Psychologist Salary in South Carolina (2026)

Worth knowing: MUSC Center for Drug and Alcohol Programs Charleston is one of the country's most established academic addiction treatment programs and a feature most national psychology-career surveys understate for SC. MUSC CDAP (founded 1972 as one of the country's earlier academic addiction medicine programs, now part of MUSC's National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center + the Center for Drug and Alcohol Programs + the Addiction Sciences Division of MUSC Psychiatry) operates substantial addiction research + clinical treatment supporting senior addiction psychologists at $108-165K TC. MUSC Psychiatry is the only OR academic medical center psychiatry department in SC with substantial research + clinical mix — MUSC Psychiatry's research portfolio includes substantial NIH-funded PTSD + substance use disorder + mood disorder research. Patrick B. Harris Psychiatric Hospital Anderson (~150-bed state-run psychiatric facility) anchors SC inpatient psychiatric care + forensic psychology practice. SC joined PsyPact in 2019 — supporting SC psychologists across compact-state lines via telepsychology, important specialty for the Hilton Head + Myrtle Beach retiree market with snowbird patient caseloads. SC's 6.5% top bracket catches senior clinical + private-practice psychology comp at $200K+ TC but is substantially lower than OR/MN's 9.85-9.9% tops. SC has NO state estate tax + RTW + lower cost of living supports senior psychology private practice retention.