South Carolina Paycheck Calculator 2026: What You'll Actually Take Home
In 2026, South Carolina has a progressive income tax from 1.99% to 5.21%. The standard deduction is $15,000 for single filers ($30,000 married filing jointly). On top of that come federal income tax, Social Security (6.2% on the first $184,500 of wages) and Medicare (1.45% on all wages).
How South Carolina taxes your paycheck
South Carolina uses a graduated rate schedule with 2 brackets for single filers in 2026. Like the federal system, only the income inside each bracket is taxed at that bracket's rate — moving into a higher bracket never taxes your whole paycheck at the higher rate.
The 2026 standard deduction is $15,000 (single), $30,000 (married filing jointly), $22,500 (head of household).
On exemptions: South Carolina replaces the standard/itemized deduction system with the South Carolina Income Adjusted Deduction (SCIAD), not a personal exemption. The pre-reform indexed dependent exemption remains in place; the exact 2026 amount was not confirmed in the...
What’s taken out of a South Carolina paycheck
| Taxable income (single) | Marginal rate |
| Up to $29,999 | 1.99% |
| Over $29,999 | 5.21% |
Single-filer schedule. Married and head-of-household thresholds differ; the calculator below uses the correct schedule for the filing status you pick.
Example: a $75,000 salary in South Carolina
On a $75,000 salary as a single filer: federal taxable income is $75,000 − $16,100 = $58,900, giving $7,670 of federal tax. State taxable income is $60,000, giving $2,160 of state tax. FICA takes $4,650 (Social Security) + $1,088 (Medicare). Estimated take-home: $59,432 per year ($2,286 per biweekly paycheck).
| Gross salary | $75,000 |
| Federal income tax | −$7,670 |
| State income tax (SC) | −$2,160 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$4,650 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | −$1,088 |
| Estimated take-home | $59,432 |
| Effective tax rate | 20.8% |
Single filer, standard deduction, no pre-tax contributions. The interactive calculator above recomputes this for any salary and filing status.
A note on local taxes in South Carolina
South Carolina does not authorize a local income tax on wages.
South Carolina take-home pay: frequently asked questions
Does South Carolina have a state income tax in 2026?
Yes. South Carolina has a progressive income tax from 1.99% to 5.21% in 2026.
What are South Carolina's 2026 tax brackets and standard deduction?
2 brackets for single filers, from 1.99% to 5.21%. The 2026 standard deduction is $15,000 single / $30,000 married filing jointly.
What payroll taxes come out of a South Carolina paycheck?
No employee-paid state payroll taxes are in the 2026 dataset for South Carolina. Federal Social Security and Medicare still apply.
Are there local income taxes in South Carolina?
South Carolina does not authorize a local income tax on wages.
Are there South Carolina tax credits that affect take-home pay?
One to know: SC Earned Income Tax Credit ($200). Nonrefundable credit at 125% of the federal EITC, capped at $200 per year (2026, per Act 110). Credits reduce tax owed rather than taxable income; the calculator above does not model individual credits.
Methodology & sources
State figures come from the site's versioned 2026 tax dataset (v1.0.0, researched 2026-10-11),
regenerated into this page automatically. Model: state taxable income = gross pay minus the state's 2026
standard deduction;
state brackets applied marginally; employee-paid state payroll taxes added at their 2026 rates and wage bases
(with published annual caps). Federal tax uses 2026 IRS brackets and standard deductions; FICA uses the 2026
Social Security wage base ($184,500) and Medicare rates. Personal exemption credits/deductions and
individual tax credits are not modeled — the result is an estimate, not a tax return.
State sources
Federal sources
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