South Carolina Employment Sector Statistics (2024)
Workforce distribution by employment sector for South Carolina
Employment Indicators for South Carolina (2024)
Total Employed
2,435,236
Civilian 16+
Private For-Profit
71.9 %
Largest Sector
Self-Employed
5.9%
Entrepreneurship
Government
15.2%
Public Sector
South Carolina Workforce by Sector & Gender

South Carolina Employment Sector Breakdown
| Sector | Total Workers | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Private For-Profit | 1,751,583 | 71.9% |
| Government | 370,983 | 15.2% |
| Self-Employed | 143,548 | 5.9% |
| Private Non-Profit | 164,455 | 6.8% |
South Carolina Gender Ratio Analysis by Employment Sector (2024)
| Sector | Male:Female Ratio |
|---|---|
| Private For-Profit | 1.22:1 |
| Government | 0.66:1 |
| Self-Employed | 1.50:1 |
South Carolina Employment Trends (2010–2024)

South Carolina Historical Employment Sector Trends
| Year | Private | Gov | Self-Emp | Non-Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 71.9% | 15.2% | 5.9% | 6.8% |
| 2023 | 71.9% | 15.3% | 5.8% | 6.7% |
| 2022 | 72.2% | 15.2% | 5.7% | 6.6% |
| 2021 | 72.7% | 15.0% | 5.7% | 6.5% |
| 2020 | 73.0% | 15.0% | 5.5% | 6.3% |
| 2019 | 73.5% | 14.7% | 5.4% | 6.2% |
| 2018 | 73.6% | 14.8% | 5.3% | 6.1% |
| 2017 | 73.3% | 15.2% | 5.2% | 6.1% |
| 2016 | 73.1% | 15.5% | 5.2% | 6.1% |
| 2015 | 72.7% | 15.8% | 5.3% | 6.1% |
| 2014 | 72.4% | 16.2% | 5.3% | 6.0% |
| 2013 | 72.2% | 16.3% | 5.4% | 6.0% |
| 2012 | 72.1% | 16.2% | 5.6% | 5.9% |
| 2011 | 72.2% | 16.1% | 5.7% | 5.8% |
| 2010 | 72.4% | 15.9% | 5.8% | 5.7% |
Employment Sector FAQs for South Carolina
The largest employment sector in South Carolina is Private For-Profit, which employs 71.9% of the local workforce.
There are approximately 2,435,236 civilian workers aged 16 and over currently employed in South Carolina.
In the private for-profit sector, the male-to-female ratio is 1.22:1. This metric helps highlight gender participation across the most prominent industry classes.
Since 2010, the total number of workers in South Carolina has shown an increase, moving from 2,002,289 to 2,435,236 according to Census Bureau records.