At a glance
For the Columbia, SC metro area (CBSA 17900), BEA 2024 all-items regional price parity is 93.7 (U.S. = 100). Census ACS 2020–2024 estimates median gross rent at $1,193 per month and a 45+ minute commute share of 12.6% among workers who commute. These are metro estimates, not current asking rents, neighborhood figures or an individual commute forecast.
Sources: BLS wages (May 2025) · BEA price parity (2024) · Census ACS (2020–2024) · metro areas, not city limits · How we calculate
How Columbia compares with the other 74 metros
Each measure below is ranked across the 75 curated metros, where 1st means the highest value. A high or low rank describes the number, not whether the metro is a better or worse place to live.
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| Measure | Columbia | Middle value of 75 metros | Rank (1st = highest) |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEA 2024 all-items price parity (U.S. = 100) | 93.7 | 98.4 | 60th of 75 |
| ACS median gross rent per month | $1,193 | $1,430 | 54th of 75 |
| ACS median household income | $68,359 | $83,460 | 71st of 75 |
| ACS share of commuters with 45+ minute trips | 12.6% | 13.2% | 41st of 75 |
The metros with the closest BEA price parity are Cleveland (93.9), Greenville (93.3), Louisville (93.1). Similar price levels do not imply similar wages, rents or job markets; compare them with the city comparison pages or the interactive tool.
Where pay ranks highest and lowest in Columbia
For each occupation reported in at least 50 metros, we ranked Columbia’s price-adjusted median against the other metros reporting the same occupation. These ranks compare published medians for one occupation at a time; they are not measures of openings or of how an employer will pay.
Highest relative to other metros
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| Occupation | Adjusted median | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Architects, Except Landscape and Naval | $106,980 | 15th of 75 |
| Machinists | $63,601 | 16th of 75 |
| Occupational Therapists | $109,596 | 16th of 75 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | $116,461 | 19th of 74 |
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | $62,907 | 20th of 75 |
Lowest relative to other metros
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| Occupation | Adjusted median | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Writers and Authors | $44,415 | 68th of 68 |
| Retail Salespersons | $31,539 | 73rd of 75 |
| Light Truck Drivers | $40,144 | 72nd of 75 |
| Financial Managers | $133,234 | 72nd of 75 |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,893 | 72nd of 75 |
Occupation wages in the Columbia metro area
The Columbia, SC metropolitan statistical area spans its officially defined counties. Its published labor, price and housing figures describe the region, not just Columbia city limits or individual neighborhoods. The BLS geographic unit is Columbia, SC (CBSA 17900), rather than the limits of Columbia city. Salary medians cannot be directly compared to a specific employer or neighborhood.
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| Occupation | Annual median wage | Adjusted median* | Employment estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | $29,540 | $31,539 | 10,860 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $37,430 | $39,963 | 10,430 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $37,530 | $40,070 | 9,410 |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $87,463 | 9,400 |
| Office Clerks, General | $38,320 | $40,913 | 7,260 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $45,620 | $48,707 | 6,610 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $51,280 | $54,750 | 5,630 |
| General and Operations Managers | $103,950 | $110,984 | 4,890 |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | $46,870 | $50,042 | 4,680 |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $64,114 | 4,360 |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $60,280 | $64,359 | 3,310 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $62,470 | $66,697 | 3,290 |
Show all 79 occupations, alphabetically
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The table lists the 12 occupations with the highest BLS estimated employment in this metro, not an attractiveness ranking; the full list is expandable and its columns can be sorted. The price-adjusted wage equals the BLS May 2025 annual occupational median × 100 ÷ the BEA 2024 all-items regional price parity. Census rent, household income and commuting figures are ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. They describe different populations and do not determine take-home pay, employment prospects or individual rent. ACS gross rent includes contract rent plus estimated utility and fuel costs.
Occupational wage distribution examples
These occupations are selected by the highest BLS estimated employment within our curated career set for this metro—not by pay or predicted demand. Annual wage percentiles are descriptive estimates and can be suppressed independently.
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| Occupation | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | $22,110 | $26,740 | $29,540 | $35,260 | $43,840 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $30,000 | $35,400 | $37,430 | $45,210 | $54,490 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $29,800 | $34,820 | $37,530 | $45,970 | $47,440 |
| Registered Nurses | $68,460 | $75,940 | $81,920 | $96,190 | $108,210 |
| Office Clerks, General | $23,000 | $31,700 | $38,320 | $47,090 | $57,980 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $30,760 | $37,520 | $45,620 | $53,790 | $62,260 |
The employment estimate indicates modeled occupational employment, not current job openings. Missing percentiles remain Unavailable. Each job classification has a different population and wage distribution.
Understanding the local context
BEA reports a 2024 all-items regional price parity of 93.662. It reflects the general price level of goods and services in this metro compared with 100 nationwide. The Census ACS reports median gross rent of $1,193 (MOE ±$15) and median household income of $68,359 (MOE ±$1,206) over 2020–2024.
ACS gross rent includes estimated utilities and is not an asking-rent median. Household income covers all household earnings, so it is not comparable to one worker’s wage. The 45+ minute commute share is 12.6% of workers who travel to work, excluding people who work from home.
Neither the rent nor household-income median exceeds our 30% relative-MOE quality-warning threshold; estimates still have uncertainty.
Using Columbia figures in a real moving budget
The BEA index places the broad metropolitan price level approximately 6.3% below the U.S. reference. At the published ACS median gross rent of $1,193 per month, twelve months of that survey benchmark would total $14,316. This is simple annualization of a survey median, not a current listing price or a budget recommendation.
The 12.6% long-commute share does not tell you how long a trip from a specific neighborhood to a specific employer will take. Gather a real offer and recent rental quotes first, then enter the unadjusted gross offer in the worksheet.