South Carolina Minimum Wage Calculator 2026

South Carolina sets no minimum wage of its own, so the federal floor governs: $7.25 an hour for most non-exempt workers under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Because the state has no separate law, employers can't be held to a higher state standard, and there's no automatic inflation adjustment built in the way there is in states that index their wage. The number simply tracks whatever Congress sets federally.

Tipped workers fall under the federal tip-credit system. An employer can pay a cash wage as low as $2.13 an hour as long as tips bring the worker up to at least $7.25 for the hours worked; if they fall short, the employer must make up the difference. The rules cover most private-sector employees, while certain categories such as some agricultural workers, small businesses below the federal coverage threshold, and specific exempt roles can be treated differently. South Carolina also bars its cities and counties from setting their own higher local minimums, so unlike states with city-level wage floors, the $7.25 rate is uniform statewide.