By State · South Carolina

Women in South Carolina: Pay, Representation, and Firsts

Everything the data says about women in South Carolina — pay, legislature representation, historical firsts, and how the state ranks against the rest of the US.

81.1%
Women’s earnings as % of men’s in South Carolina
Census ACS S2001
#29
of 51 US jurisdictions for pay equity (1 = highest)
Computed from state ratios
14.7%
Women in the South Carolina state legislature
CAWP Rutgers 2024
#49
Rank for women’s legislative representation
Computed from CAWP data
1
Women from South Carolina in 119th US Congress
CAWP 2025
2011
Year of first woman governor
CAWP State Executive

Where South Carolina sits

Women in South Carolina earn 81.1 cents for every dollar men earn — a gap of 18.9%. That puts South Carolina #29 out of the 51 US jurisdictions on pay equity. The women-in-legislature figure of 14.7% ranks South Carolina #49 nationally — below 20%, among the lowest.

Notable firsts & figures

Nikki Haley (2011-17) — first woman governor and first woman of color governor of the state. One of the lowest state legislature women's shares.

Professions in South Carolina

State-adjusted pay and gap figures for women in 20 common professions in South Carolina. Each page combines national BLS medians with South Carolina’s Census ACS wage environment.

SurgeonsWomen surgeons in South CarolinaDoctorsWomen doctors in South CarolinaLawyersWomen lawyers in South CarolinaRegistered NursesWomen nurses in South CarolinaSoftware DevelopersWomen software developers in South CarolinaChief ExecutivesWomen CEOs in South CarolinaEngineersWomen engineers in South CarolinaElementary TeachersWomen teachers in South CarolinaAccountantsWomen accountants in South CarolinaProfessorsWomen professors in South CarolinaDentistsWomen dentists in South CarolinaPharmacistsWomen pharmacists in South CarolinaArchitectsWomen architects in South CarolinaPsychologistsWomen psychologists in South CarolinaAirline PilotsWomen airline pilots in South CarolinaElectriciansWomen electricians in South CarolinaPlumbersWomen plumbers in South CarolinaPolice OfficersWomen police officers in South CarolinaJournalistsWomen journalists in South CarolinaFinancial AnalystsWomen financial analysts in South Carolina

Fields in South Carolina

AcademiaWomen in Academia in South CarolinaConstruction and the Skilled Trades (2026)Women in Construction and the Skilled Trades (2026) in South CarolinaEngineeringWomen in Engineering in South CarolinaFinanceWomen in Finance in South CarolinaLawWomen in Law in South CarolinaMedicineWomen in Medicine in South CarolinaSportsWomen in Sports in South CarolinaTechWomen in Tech in South CarolinaUS PoliticsWomen in US Politics in South Carolina

Related national data

HistoricalWomen at work, 2000 NationalWomen in US politics ToolPay Gap Lookup (South Carolina) CompareWomen vs men at work HubAll 51 US states

Frequently asked

What is the gender pay gap in South Carolina?

Women in South Carolina earn 81.1% of what men earn — a gap of 18.9%. Census ACS S2001 data.

How many women are in South Carolina’s state legislature?

14.7% of South Carolina state legislators are women — rank #49 nationally among 51 US jurisdictions (CAWP 2024).

Has South Carolina elected a woman governor?

Yes — the first woman governor of South Carolina took office in 2011.

Has South Carolina elected a woman US Senator?

No — South Carolina has never elected a woman US Senator.

How many women does South Carolina send to Congress?

1 women from South Carolina serve in the 119th US Congress (House + Senate, 2025-27).