South Carolina Q1, 2019 Employment Statistics- 138,167 employers, up 3.4% from 133,620
- 2,097,404 employees, up 2.0% from 2,055,724
- $901 average weekly wage, up 3.0% from $875
- The average weekly wage is 23.9% below the national average
- The cost of living is 1.7% below the national average
Employer & Employee Growth
In the last year, the number of employers in the state increased by 4,547, which is an increase of 3.4%. The number of employees in South Carolina increased by 41,680, an increase of 2.0%. During this same period, the average weekly wage increased by $26, an increase of 3.0%.
The number of private employers increased since last years' Q1. The number of private businesses increased by 4,671 or 3.6%. Growth in private businesses in South Carolina grew faster than the national average of 3.0%. The number of employees in these businesses increased since last years' Q1, increasing by 40,961 or 2.4%. The growth in employees of private businesses in South Carolina was faster than the national average of 1.7%.
The average weekly wage of employees of private businesses increased since last years' Q1. The averge weekly wage increased by $27 or 3.1%. Growth in average weekly wage of employees of private businesses in South Carolina grew faster than the national average of 3.0%.
Leading Sectors
Businesses by Sector
The sector with the greatest number of businesses in the state is Professional services with 13.7% of the businesses in the state. The number of businesses in this sector increased by 5.3%. Retail trade (13.1%), which increased by 0.6% and Construction (9.2%), which increased by 4.3%, round out the 3 largest sectors.
Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Qtly Business Change %
| Sector | Change Biz | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Utilities | 51 | 16.1% |
| Mining and oil extraction | 12 | 9.8% |
| Educational services | 148 | 9.8% |
| Real estate and rental | 501 | 8.8% |
| Company management | 76 | 8.1% |
| Information | 193 | 7.4% |
| Professional services | 955 | 5.3% |
| Arts and entertainment | 103 | 5.3% |
| Transport and warehousing | 173 | 5.1% |
| Waste services | 395 | 4.7% |
| Construction | 520 | 4.3% |
| Agriculture and forestry | 48 | 4.2% |
| Finance and insurance | 276 | 3.7% |
| Healthcare | 369 | 3.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 308 | 2.8% |
| Manufacturing | 134 | 2.2% |
| Other services | 215 | 1.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 89 | 1.0% |
| Retail trade | 105 | 0.6% |
Employees by Sector
The sector with the greatest number of employees in the state is Manufacturing with 12.2% of the employees in the state, had an increase in employees of 4.7% in the last year. Retail trade (11.8%), increased by 0.2% and Accommodation and food services (10.8%), increased by 2.4%, round out the top 3 sectors.Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Qtly Employee Change %
| Sector | Employee Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Company management | 2,825 | 12.9% |
| Mining and oil extraction | 116 | 6.9% |
| Arts and entertainment | 1,504 | 5.4% |
| Transport and warehousing | 3,393 | 5.2% |
| Manufacturing | 11,575 | 4.7% |
| Healthcare | 7,715 | 3.8% |
| Educational services | 960 | 3.7% |
| Accommodation and food services | 5,441 | 2.4% |
| Real estate and rental | 701 | 2.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 1,571 | 2.2% |
| Professional services | 2,036 | 2.0% |
| Other services | 957 | 1.8% |
| Waste services | 2,483 | 1.5% |
| Construction | 760 | 0.7% |
| Retail trade | 415 | 0.2% |
| Finance and insurance | -194 | -0.3% |
| Agriculture and forestry | -108 | -1.0% |
| Information | -704 | -2.5% |
| Utilities | -485 | -4.0% |
Average Weekly Wage by Sector
The sector that pays their employees the highest is Utilities paying $2,444per week compared with the state average of $896. Weekly wages in this sector rose by $452 or 22.7%. Company management ($1,818), rose by $54 or 3.1% and Mining and oil extraction ($1,643) increased by $247 or 17.7% round out the 3 largest sectors.Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Weekly Wage Change %
| Sector | Wage Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|
| Utilities | $452 | 22.7% |
| Mining and oil extraction | $247 | 17.7% |
| Real estate and rental | $46 | 5.2% |
| Information | $63 | 5.0% |
| Finance and insurance | $74 | 4.8% |
| Other services | $27 | 4.3% |
| Construction | $39 | 3.9% |
| Retail trade | $20 | 3.8% |
| Waste services | $23 | 3.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | $11 | 3.3% |
| Arts and entertainment | $12 | 3.2% |
| Company management | $54 | 3.1% |
| Wholesale trade | $36 | 2.6% |
| Healthcare | $22 | 2.5% |
| Professional services | $27 | 2.0% |
| Transport and warehousing | $15 | 1.8% |
| Agriculture and forestry | $11 | 1.6% |
| Manufacturing | $8 | 0.7% |
| Educational services | $-21 | -3.0% |
Leading Industries
Businesses by Industry
Each broad sector is made up of specific industries. In South Carolina. the industry with the most businesses is Restaurants and other eating places with 6.4% of the businesses in the state (with 8,882 employing 180,421 workers). The Restaurants and other eating places industry had 230 more businesses, an increase of 2.7% in the last year. Private households (3.0% of businesses) had 159 fewer businesses, a decline of 3.7% and Computer systems design and related services (2.7% of businesses) added 264 businesses, an increase of 7.5% round out the 3 industries with the most businesses.Table: Top 7 Industries by Business Change %
| Industry | Business Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Other leather product manufacturing | 13 | 108.3% |
| Satellite telecommunications | 6 | 85.7% |
| Other gasoline stations | 57 | 83.8% |
| Trusts estates and agency accounts | 17 | 70.8% |
| Support activities for rail transportation | 7 | 58.3% |
| Monetary authorities - central bank | 15 | 55.6% |
| News syndicates | 3 | 50.0% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Business Change #
| Industry | Business Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Computer systems design and related services | 264 | 7.5% |
| Restaurants and other eating places | 230 | 2.7% |
| Management consulting services | 203 | 6.6% |
| Other activities related to real estate | 146 | 32.6% |
| Offices of real estate agents and brokers | 123 | 5.8% |
| Residential building construction | 118 | 4.8% |
| Insurance agencies and brokerages | 106 | 5.0% |
Employees by Industry
Private households (3.0% of employees) had 159 fewer employees, a decline of 3.7% and Computer systems design and related services (2.7% ofemployees) added 264 employees, an increase of 7.5% round out the 3 industries with the most employees.Table: Top 7 Industries by Employee Change %
| Industry | Emp Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Pension funds | 20 | 196.7% |
| Trusts estates and agency accounts | 25 | 143.2% |
| Political organizations | 31 | 118.3% |
| Securities and commodity exchanges | 8 | 114.3% |
| Other leather product manufacturing | 44 | 109.4% |
| Monetary authorities - central bank | 28 | 97.7% |
| Asphalt paving and roofing materials mfg. | 186 | 80.7% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Employee Change #
| Industry | Emp Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurants and other eating places | 3,660 | 2.1% |
| Commercial banking | 3,617 | 24.4% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 2,825 | 12.9% |
| Temporary help services | 2,301 | 3.3% |
| Automobile and light truck manufacturing | 2,247 | 23.6% |
| Offices of physicians | 1,852 | 4.7% |
| Employment placement and executive search | 1,505 | 37.9% |
Average Weekly Wage by Industry
Private households ($3) and Computer systems design and related services ($3) round out the top 3 industries. Employees in the Private households ($3 per week) were paid $159 less per week, a decline of 3.7% and Computer systems design and related services ($3 per week) were paid $264 more per week, an increase of 7.5% round out the 3 industries that pay their employees the most.Table: Top 7 Industries by Wage Change %
| Industry | Wkly Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Open-end investment funds | $2,281 | 223.0% |
| Fishing | $836 | 217.1% |
| Trusts estates and agency accounts | $1,777 | 194.8% |
| Other financial vehicles | $1,722 | 192.6% |
| Miscellaneous intermediation | $3,043 | 98.1% |
| Other leather product manufacturing | $600 | 80.0% |
| Food crops grown under cover | $337 | 78.4% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Wage Change $
| Industry | Wkly Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Miscellaneous intermediation | $3,043 | 98.1% |
| Open-end investment funds | $2,281 | 223.0% |
| Trusts estates and agency accounts | $1,777 | 194.8% |
| Other basic organic chemical manufacturing | $1,753 | 56.6% |
| Other financial vehicles | $1,722 | 192.6% |
| Fishing | $836 | 217.1% |
| Electric power generation | $750 | 33.1% |
Company Size
South Carolina Businesses by Size
The solopreneur company, has the most businesses in South Carolina by far. 60.6% of all businesses in the state have fewer than 5 employees. The 127,831 small businesses in the state represent 95.3% of all private businesses. The national average is 92.9%. (Small businesses have fewer than 50 employees, Solopreneurs employ fewer than 5.) South Carolina added 4,671 businesses in the last year, an increase of 3.6% as compared to the national average of 3.0%.Small businesses are defined as companies with fewer than 50 employees. These small businesses added 4,493 businesses in the last year, which is an increase of 3.6% as compared to the national average of 3.1%.
Mid-sized businesses are defined as companies with between 50 and 499 employees. These mid-sized businesses added 168 businesses in the last year, which is an increase of 2.8% as compared to the national average of 1.3%.
Large businesses are defined as companies with more than 500 employees. These large businesses added 10 businesses in the last year, which is an increase of 4.1% as compared to the national average of 2.1%.
South Carolina Employees by Business Size
South Carolina added 122,883 employees in the last year, an increase of 7.6% as compared to the national average of 5.2%. Small businesses are defined as companies with fewer than 50 employees. These small businesses added 61,818 businesses in the last year, which is an increase of 93.6% as compared to the national average of 4.2%.Mid-sized businesses are defined as companies with between 50 and 499 employees. Mid-sized businesses added 38,374 employees in the last year, which is an increase of 5.8% as compared to the national average of 4.7%.
Large businesses are defined as companies with more than 500 employees. Large businesses added 22,691 employees in the last year, which is an increase of 9.4% as compared to the national average of 9.2%.
South Carolina Avg Weekly Wages by Business Size
The smallest companies in South Carolina (those with fewer than 5 employees) pay workers 6.8% more than the national average ($1,078 per week as compared to the national average of $1,005 per week). The largest companies in South Carolina (those with more than 1,000 employees) pay 41.8% workers below the national average ($1,349 per week as compared to the national average of $1,913 per week).Average weekly wages in small businesses added $106 per week in the last year, which is an increase of 3.2% as compared to the national average of 3.1%. Employees of mid-sized businesses added $111 in wages per week in the last year, which is an increase of 4.4% as compared to the national average of 1.3%.
Employees of large businesses added $52 of weekly wages in the last year, which is an increase of 2.2% as compared to the national average of 2.1%.
Data Sources
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