SOC 13-2011

Accountant & Auditor Salary in Charleston-North Charleston, SC

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + SC
COL Index: 136.48 (+36.5% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 73.5% Realized
$58,309 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $79,350 $38.15/hr
Effective Tax Drag 20.52% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$16,280 $626.14/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $38.15 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$4,761/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,047/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$7,580
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$4,920
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,151
South Carolina Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,630
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$58,309 ($2,242.66 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Charleston-North Charleston, SC Accountant & Auditor Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $79,350
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $54.0k 25th $65.4k Median: $79,350 50th (Median) $79.3k 75th $104k 90th $139k You: $79,350
10th (Entry) $54,040 $25.98/hr
25th (Junior) $65,380 $31.43/hr
50th (Median) $79,350 $38.15/hr
75th (Senior) $104,460 $50.22/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $138,620 $66.64/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Accountant & Auditor in Charleston-North Charleston, SC
1
Staff AccountantBachelor's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$53,102$25.53/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Senior AccountantDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; CPA license
$63,533$30.54/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Accounting ManagerFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team; CPA license
$79,369$38.16/hr · 5-9 Years
4
Corporate ControllerOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$104,118$50.06/hr · 9-14 Years
5
Vice President of FinanceExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$136,644$65.69/hr · 14+ Years
Scaled to the Charleston-North Charleston, SC medianView National Accountant & Auditor Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Financial Managers+$82,890/yr
National median: $166,570
Skill overlap: 94%View Salary
Financial Examiners+$10,480/yr
National median: $94,160
Skill overlap: 93%
Tax Preparers-$28,760/yr
National median: $54,920
Skill overlap: 93%
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks-$33,010/yr
National median: $50,670
Skill overlap: 89%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Charleston-North Charleston, SC under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
36% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,731/month Requires minimum annual gross of $69,240
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,884/month Requires minimum annual gross of $75,360
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $30.18/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $24.11/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Charleston-North Charleston, SC.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$79,350-$16,280$58,309$2,242.66
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$94,228-$21,422$67,153$2,582.79
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$109,106-$26,457$76,103$2,927.03
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$123,984-$31,401$85,145$3,274.79
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$138,863-$36,519$94,012$3,615.84
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Accountant & Auditor in Charleston-North Charleston, SC: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and South Carolina tax codes.

Market Baseline
$79,350/yr
$38.15/hr · SOC 13-2011
Statutory Tax Drag
20.52% Effective
-$16,280 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
36% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$3,128/mo
Post-$1,731/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 13-2011
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Accountant & Auditor in Charleston-North Charleston, SC: Market Snapshot

Accountant & Auditor roles in Charleston-North Charleston, SC report a median annual wage of $79,350, 5.2% below the national median of $83,680. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $54,040 to $138,620, and HUD’s $1,731 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 26.2% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $30.18 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Accountant & Auditor

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$121,700+53.4%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$110,730+39.5%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$105,650+33.1%
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$102,140+28.7%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$102,020+28.6%
Midland, TX$100,890+27.1%
Parkersburg-Vienna, WV$100,420+26.6%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$100,150+26.2%
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$100,020+26.0%
Boulder, CO$99,990+26.0%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Charleston-North Charleston, SC

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$197,220$94.82/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$174,040$83.67/hr
Advertising and Promotions Managers$170,000$81.73/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$167,000$80.29/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$150,810$72.50/hr
Financial Manager$147,170$70.75/hr
Sales Managers$139,830$67.23/hr
Marketing Managers$138,790$66.73/hr
Purchasing Managers$138,340$66.51/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$132,660$63.78/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 393 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Accountant & Auditor Salary in Charleston-North Charleston, SC Overview

Accountant & Auditor median pay in Charleston-North Charleston, SC is $79,350 a year ($38.15/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD. Official 2026 economic data for Accountant & Auditor in Charleston-North Charleston, SC compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for an Accountant & Auditor in Charleston-North Charleston, SC?

The median annual wage is $79,350 ($38.15 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $54,040 and $138,620. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for an Accountant & Auditor in Charleston-North Charleston, SC after taxes?

On the median wage of $79,350, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $61,707 a year ($5,142 a month) after $17,643 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 22.23%, using 2026 tax rules.