Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Mechanical Engineers actually take home in South Carolina?
Progressive (up to 6.4%) — 27.6% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Mechanical Engineers earning $104,580 in South Carolina (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $104,580 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$14,848 | 14.2% |
| South Carolina State Income Tax | -$6,000 | 5.7% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$6,483 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$1,516 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$28,849 | 27.6% |
| Take-Home Pay | $75,730 | 72.4% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Mechanical Engineers in South Carolina.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $74,260 | -$17,918 | $56,341 | 24.1% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $84,810 | -$21,721 | $63,088 | 25.6% |
| Median (P50) | $104,580 | -$28,849 | $75,730 | 27.6% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $133,480 | -$39,634 | $93,845 | 29.7% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $166,340 | -$52,137 | $114,202 | 31.3% |
After federal income tax ($14,848), state tax ($6,000), and FICA ($8,000), a Mechanical Engineers in South Carolina takes home $75,730 per year — or $6,310 per month. The effective tax rate of 27.6% is moderate compared to the national range.
A Mechanical Engineers in South Carolina loses 27.6% of gross pay to taxes — higher than the ~25% national midpoint. Of the $104,580 gross, $75,731 lands in the paycheck after federal ($14,849), state ($6,000), and FICA ($8,000) withholding.
South Carolina uses a progressive state income tax, so brackets escalate as wages rise. For this Mechanical Engineers salary the state tax works out to $6,000 (5.7% effective) — on top of federal and FICA.
Federal tax on this Mechanical Engineers salary is $14,849 (51%), but combined state ($6,000, 21%) + FICA ($8,000, 28%) make up the other 49% of the bill.
The state-tax gap is substantial: a Mechanical Engineers earning this gross in a no-income-tax state would net about $81,731 — an extra $6,000 (7.9%) annually compared with South Carolina.
South Carolina ranks #24 of 51 states for Mechanical Engineers after-tax pay — comfortably in the upper half.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $75,731 net/year works out to $6,311/month or $2,913/bi-weekly for this Mechanical Engineers in South Carolina — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Mechanical Engineers keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
South Carolina ranks #24 out of 51 states for Mechanical Engineers after-tax take-home pay.
A Mechanical Engineers in South Carolina earning a median salary of $104,580 will take home approximately $75,730 per year after federal income tax ($14,848), state income tax ($6,000), and FICA ($8,000). That is $6,310 per month or $2,912 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Mechanical Engineers in South Carolina is 27.6%, broken down as: federal income tax 14.2%, South Carolina state tax 5.7%, 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 Mechanical Engineers's median salary of $104,580, the state income tax amounts to $6,000 per year, which is an effective state rate of 5.7%.
After all taxes, a Mechanical Engineers in South Carolina takes home approximately $6,310 per month, or about $36.41 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 $104,580 for Mechanical Engineers 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 — $75,730/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