South Carolina Overview

The South Carolina job market and economy have struggled for the past few years, but are poised for improvement. Employment has increased in most South Carolina communities as the state’s strong manufacturing sector, particularly in automotive, picks up steam.

South Carolina Job Opportunities

Key South Carolina business sectors include aerospace and auto manufacturing. Key employers include Boeing, BMW and Michelin. South Carolina also has an expanding presence in alternative energy, biotechnology and recycling.

The trade, transportation and utilities and government sectors employ a majority of South Carolina’s 2.2 million workers. Other key industries include professional/business services, manufacturing, education/health services, and leisure and hospitality. While hiring in most industries has been increasing, government and construction employment in South Carolina has been decreasing.

South Carolina Employment Trends

South Carolina’s challenging times are reflected in its unemployment rate, which remained in double digits for nearly three years before finally dipping below 10 percent at the end of 2011. Payrolls across the state, which fell for two years, have been positive since mid-2010. Online hiring is steadily improving, and is now close to prerecession levels.

Between Q2 2012 and Q2 2013, the supply of South Carolina jobs is expected to grow 1.2 percent, slightly less than the 1.3 percent growth expected in the US job supply during that time.