and union contractors. Call the local for the next application date.
PHCC chapters
No PHCC chapter lists an office in South Carolina. PHCC chapter finder
SMART union locals
- SMART Local 399North Charleston(843) 554-4418
Sheet metal training centers
- Charleston Area Sheet Metal Workers JATC1907 Hampton St., Walterboro(803) 508-3693
PHCC chapters (heating, cooling, plumbing)
No PHCC chapter lists an office in South Carolina. ACCA member contractors near you
Pipefitters and HVAC service techs also apprentice through the UA: UA locals in South Carolina.
Carpenters union locals
No Carpenters local has its office in South Carolina. Search the Carpenters local union finder.
Training
Union carpentry apprenticeships run through the regional council's training centers. Carpenters regional council finder
Home builder associations
- HBA of South Carolina625 Taylor St, Columbia(803) 771-7408
- HBA of Anderson1924 McConnell Springs Rd, Anderson(864) 226-0347
- Home Builders Association of the Low CountryPO Box 30428, Charleston(843) 572-1414
- HBA of the Midlands625 Taylor Street, Columbia(803) 256-6238
- Horry-Georgetown HBA728 E Highway 501, Conway(843) 438-4124
- HBA of Greater Pee DeePO Box 13494, Florence(843) 250-5885
8 more chapters
- HBA of Cherokee CountyPO Box 218, Gaffney(864) 489-3477
- HBA of Greenville5 Creekside Park Ct Ste A, Greenville(864) 254-0133
- Lakelands Home Builders AssociationPO Box 3194, Greenwood(864) 229-7722
- HBA of Lancaster Cty.305 W Dunlap St C, Lancaster(803) 285-2600
- HBA of Orangeburg-Bamberg-CalhounPO Box 870, Orangeburg(803) 378-6786
- HBA of York County IncPO Box 2881, Rock Hill(803) 328-8460
- Home Builders Association of OconeePO Box 337, Seneca(864) 882-1657
- HBA of Spartanburg341 E Kennedy St, Spartanburg(864) 583-5471
Roofers union locals
No Roofers local has its office in South Carolina. Search the Roofers union website.
Training
Roofers locals run their apprenticeship through a joint committee with union contractors.
Contractor associations
The national trade group for roofing contractors is the National Roofing Contractors Association.
Trade schools: where to apply
- Greenville Technical College506 S Pleasantburg Dr, GreenvilleElectrical programHVAC programConstruction program
- Horry-Georgetown Technical College2050 Highway 501 East, Conway
- Midlands Technical College1260 Lexington Drive, West ColumbiaElectrical programHVAC programConstruction program
- Piedmont Technical College620 North Emerald Road, Greenwood
- York Technical College452 S Anderson Rd, Rock Hill
- Trident Technical College7000 Rivers Avenue, CharlestonElectrical programConstruction program
Sources
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, South Carolina, May 2025 (bls.gov, May 2025)
- SC Contractors' Licensing Board (LLR) (llr.sc.gov)
- South Carolina lien law: S.C. Code 29-5-90 (scstatehouse.gov)
- U.S. Department of Labor, apprenticeship.gov registered apprenticeship partners (apprenticeship.gov)
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (field of study and institution data) (collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- BLS Current Employment Statistics, Sep 2026 (bls.gov)
- Census Building Permits Survey, Sep 2026 (census.gov)
- SC Residential Builders Commission (LLR) (llr.sc.gov)