South Carolina Travel Nurse Pay Guide: Salaries, Top Hospitals & Licensing (2026)

South Carolina is one of the fastest-growing states in the country, and its healthcare infrastructure is expanding to keep pace. That growth creates a structural and ongoing demand for travel nurses that goes beyond typical seasonal fluctuation — new hospitals are opening, existing systems are expanding bed counts, and the population growth driving it all shows no signs of slowing down.

Pay in South Carolina runs below the national average, and the state’s 7% income tax rate is the highest in the Southeast — both facts worth knowing upfront. But the cost of living is favorable, the NLC compact makes licensing friction-free for most travelers, and MUSC Health in Charleston offers one of the highest-volume single-facility travel contract markets on the entire East Coast.

This guide breaks down South Carolina travel nurse pay by specialty and region, the licensing picture, the income tax reality, the top hospital systems, and why the state’s growth trajectory makes it worth putting on your contract calendar.

South Carolina Travel Nurse Pay Overview: 2026

South Carolina travel nurse pay runs below the national average, consistent with Southeast regional norms. The gap closes considerably when cost of living is factored in — South Carolina’s COL is about 4% below the national average, and housing costs in most markets are meaningfully lower than coastal or Midwest comparisons.

South Carolina Travel Nurse Pay by Specialty (2026)

Cardiovascular and surgical specialties command the highest rates in South Carolina, driven primarily by the academic medical center volume at MUSC Health. General med-surg and telemetry volumes are high and offer reliable assignment availability, though at lower weekly rates.

South Carolina’s Three Regional Markets

South Carolina splits cleanly into three travel nursing markets — the Lowcountry, the Midlands, and the Upstate — each with its own dominant health system, pay profile, and lifestyle character. Understanding these distinctions helps you target contracts strategically rather than treating South Carolina as a single homogeneous market.

The Lowcountry — Charleston and the Coast

Charleston is the anchor of South Carolina travel nursing and home to MUSC Health, the state’s dominant academic medical center and by far the highest-volume single-facility travel contract source in South Carolina. MUSC Health University Hospital had 233 active travel nursing positions on Vivian as of early March 2026, with the Children’s Hospital adding another 160 — a combined total that rivals major academic medical centers in much larger states. Charleston market rates are above the South Carolina average and reflect the city’s academic complexity and growing population demand.

The Lowcountry also includes Roper St. Francis Healthcare — which is in the process of relocating to a new North Charleston campus — and Trident Medical Center (HCA), which maintains 68 active travel listings on Vivian. The coastal geography makes Lowcountry assignments particularly attractive from a lifestyle standpoint, with beaches, historic downtown Charleston, and the broader Sea Island coastline all accessible from assignment housing.

The Midlands — Columbia and the State Capital Region

Columbia is South Carolina’s largest city by population and the state capital, but its hospital market runs on different rails than Charleston. Prisma Health anchors the Midlands with Prisma Health Richland Hospital and Prisma Health Baptist Hospital in Columbia, while Lexington Medical Center in nearby West Columbia has consistently earned recognition as one of the state’s top-performing community hospitals. MUSC Health has also expanded into the Midlands with hospital acquisitions in recent years, extending its footprint beyond Charleston.

Midlands contracts tend to run slightly below Charleston rates, with stronger volume in general acute care specialties — PCU, telemetry, and med-surg — and less academic specialty volume than the Lowcountry. For nurses who want consistent contract availability without the Charleston housing cost premium, Columbia is a solid option.

The Upstate — Greenville, Spartanburg, and the I-85 Corridor

The Upstate is South Carolina’s second healthcare hub, driven by Prisma Health’s Greenville Memorial Hospital and Bon Secours St. Francis Health System in Greenville, plus Spartanburg Medical Center further east along the I-85 corridor. The Upstate is experiencing some of the state’s fastest population growth, with new hospital construction underway — Prisma Health broke ground on a $350 million expansion at Greer Memorial Hospital in fall 2025, and Novant Health received approval to open an outpatient-focused hospital in Greenville in 2026.

That construction pipeline matters for travel nurses: new and expanding facilities typically require additional contract staff during ramp-up periods, creating above-normal placement opportunities in the 2026-2028 timeframe. The Upstate is also geographically attractive for nurses who want access to both the Blue Ridge Mountains and reasonable proximity to Charlotte, NC.

South Carolina Travel Nurse Pay by City

Carolinas Hospital System in Florence is worth noting — it ranked second in South Carolina travel nursing contract volume on Vivian as of March 2026 with 171 active listings, making it a reliable placement option for nurses who want consistent availability outside of Charleston.

MUSC Health: South Carolina’s Dominant Travel Nurse Employer

The Medical University of South Carolina Health system in Charleston deserves its own section because the scale of its travel nurse placement is unusual even by national standards. MUSC Health University Hospital had 250 active travel nursing contracts on Vivian as of late March 2026, making it one of the highest-volume single-facility travel employers on the East Coast outside of major metropolitan areas like NYC and Boston.

MUSC has held the top ranking among South Carolina hospitals for over a decade and is nationally ranked in adult specialties including cardiology, cancer care, and neurology, as well as multiple pediatric specialties through its Children’s Hospital. The health system is in active expansion mode — new hospitals under construction in Indian Land and Summerville, a new cancer hospital approved for downtown Charleston, and a growing regional network throughout South Carolina. That expansion pipeline will sustain above-average travel nurse demand well into the late 2020s.

For specialty nurses in cardiac care, oncology, transplant, and neurology, a MUSC contract carries genuine resume value comparable to assignments at well-known academic centers in larger states.

South Carolina Nursing License: What Travel Nurses Need to Know

South Carolina is a full NLC compact member, which eliminates the licensing barrier for the majority of travel nurses. If your primary state of residence is one of the 40+ current NLC member states and you hold an active multistate license, you can practice in South Carolina without a separate endorsement. Verify your multistate license status at Nursys.com before your first shift.

If Your Home State Is NOT an NLC Member

Nurses from non-compact states must apply for a South Carolina RN license by endorsement through the South Carolina Board of Nursing. Key details:

• Application fee: $90-$110 (verify current fee with the SC Board of Nursing)
• Renewal cycle: Every two years
• Processing time: Typically 2-4 weeks per TravelNurseCalc data — faster than many states
• Submit license verification through Nursys.com

South Carolina’s relatively fast processing time — 2-4 weeks versus the 4-8 weeks common in states like Michigan — makes it one of the more accessible non-compact-state endorsement processes for nurses who need to apply.

South Carolina State Income Tax for Travel Nurses

South Carolina’s 7% top marginal income tax rate is the single most important financial variable distinguishing a South Carolina contract from comparable Southeast assignments. It is the highest state income tax rate in the Southeast and warrants explicit attention when comparing offers.

In practical terms: on $900/week in taxable base wages over a 13-week assignment, a South Carolina nurse pays roughly $819 more in state income tax compared to the same assignment in Florida or Tennessee. That is a meaningful difference on a single contract — worth factoring explicitly when you are comparing a $2,000/week South Carolina package against a $1,900/week Florida package.

The offset is that South Carolina’s cost of living is lower than Florida’s in most coastal markets, and housing costs in Columbia and the Upstate are significantly below what you would pay in Tampa or Orlando. Run the full numbers — stipend, taxes, and housing cost — before deciding which contract is actually better. For the framework to do that, see our guide on Travel Nurse Tax Home Rules.

Why South Carolina’s Growth Matters for Travel Nurses

South Carolina is one of the fastest-growing states in the country by population, and its healthcare infrastructure is visibly struggling to keep pace. New hospital construction announced or underway as of early 2026 includes:

• MUSC Health Indian Land Medical Center — 50-bed hospital, opening 2027
• MUSC Health Summerville hospital — opening 2026-2027
• Prisma Health Greer Memorial expansion — $350 million, 93 to 175 beds, completing 2028
• Novant Health Greenville hospital — outpatient-focused, opening 2026
• Novant Health Bluffton hospital — $320 million, 50 beds, groundbreaking 2026, opening 2028
• Atrium Health Fort Mill — $450 million campus, 60-bed hospital, service expected 2029
• Beaufort Memorial Bluffton Community Hospital — 28 beds, opening early 2027

New and expanding facilities typically require supplemental travel staff during ramp-up — sometimes for 12-24 months before permanent hiring stabilizes. For travel nurses who want to get ahead of a growing market, South Carolina’s construction pipeline represents a multi-year window of above-average placement opportunity, particularly in the Lowcountry, Upstate, and York County border region near Charlotte.

Top South Carolina Hospital Systems for Travel Nurses

MUSC Health (Statewide — Charleston Anchored)

The Medical University of South Carolina is the state’s flagship academic medical center, consistently ranked the number one hospital in South Carolina by U.S. News and World Report. MUSC Health operates 16 hospitals across the state with plans for continued expansion. The main Charleston campus generates by far the most travel nurse contract volume of any single South Carolina facility. Specialty nurses in cardiac, oncology, transplant, and pediatric care will find the strongest placements and most competitive rates here.

Prisma Health (Greenville and Columbia)

Prisma Health is South Carolina’s largest private health system, operating across both the Upstate (Greenville Memorial, Baptist Easley, Greer Memorial) and Midlands (Richland, Baptist Columbia) markets. It is the dominant employer in Greenville and a major source of Columbia-area travel contracts. Active expansion — particularly the Greer Memorial project — will sustain travel demand above baseline through the late 2020s.

Roper St. Francis Healthcare (Charleston)

Roper St. Francis operates multiple facilities in the Charleston area, including Roper Hospital in downtown Charleston and Berkeley Medical Center. The system is in the process of relocating its main Charleston campus to a new North Charleston location — a transition that historically creates above-normal travel nurse demand as facilities open, ramp up, and adjust staffing. Nurses considering Charleston assignments should check for Roper St. Francis contracts alongside MUSC listings.

Bon Secours St. Francis Health System (Greenville)

Bon Secours St. Francis is Greenville’s second major health system and a consistent source of Upstate travel contracts, particularly for surgical and medical-surgical specialties. The system operates St. Francis Downtown and St. Francis Eastside in Greenville.

McLeod Health (Florence and Pee Dee Region)

McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence is the dominant facility in the Pee Dee region of northeastern South Carolina. Carolinas Hospital System, also Florence-based, had 171 active travel listings on Vivian as of March 2026 — making the Florence market one of the more active travel nursing corridors outside of Charleston and Greenville for nurses who want assignment availability away from the state’s larger cities.

A Note on Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach is worth understanding as a distinct sub-market. Grand Strand Regional Medical Center (HCA) and Conway Medical Center are the primary facilities, and the market has a strong seasonal character — patient volumes surge during spring and summer tourist season, creating above-average travel demand from roughly March through September. Nurses who want coastal lifestyle combined with predictable seasonal contract availability will find Myrtle Beach assignments worth pricing out, though rates tend to run at or slightly below the South Carolina average.

Agencies with Strong South Carolina Placement

The top agencies on Vivian for South Carolina as of March 2026 were Vibra Travels (56 jobs), HealthTrust Workforce Solutions HCA (53 jobs), and TNAA/TotalMed (51 jobs). For the major national agencies:

• Aya Healthcare — broad South Carolina coverage across specialties and regions (read our Aya Healthcare review)
• AMN Healthcare — strong MUSC and academic center relationships in Charleston (read our AMN Healthcare review)
• Cross Country Nurses — consistent Southeast placement with South Carolina volume (read our Cross Country Nurses review)
• Health Carousel — active placement across Lowcountry and Upstate markets (read our Health Carousel review)
• Vivian Health — aggregator platform for comparing all South Carolina contracts simultaneously (read our Vivian Health review)

Practical Notes Before Accepting a South Carolina Assignment

• Run the full tax math before comparing contracts. The 7% rate is real and material. A South Carolina contract that looks competitive gross may net meaningfully less than a comparable Florida or North Carolina offer after state taxes. Always compare net, not gross.
• Charleston housing costs are higher than the SC average. The city’s national reputation as a travel and relocation destination has pushed rents above what you’d pay in Columbia or Greenville. Housing stipends that cover Columbia rent may fall short in Charleston — verify current rental rates before accepting a package.
• Summer in South Carolina is hot. Coastal and inland markets both experience heat and humidity from June through September that is more intense than most nurses coming from northern states expect. Factor this into your quality-of-life evaluation for summer assignments.
• MUSC assignments move fast. Given the volume and prestige of MUSC contracts, positions often fill quickly. If a MUSC assignment is on your target list, apply early and be prepared to move on credentialing quickly.
• South Carolina borders North Carolina and Georgia — both compact. Nurses who hold a compact license and take a South Carolina assignment can easily rotate to North Carolina or Georgia contracts without additional licensing. For nurses building an East Coast rotation, the SC-NC-GA triangle is a natural compact cluster.

Before signing any South Carolina contract, understand every component of your pay package. See our guide on What Is a Travel Nurse Pay Package? and review our Travel Nurse Contract Red Flags guide before you sign.

References

Salary Data

• Vivian Health, “Travel Nursing Jobs in South Carolina” and “Travel Nursing Jobs in Charleston, SC,” February-March 2026
• AMN Healthcare, “South Carolina Travel Nursing Jobs” and specialty listings, February-April 2026
• ZipRecruiter, “Traveling Nurse Salary in South Carolina,” March 2026
• TravelNurseCalc.com, “Travel Nurse Pay in South Carolina 2026,” 2026

Hospitals and Market Context

• Becker’s Hospital Review, “11 Hospital Projects in the Fastest-Growing State,” February 2026
• Medical Solutions, “SC Travel Nurse Jobs,” accessed April 2026

Licensing

• South Carolina Board of Nursing, accessed April 2026
• NCSBN / NURSECOMPACT.com, NLC state map and status, accessed April 2026

Last updated: April 2026