South Carolina paycheck calculator

Take-home pay in South Carolina after federal and South Carolina income tax, Social Security, Medicare and your deductions, using the 2026 withholding rules.

State you live and work in

2026 rules for South Carolina.

Pay

I'm paid

Salary (per year, before taxes)

How often you're paid

Your Form W-4

Filing status

Children under 17

$2,200 each in Step 3, if your income is $200,000 or less ($400,000 married filing jointly).

Other dependents

$500 each in Step 3.

Pre-tax and after-tax deductions

401(k) or 403(b) contribution

Traditional (pre-tax). Put a Roth contribution under after-tax deductions.

Health insurance, HSA and FSA

Pre-tax premiums and contributions through payroll; they also lower Social Security and Medicare.

After-tax deductions

Roth 401(k), union dues, garnishments.

More Form W-4 options

Step 2: two jobs, or married and your spouse works

Only if you checked the box in Step 2(c) of your W-4.

Step 4(a): other income (per year)

Step 4(b): deductions (per year)

From the W-4's Deductions Worksheet: tips, overtime, car loan interest, the senior deduction, itemizing.

Step 4(c): extra withholding

Take-home pay per paycheck

$1,861.77

$48,405.96 a year from $59,999.94 gross, 26 paychecks.

Gross pay, each deduction and take-home pay, per paycheck and per year
Item	Per paycheck	Per year
Gross pay	$2,307.69	$59,999.94
Federal income tax	−$193.08	−$5,020.08
Social Security	−$143.08	−$3,720.00
Medicare	−$33.46	−$870.00
South Carolina income tax	−$76.30	−$1,983.90
Take-home pay	$1,861.77	$48,405.96

Taxes as a share of pay: 19.3%
Federal taxable wages (year): $59,999.94

Estimates for planning, not tax advice. Your employer's payroll may round differently, and your tax bill when you file can differ from what's withheld.

How South Carolina taxes your paycheck in 2026

South Carolina withholds income tax at 0% on the first $3,640 of taxable wages, 3% up to $18,230, and 6% above that, after a $5,000 deduction per withholding allowance and a standard deduction of 10% of wages (up to $7,500). Traditional 401(k) contributions and pre-tax health premiums are not taxed. There are no employee-paid state payroll taxes and no local income taxes.

South Carolina withholding rates, 2026: all filing statuses
Taxable income	Rate
$0 to $3,640	0%
$3,640 to $18,230	3%
Over $18,230	6%

Standard deduction: 10% of wages, between $0 and $7,500 for single filers.
Exemptions: $10,000 for you, $5,000 for a spouse, $5,000 per dependent.
A traditional 401(k) lowers your South Carolina taxable wages; pre-tax health premiums do.

City and county taxes

South Carolina has no city or county income taxes on wages.

What this calculator simplifies

We assume the 2026 SC W-4 worksheet for someone with one job: 2 allowances if single (yourself plus one job), 3 if married (assuming your spouse does not work), plus 1 per dependent, at $5,000 each. A working spouse or second job means one fewer allowance (about $300 a year more tax).
Heads of household get one more allowance on the SC W-4 (line C, $5,000) than the calculator gives them; it treats them like single filers, so their withholding is up to $300 a year too high.
The SC W-4 also gives an extra allowance for each dependent under age 6 (line F); that is not included.
This is the withholding formula, not your final South Carolina tax. The SC return starts from federal taxable income (federal standard deduction) and has its own deductions and credits, so the refund or balance due can differ.

Sources

SCDOR WH-1603F: Formula for Computing South Carolina 2026 Withholding Tax
SCDOR 2026 SC W-4 Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate
SCDOR: South Carolina withholding tables updated for 2026
SCDOR 2025 SC1040 instructions (SC taxable income starts from federal taxable income)
IRS Publication 15-T (2026) for federal withholding, and Publication 15 (2026) for Social Security and Medicare.

How every number is worked out is on the methodology page.

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