Data · South Carolina × US Government

Women in US Government in South Carolina

How women in us government fare in South Carolina — state-adjusted pay gap, state ranking, and the national context that frames the local picture.

81.1%
South Carolina overall earnings ratio (women/men)
Census ACS S2001
#29
of 51 jurisdictions for pay equity
Derived from ACS state ratios
18.9%
Unadjusted pay gap in South Carolina
Census ACS
14.7%
Women in South Carolina’s legislature

The state-adjusted picture

Women in us government nationally face the same structural conditions as women in every other field — but the overall wage environment in South Carolina modifies the baseline by -3.2% relative to the US average. A state where the overall pay gap is narrower tends to reflect narrower gaps within fields too, though field-specific dynamics dominate for specialized professions.

South Carolina has never elected a woman US Senator.

National context

Beyond Congress: women in federal agencies, the judiciary, state executives, and local government. Where the progress has been, where it's stalled, and where the next decade's inflections are likely.

Full national data Women in US Government: Numbers, Trends, and Representation (2026)

National headline stats (us government)

28.2%
Women in 119th US Congress (House + Senate, 2025-27)
CAWP Rutgers · 2025
36%
Women among Article III federal judges (as of 2026)
40%
Women in Presidential Cabinet (Secretary level) in current administration
33.7%
Women in state legislatures (US average)

Other fields in South Carolina

US Government in other states

Related pages

Frequently asked

What is the pay gap for women in us government in South Carolina?

South Carolina’s overall pay ratio is 81.1% — a 18.9% gap. The gap within us government follows the national pattern modified by South Carolina’s overall wage environment. See the full national field data for in-field specifics.

How does South Carolina rank on pay equity?

South Carolina ranks #29 of 51 US jurisdictions on pay equity, per Census ACS state ratios.

How are women represented in South Carolina politics?

14.7% of South Carolina state legislators are women (CAWP 2024). 1 women from South Carolina serve in the 119th US Congress.

Where does the national us government data come from?

Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP), Rutgers; Federal Judicial Center; OPM Federal Workforce Data