Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
South Carolina employs 12,330 Life, Physical & Social Science professionals across 32 occupations. Explore salary ranges, top paying jobs, and career opportunities within the Life, Physical & Social Science industry.
The best-compensated occupations within Life, Physical & Social Science in South Carolina, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Life, Physical & Social Science industry in South Carolina, sorted by median salary (highest to lowest). Click any job title for state-specific salary details.
| # | Job Title | Median Salary | Mean Salary | Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Physicists | $138,400 | $159,280 | 420 | $66/hr |
| 2 | Biochemists and Biophysicists | $109,080 | $110,710 | 60 | $52/hr |
| 3 | Food Scientists and Technologists | $108,660 | $111,910 | 90 | $52/hr |
| 4 | Nuclear Technicians | $108,490 | $108,360 | 750 | $52/hr |
| 5 | Materials Scientists | $101,930 | $105,730 | 80 | $49/hr |
| 6 | Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $92,700 | $91,790 | N/A | $44/hr |
| 7 | Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | $88,080 | $93,740 | 2,170 | $42/hr |
| 8 | Foresters | $86,780 | $84,380 | 250 | $41/hr |
| 9 | Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | $86,070 | $91,120 | 230 | $41/hr |
| 10 | Epidemiologists | $84,660 | $83,900 | 50 | $40/hr |
| 11 | Atmospheric and Space Scientists | $82,240 | $93,390 | 150 | $39/hr |
| 12 | Chemists | $79,670 | $90,130 | 770 | $38/hr |
| 13 | Soil and Plant Scientists | $78,850 | $77,940 | 90 | $37/hr |
| 14 | School Psychologists | $76,720 | $77,900 | 720 | $36/hr |
| 15 | Urban and Regional Planners | $75,810 | $79,550 | 530 | $36/hr |
| 16 | Chemical Technicians | $75,020 | $68,300 | 2,080 | $36/hr |
| 17 | Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $74,910 | $83,920 | 490 | $36/hr |
| 18 | Hydrologists | $65,770 | $74,660 | 100 | $31/hr |
| 19 | Microbiologists | $64,740 | $72,030 | 100 | $31/hr |
| 20 | Social Science Research Assistants | $64,490 | $73,790 | 500 | $31/hr |
| 21 | Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists | $64,090 | $70,430 | 250 | $30/hr |
| 22 | Anthropologists and Archeologists | $63,130 | $69,930 | 50 | $30/hr |
| 23 | Occupational Health and Safety Technicians | $58,490 | $63,720 | 420 | $28/hr |
| 24 | Forest and Conservation Technicians | $55,910 | $59,070 | 180 | $26/hr |
| 25 | Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians | $53,160 | $55,830 | 90 | $25/hr |
| 26 | Biological Technicians | $53,040 | $54,730 | 550 | $25/hr |
| 27 | Conservation Scientists | $52,310 | $60,250 | 300 | $25/hr |
| 28 | Historians | $52,120 | $61,470 | 60 | $25/hr |
| 29 | Forensic Science Technicians | $51,830 | $53,750 | 160 | $24/hr |
| 30 | Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health | $48,700 | $59,820 | 500 | $23/hr |
| 31 | Agricultural Technicians | $41,290 | $45,970 | 100 | $19/hr |
| 32 | Food Science Technicians | $39,480 | $44,950 | 40 | $18/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across South Carolina:
South Carolina has 32 Life, Physical & Social Science occupations with 12,330 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Life, Physical & Social Science occupation in South Carolina is Physicists with a median salary of $138,400/year.
The average median salary across 32 Life, Physical & Social Science occupations in South Carolina is $74,269/year.
Salaries in Life, Physical & Social Science in South Carolina range from $32,970 (entry-level) to $228,440 (senior) across all occupations.
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes organize jobs into groups. Life, Physical & Social Science occupations use SOC prefix 19. Data comes from BLS OEWS.
Data: BLS OEWS 2025. Salary figures represent May 2025 compensation for occupations classified under SOC code 19* in South Carolina. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources