Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators actually take home in South Carolina?
Progressive (up to 6.4%) — 20.9% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators earning $52,090 in South Carolina (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $52,090 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$4,266 | 8.2% |
| South Carolina State Income Tax | -$2,640 | 5.1% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$3,229 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$755 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$10,892 | 20.9% |
| Take-Home Pay | $41,197 | 79.1% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in South Carolina.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $39,060 | -$7,498 | $31,561 | 19.2% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $45,810 | -$9,256 | $36,553 | 20.2% |
| Median (P50) | $52,090 | -$10,892 | $41,197 | 20.9% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $63,370 | -$13,992 | $49,377 | 22.1% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $76,850 | -$18,852 | $57,997 | 24.5% |
After federal income tax ($4,266), state tax ($2,640), and FICA ($3,984), a Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in South Carolina takes home $41,197 per year — or $3,433 per month. The effective tax rate of 20.9% is relatively low compared to the national range.
With an effective total rate of 20.9%, a Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in South Carolina keeps $41,198 of $52,090 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 Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salary the state tax works out to $2,641 (5.1% effective) — on top of federal and FICA.
Federal tax on this Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salary is $4,267 (39%), but combined state ($2,641, 24%) + FICA ($3,985, 37%) make up the other 61% of the bill.
Moving this same Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salary to a zero-state-tax state would yield around $43,838 net — a gain of $2,641 (6.4%) per year versus South Carolina.
South Carolina ranks #37 of 50 states for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators after-tax pay — lower half of the national distribution. Either gross wages trail the national median, state tax is elevated, or both.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $41,198 net/year works out to $3,433/month or $1,585/bi-weekly for this Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in South Carolina — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
South Carolina ranks #37 out of 50 states for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators after-tax take-home pay.
A Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in South Carolina earning a median salary of $52,090 will take home approximately $41,197 per year after federal income tax ($4,266), state income tax ($2,640), and FICA ($3,984). That is $3,433 per month or $1,584 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in South Carolina is 20.9%, broken down as: federal income tax 8.2%, South Carolina state tax 5.1%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.7%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
South Carolina has a progressive (up to 6.4%). On a Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators's median salary of $52,090, the state income tax amounts to $2,640 per year, which is an effective state rate of 5.1%.
After all taxes, a Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in South Carolina takes home approximately $3,433 per month, or about $19.81 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 $52,090 for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators 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 — $41,197/yr — does not include local taxes, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), or tax credits.
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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