The Economic Impact of Manufacturing in South Carolina was commissioned by SC Manufacturers and Commerce and SC Future Makers and prepared by Joey Von Nessen, research economist at University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business.
The study found that manufacturing is broadly concentrated in the state’s urban areas, most heavily in Spartanburg and Greenville counties in the Upstate with 37,316 and 31,239 manufacturing jobs, respectively. Charleston County came in a distant third at 17,539 manufacturing jobs. Florence County came in 10th with 7,773 manufacturing jobs, which accounted for 14.2% of total employment in the county.
Elsewhere in the Pee Dee:
Chesterfield County had 4,552 manufacturing jobs representing 37.4% of total employment.
In Darlington County 3,770 manufacturing jobs accounted for 22.8% of total employment.
Dillon County’s 1,821 manufacturing jobs represented 22.4% of total jobs.
In Marlboro County, 1,389 manufacturing jobs accounted for 35.6% of total.
Marion County’s 754 manufacturing jobs represented 13.9% of total.
Key takeaways
Transportation equipment manufacturing was the fastest growing subsector in the state, representing 20.3% of overall manufacturing in 2025, up from 11.9% in 2004.
The $300 billion economic impact corresponds to between 734,114 and 782,867 jobs and $55 billion-$59 billion in labor income for South Carolinians.
Manufacturing jobs pay on average $75,698 a year, compared with the $61,011 average of all jobs across the state; that’s a 24% premium.
The automotive industry has a $64.6-billion annual economic impact on the state and provides 119,475 jobs. It occupies a 16% share of total manufacturing in the state and has grown more than three times faster than the overall manufacturing industry. Automotive manufacturing jobs pay a 44% premium over the average SC job.
Manufacturing makes for employment opportunities in small- and mid-sized communities, which typically see slower economic growth than metropolitan areas.
Since 2010, SC manufacturing employment has expanded 26.4%, while manufacturing employment in the US grew 9.4%.
From 2019 to 2025, state manufacturing employment increased by about 1.2%, compared with a 1.8% decline at the national level.
South Carolina has narrowed the gap between its average manufacturing wage and those in Rust Belt states by 11 percentage points.
Annual total estimated tax revenue from manufacturing in South Carolina is about $4.6 billion.
Looking ahead
The study predicts sluggish manufacturing growth this year because of trade and tariff policies. However, South Carolina is benefiting from increased domestic migration to the Southeast, which will both increase demand for manufactured products and attract manufacturers to the region. Owing to its port facilities and location within the region, South Carolina is poised to “significantly expand its role in the manufacturing and distribution of goods to both domestic and global markets,” the study said.
In addition, the state has added about 170,000 labor market participants since 2022. That's about 147,000 more than Tennessee, 136,000 more than Georgia and 97,000 more than North Carolina. “This expanding labor force provides a larger pool of workers for employers and is a key resource for long-run economic growth,” according to the study.
Based on SC Department of Employment and Workforce data, the study compiled a list of top-20 manufacturing occupations ranked by number of new jobs expected. Topping the list are assemblers and fabricators at 4,841 expected jobs, general maintenance and repair workers at 3,458 jobs expected and industrial machinery mechanics at 2,291 expected jobs. At 26.1%, industrial engineering jobs are expected to see the biggest percentage jump, and industrial production managers will see the highest wages at $130,680 annually.
Manufacturing has a relatively low barrier to entry, with more than 75% of occupations requiring a high school diploma or less for entry-level jobs. Another 7% call for post-secondary credentialing or some college, while 16% require an associate's degree or higher, typically in engineering and drafting jobs.
The study pointed out that workers aged 55 and older are increasing as a proportion of the overall workforce, while the 35-54 age bracket is contracting slightly. The aging workforce creates “potential gaps in experience and productivity,” the study said, adding, “This reinforces the importance of firm investments in workforce upskilling to minimize such losses, as the number of worker retirements increases.”
In terms of vulnerability to automation, the study described manufacturing occupations overall as having “moderately high exposure,” with the previously mentioned top-20 list as somewhat less exposed. This is based on an Automation Exposure Score as measured by the Labor Market Information Institute, which is itself run by the Virginia-based nonprofit Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness.
Of the top-20 list, the most exposed occupations are production clerks; inspectors, sorters, samplers and weighers; and workers who package goods by hand. Least exposed on the top-20 list are electrical engineers.
The study suggests that automation will reshape demand for skills by “substituting for routine task content and raising the value of skills that involve complex problem-solving, adaptability, and interaction with automated systems.”
Even occupations less exposed to automation will need to upskill or reskill to stay on top of automation and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, the study said.
SC Manufacturers and Commerce is the product of the October merger of the state Chamber of Commerce and Manufacturers Alliance. The group founded SC Future Makers to connect talent to career opportunities with South Carolina manufacturers, according to its website.