Manufacturing Industry in Charleston Drives Job Growth in Lowcountry South Carolina
Job growth in the tech sector has made Charleston a major hub for business and tech talent nationwide.
If 18th-century Charlestonians were alive now to see South Carolina’s original capital city, they would experience a vastly different business climate than the export empire of indigo, rice, and shipping materials that helped make the city the wealthiest area south of Philadelphia.
High tech and manufacturing are now the rule—and in the next several years, these industries are not only going to be in higher economic demand, but continue to be key factors fueling more Lowcountry housing, jobs, residents, and tourism.
The Charleston Metro region alone, with an employment base of more than 400,000, is expected to see 35,000 new jobs added by the end of 2028.
Wages for all sectors are also expected to increase accordingly.
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For example, the study shows that the annual average wage across the Charleston Metro area in 2023 was $58,830.
“But tech jobs pay an average wage of $96,763,” Von Nessen said. This is 78 percent higher than South Carolina’s average pay, and reflects a “skills premium” as well as a high demand for workers in tech-related operations.
The largest tech occupation jobs include software developers, data scientists, and computer systems analysts.
“Tech workers have never been more essential,” Von Nessen said.
And not just for the hard skills any longer—employers also seek candidates with an aptitude for problem-solving, collaboration, detail-oriented approaches, and other abilities that have now come to be known as “soft skills.”
“By emphasizing the importance of soft skills, organizations can ensure they are not only hiring competent employees but also nurturing a dynamic, innovative and resilient workforce that can thrive in an ever-changing business landscape,” Allen highlighted in the study.
In the last decade, the South Carolina tech cluster has grown more than twice as fast as the overall state economy, with a total economic output of $51.7 billion.
The tech sector supports over 143,000 jobs and generates $13.8 billion in labor income. And South Carolina tech firms have experienced a 56.7 percent increase in employment since 2020, underscoring the sector’s vitality.
This growth has made Charleston a major hub for business and tech talent nationwide.
“The region offers a high quality of life for its residents and attracts a wide pool of technology talent,” said Marc Murphy, Ignite Digital Services CEO.
“While the region is the 71st largest of all 380+ U.S. metropolitan areas in terms of population, it punches above its weight-class in innovation,” Allen said in the study.
“The Charleston Metro Area stands out with an increase of over 96 percent in patents per capita, placing it among the top 10 U.S. Metros for the number of utility patents granted per 100,000 residents over the past decade.”
“The rise of automation and artificial intelligence is transforming many industries, leading to changes in job requirements and the creation of new roles,” Von Nessen said.
“By staying ahead of these trends through data analysis, workforce development programs can anticipate changes and adapt training and education strategies accordingly. This proactive approach helps ensure that workers are not only prepared for current jobs, but are also adaptable to future changes in the labor market.”
