Technology North Charleston, SC Pop. 115,382

Data Engineer Salary in North Charleston, South Carolina

The median data engineer salary in North Charleston, SC is $116,250 per year, which is 7% below the national median and 6.9% above the South Carolina state average.

City Median
$116,250
vs State Avg
+$7,500
vs National
$-8,750
Cost of Living
95%

Data Engineer Pay in North Charleston: What to Expect (2026)

North Charleston offers a median data engineer salary of $116,250, which is $7,500 above the South Carolina state average of $108,750. Compared to the national median of $125,000, North Charleston pays below the national benchmark for this role.

North Charleston's cost of living is 95% of the national average, meaning salary figures here closely reflect actual purchasing power. This makes direct comparisons to other cities straightforward.

The salary range for data engineers in North Charleston spans from $72,540 at the 10th percentile to $176,700 at the 90th percentile — a $104,160 spread. Entry-level professionals start around $74,400, while senior data engineers with 8+ years of experience can earn up to $167,400. With a population of 115,382, North Charleston is a mid-sized metro with a growing job market.

Data Engineer Salary in North Charleston by Experience

In North Charleston, an entry-level data engineer earns around $74,400, while experienced professionals earn up to $167,400 per year. The local cost of living index is 95% of the national average.

Entry Level (0-2 yrs)
$74,400
$-5,600 vs national
Mid Level (3-7 yrs)
$118,110
$-8,890 vs national
Senior Level (8+ yrs)
$167,400
$-12,600 vs national

Salary Percentiles in North Charleston, SC

Percentile North Charleston
10th Percentile $72,540
25th Percentile $93,000
Median (50th) $116,250
75th Percentile $146,940
90th Percentile $176,700

Data Engineer Salary in Other South Carolina Cities

Mount Pleasant, SC
$128,750
Pop. 94,171
Charleston, SC
$122,500
Pop. 150,227
Greenville, SC
$112,500
Pop. 72,095
Columbia, SC
$110,000
Pop. 131,674

How to Become a Data Engineer in North Charleston

Education

Most data engineer positions require a bachelor's degree. North Charleston and the surrounding South Carolina area have institutions offering relevant programs.

Key Skills

PythonSQLSparkAirflowAWS/GCPData Modeling

Job Outlook

Nationally, data engineer employment is projected to grow 28% over the next decade (much faster than average). Demand in North Charleston may vary based on local industry and population growth.

Find Data Engineer Jobs in North Charleston

Browse open data engineer positions in North Charleston, SC:

Indeed → LinkedIn → ZipRecruiter → Glassdoor →

Frequently Asked Questions: Data Engineer Salary in North Charleston

How much does a Data Engineer make in North Charleston, SC? ▼
The median data engineer salary in North Charleston, South Carolina is $116,250 per year, which is 7% below the national median of $125,000. Salaries range from $72,540 (10th percentile) to $176,700 (90th percentile).
How much does a Data Engineer make per hour in North Charleston? ▼
Based on the median annual salary of $116,250, a data engineer in North Charleston earns approximately $56 per hour assuming a standard 2,080-hour work year.
How does North Charleston compare to the South Carolina state average for data engineer pay? ▼
North Charleston's median data engineer salary of $116,250 is 6.9% above the South Carolina state average of $108,750. The local cost of living index is 95% of the national average.
What is the cost of living in North Charleston, SC? ▼
North Charleston has a cost of living index of 95% compared to the national average. This means a data engineer salary of $116,250 in North Charleston has more purchasing power than the same salary in an average-cost city.
What qualifications do I need to become a data engineer in North Charleston? ▼
Most data engineer positions in North Charleston require a bachelor's degree. Key skills include Python, SQL, Spark, Airflow. The job market is projected to grow 28% nationally over the next decade.