SOC 51-9061

Quality Control Inspector 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 77.7% Realized
$39,238 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $50,470 $24.26/hr
Effective Tax Drag 16.25% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$8,203 $315.52/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 $24.26 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,028/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$363/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,513
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,129
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$732
South Carolina Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$829
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$39,238 ($1,509.17 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Charleston-North Charleston, SC Quality Control Inspector Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $50,470
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $36.7k 25th $41.6k Median: $50,470 50th (Median) $50.5k 75th $65.8k 90th $77.3k You: $50,470
10th (Entry) $36,690 $17.64/hr
25th (Junior) $41,610 $20.00/hr
50th (Median) $50,470 $24.26/hr
75th (Senior) $65,800 $31.63/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $77,320 $37.17/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Quality Control Inspector in Charleston-North Charleston, SC
1
QC Inspector ApprenticeVisual inspection, measurement calipers, rejection log documentation
$33,252$15.99/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified Quality InspectorCMM operation, blueprint GD&T interpretation, non-conformance reports
$47,799$22.98/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Senior Quality Assurance TechSix Sigma green belt, statistical process control (SPC), ISO 9001 audits
$64,425$30.97/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Quality Assurance ManagerPlant quality management system, vendor audits, compliance signoff
$85,208$40.97/hr · 8+ Years
Scaled to the Charleston-North Charleston, SC medianView National Quality Control Inspector Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Engine and Other Machine Assemblers+$5,140/yr
National median: $53,710
Skill overlap: 84%
Industrial Machinery Mechanics+$15,950/yr
National median: $64,520
Skill overlap: 81%View Salary
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers+$16,810/yr
National median: $65,380
Skill overlap: 81%
Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping-$2,190/yr
National median: $46,380
Skill overlap: 78%
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)
53% 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$50,470-$8,203$39,238$1,509.17
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$59,933-$10,585$45,752$1,759.70
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$69,396-$12,966$52,266$2,010.24
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$78,859-$16,110$58,018$2,231.46
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$88,323-$19,381$63,642$2,447.78
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

Quality Control Inspector 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
$50,470/yr
$24.26/hr · SOC 51-9061
Statutory Tax Drag
16.25% Effective
-$8,203 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
53% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$1,539/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 51-9061
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

Quality Control Inspector in Charleston-North Charleston, SC: Market Snapshot

Quality Control Inspector roles in Charleston-North Charleston, SC report a median annual wage of $50,470, 3.9% above the national median of $48,570. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $36,690 to $77,320, and HUD’s $1,731 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 41.2% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $30.18 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Quality Control Inspector

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lexington Park, MD$92,000+82.3%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$76,800+52.2%
Savannah, GA$72,800+44.2%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,950+42.6%
Anchorage, AK$71,470+41.6%
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$68,060+34.9%
Flagstaff, AZ$65,840+30.5%
Bismarck, ND$63,910+26.6%
Lake Charles, LA$63,570+26.0%
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS$63,520+25.9%

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, 388 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.

Quality Control Inspector Salary in Charleston-North Charleston, SC Overview

Quality Control Inspector median pay in Charleston-North Charleston, SC is $50,470 a year ($24.26/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage. Official 2026 economic data for Quality Control Inspector 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 a Quality Control Inspector in Charleston-North Charleston, SC?

The median annual wage is $50,470 ($24.26 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $36,690 and $77,320. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Quality Control Inspector in Charleston-North Charleston, SC after taxes?

On the median wage of $50,470, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $41,702 a year ($3,475 a month) after $8,768 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 17.37%, using 2026 tax rules.