Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks Salary in Columbia, SC
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks in the Columbia, SC metro area earn a median $46,690 a year — 8% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $38,051 take-home, or $3,171 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks salary in Columbia, SC. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,423
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,895
- Medicare (1.45%)$677
- South Carolina income tax$1,644
- Take-home pay$38,051
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 6.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks pay by experience in Columbia, SC
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $33,770 | $16.24 | $28,445 | $2,370 |
| 25th percentile | $38,180 | $18.36 | $31,724 | $2,644 |
| Median (50th) | $46,690 | $22.45 | $38,051 | $3,171 |
| 75th percentile | $56,800 | $27.31 | $45,568 | $3,797 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $67,080 | $32.25 | $53,153 | $4,429 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, South Carolina resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $46,690 buys in Columbia, SC
Prices in Columbia, SC are 6.3% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 21% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks's $38,051 take-home pay has the buying power of $40,626 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks jobs are about as common in Columbia, SC as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.94).
Best-paying cities for bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks, adjusted for cost of living
Columbia, SC ranks #83 of 95 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Haven, CT | $62,890 | $50,807 | $48,592 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $66,130 | $52,378 | $47,434 |
| 3 | Hartford, CT | $59,470 | $48,213 | $46,924 |
| 4 | Austin, TX | $54,320 | $45,826 | $46,730 |
| 5 | Bridgeport, CT | $61,390 | $49,669 | $46,479 |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $60,460 | $50,760 | $45,675 |
| 7 | Des Moines, IA | $50,610 | $41,574 | $45,336 |
| 8 | Kansas City, MO | $50,940 | $41,653 | $45,010 |
| 83 | Columbia, SC | $46,690 | $38,051 | $40,626 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 95 metros →
About the job: bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks
Compute, classify, and record numerical data to keep financial records complete. Perform any combination of routine calculating, posting, and verifying duties to obtain primary financial data for use in maintaining accounting records. May also check the accuracy of figures, calculations, and postings pertaining to business transactions recorded by other workers.
- Typical education
- Some college, no degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -5.6% (declining)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks salaries elsewhere in South Carolina
- Greenville, SC — $49,600
- Charleston, SC — $50,400
Frequently asked questions
How much does a bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks make in Columbia, SC?
The median bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks salary in the Columbia, SC metro area is $46,690 a year, or about $22.45 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $38,180 and $56,800.
What is a bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks’s take-home pay in Columbia, SC?
On the median $46,690 salary, a single filer living in South Carolina takes home about $38,051 a year ($3,171 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,644 in South Carolina taxes in 2026.
Is Columbia, SC a good place to work as a bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks?
Pay here is 8% below the national median of $50,670. Local prices are 6.3% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $40,626 would in a typical U.S. city. Columbia, SC ranks #83 of 95 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks afford rent in Columbia, SC?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Columbia, SC is $1,139 a month ($1,255 for two bedrooms) — 36% of a median bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.