Average Salaries in Sumter, SC
Explore salaries across 170 occupations in Sumter, SC. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $56K, -14.8% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates. Coverage: 170 occupations and 28,270 total jobs in Sumter, SC.
How the metro compares
Sumter, SC pays modestly below the national average. That can be partly offset by a lower cost of living compared with higher-paying markets.
Sumter, SC is a smaller metro labor market. Some occupations may have limited local demand.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Computer And Information Systems Managers. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Sumter, SC
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Highest-paid occupations in Sumter, SC
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Computer And Information Systems Managers | $137.7K | 40 |
| Marketing Managers | $133.7K | 30 |
| Architectural And Engineering Managers | $133.5K | 40 |
| Managers, All Other | $130K | 50 |
| Pharmacists | $129.8K | 80 |
| Financial Managers | $128.4K | 90 |
| Industrial Production Managers | $127.4K | 80 |
| Sales Managers | $124.8K | 80 |
| Software Developers | $121.9K | 50 |
| Construction Managers | $117.5K | 90 |
Largest occupations in Sumter, SC
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 1,060 | $24.5K |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,010 | $28.7K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 990 | $39.1K |
| Cashiers | 910 | $26.7K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 890 | $28K |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers And Fabricators | 880 | $39K |
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 720 | $36.1K |
| Registered Nurses | 670 | $86.3K |
| Office Clerks, General | 620 | $35.3K |
| Janitors And Cleaners, Except Maids And Housekeeping Cleaners | 580 | $30.6K |
What Sumter, SC specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Sumter, SC than in the country as a whole, which signals what this metro is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Sumter, SC
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, And Steamfitters | 5.24 | $36.5K |
| Social Scientists And Related Workers, All Other | 5.11 | N/A |
| Teachers And Instructors, All Other | 4.23 | $60.2K |
| Tax Preparers | 4.07 | $30.4K |
| Industrial Engineering Technologists And Technicians | 3.67 | $62.3K |
| Chemical Equipment Operators And Tenders | 3.09 | $44.5K |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers And Fabricators | 2.81 | $39K |
| Health Technologists And Technicians, All Other | 2.63 | $40.2K |
| Childcare Workers | 2.61 | $27.7K |
| Rehabilitation Counselors | 2.49 | $31K |
Comparable metros
| Metro | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $98.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $95.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $92.6K | Cardiologists |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $87.1K | Cardiologists |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $83.8K | Radiologists |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $82.7K | Radiologists |
| Boulder, CO | $82.3K | Surgeons, All Other |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82.3K | Radiologists |
Common salary questions for Sumter, SC
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other metros with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.