SOC 13-2011

Accountant & Auditor Salary in Columbia, SC (2026)

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: 109.25 (+9.2% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 75.3% Realized
$52,138 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $69,210 $33.27/hr
Effective Tax Drag 18.67% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$12,919 $496.90/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 $33.27 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$4,153/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$498/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$5,627
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$4,291
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,004
South Carolina Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,998
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$52,138 ($2,005.31 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Columbia, SC Accountant & Auditor Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $69,210
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $48.5k 25th $58.3k Median: $69,210 50th (Median) $69.2k 75th $84.3k 90th $109k You: $69,210
10th (Entry) $48,530 $23.33/hr
25th (Junior) $58,320 $28.04/hr
50th (Median) $69,210 $33.27/hr
75th (Senior) $84,300 $40.53/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $109,040 $52.42/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Accountant & Auditor in Columbia, SC
1
Staff AccountantBachelor's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$46,316$22.27/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Senior AccountantDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; CPA license
$55,414$26.64/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Accounting ManagerFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team; CPA license
$69,227$33.28/hr · 5-9 Years
4
Corporate ControllerOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$90,813$43.66/hr · 9-14 Years
5
Vice President of FinanceExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$119,182$57.30/hr · 14+ Years
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 Columbia, SC under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
26% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,126/month Requires minimum annual gross of $45,040
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,226/month Requires minimum annual gross of $49,040
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $24.16/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $21.12/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 Columbia, 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$69,210-$12,919$52,138$2,005.31
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$82,187-$17,260$59,995$2,307.51
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$95,164-$21,745$67,709$2,604.18
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$108,141-$26,136$75,516$2,904.46
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$121,118-$30,448$83,402$3,207.78
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 Columbia, 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
$69,210/yr
$33.27/hr · SOC 13-2011
Statutory Tax Drag
18.67% Effective
-$12,919 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
26% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$3,219/mo
Post-$1,126/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 Columbia, SC: Market Snapshot

Accountant & Auditor roles in Columbia, SC report a median annual wage of $69,210, 17.3% below the national median of $83,680. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $48,530 to $109,040, and HUD’s $1,126 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 19.5% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $24.16 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Accountant & Auditor

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$121,700+75.8%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$110,730+60.0%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$105,650+52.7%
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$102,140+47.6%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$102,020+47.4%
Midland, TX$100,890+45.8%
Parkersburg-Vienna, WV$100,420+45.1%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$100,150+44.7%
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$100,020+44.5%
Boulder, CO$99,990+44.5%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Columbia, SC

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$176,890$85.04/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$162,260$78.01/hr
Advertising and Promotions Managers$159,950$76.90/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$141,570$68.06/hr
Marketing Managers$136,930$65.83/hr
Data Engineer$135,790$65.28/hr
Actuary$133,060$63.97/hr
Sales Managers$128,650$61.85/hr
Industrial Production Managers$128,050$61.56/hr
Administrative Services Managers$126,680$60.90/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 Columbia, SC (2026) Overview

Accountant & Auditor median pay in Columbia, SC is $69,210 a year ($33.27/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents & living.

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

The median annual wage is $69,210 ($33.27 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $48,530 and $109,040. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

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

On the median wage of $69,210, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $55,246 a year ($4,604 a month) after $13,964 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 20.18%, using 2026 tax rules.