Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Lighting Technicians actually take home in South Carolina?
Progressive (up to 6.4%) — 20.3% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Lighting Technicians earning $46,720 in South Carolina (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $46,720 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$3,622 | 7.8% |
| South Carolina State Income Tax | -$2,297 | 4.9% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$2,896 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$677 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$9,493 | 20.3% |
| Take-Home Pay | $37,226 | 79.7% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Lighting Technicians in South Carolina.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $34,120 | -$6,211 | $27,908 | 18.2% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $44,160 | -$8,826 | $35,333 | 20.0% |
| Median (P50) | $46,720 | -$9,493 | $37,226 | 20.3% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $49,840 | -$10,306 | $39,533 | 20.7% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $59,990 | -$12,950 | $47,039 | 21.6% |
After federal income tax ($3,622), state tax ($2,297), and FICA ($3,574), a Lighting Technicians in South Carolina takes home $37,226 per year — or $3,102 per month. The effective tax rate of 20.3% is relatively low compared to the national range.
With an effective total rate of 20.3%, a Lighting Technicians in South Carolina keeps $37,226 of $46,720 gross — roughly typical for U.S. middle-income earners once federal, FICA and state taxes are combined.
South Carolina uses a progressive state income tax, so brackets escalate as wages rise. For this Lighting Technicians salary the state tax works out to $2,297 (4.9% effective) — on top of federal and FICA.
Federal tax on this Lighting Technicians salary is $3,622 (38%), but combined state ($2,297, 24%) + FICA ($3,574, 38%) make up the other 62% of the bill.
A Lighting Technicians earning this gross in a no-income-tax state (e.g., Texas, Florida) would take home approximately $39,524 — only $2,297 (6.2%) more than in South Carolina.
South Carolina sits near the bottom (#26 of 27) for Lighting Technicians after-tax earnings. Relocation, negotiation, or credential stacking typically show the clearest ROI in bottom-quartile states.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $37,226 net/year works out to $3,102/month or $1,432/bi-weekly for this Lighting Technicians in South Carolina — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Lighting Technicians keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
South Carolina ranks #26 out of 27 states for Lighting Technicians after-tax take-home pay.
A Lighting Technicians in South Carolina earning a median salary of $46,720 will take home approximately $37,226 per year after federal income tax ($3,622), state income tax ($2,297), and FICA ($3,574). That is $3,102 per month or $1,431 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Lighting Technicians in South Carolina is 20.3%, broken down as: federal income tax 7.8%, South Carolina state tax 4.9%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.6%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
South Carolina has a progressive (up to 6.4%). On a Lighting Technicians's median salary of $46,720, the state income tax amounts to $2,297 per year, which is an effective state rate of 4.9%.
After all taxes, a Lighting Technicians in South Carolina takes home approximately $3,102 per month, or about $17.90 per hour (based on a standard 2,080-hour work year). These figures assume a single filer, standard deduction, and no additional pre-tax deductions.
We start with the 2025 BLS median salary of $46,720 for Lighting Technicians in South Carolina, then subtract: federal income tax using 2024 IRS brackets ($14,600 standard deduction), South Carolina state income tax (progressive (up to 6.4%)), Social Security (6.2% up to $168,600), and Medicare (1.45%). The result — $37,226/yr — does not include local taxes, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), or tax credits.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.
This estimate assumes a single filer using the 2024 standard deduction ($14,600), with W-2 employment income only. It does not account for: itemized deductions, tax credits (e.g. earned income credit, child tax credit), local/city taxes, pre-tax contributions (401k, HSA, FSA), self-employment tax, or additional income sources. Actual take-home pay may differ. Consult a tax professional for personalized advice.
Our Methodology · Data Sources · Salary: BLS OEWS · Tax: IRS + State DOR