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How Much Should I Charge as a Lawyer in South Carolina?

Updated March 2026

Average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in South Carolina is based on aggregated and anonymized data from tens of thousands of legal professionals across the U.S. This data is updated annually and published with additional research and analysis in Clio’s Legal Trends Report.

Key takeaways

  • As of 2025, the average hourly rate for a lawyer in South Carolina is $300, compared to $349 in the US. Based on practice area, rates in South Carolina can range from $145 to $456.
  • As of 2025, the average hourly rate for non-lawyers in South Carolina is $145, compared to $187 in the US. Based on practice area, non-lawyer rates in South Carolina can range from $116 to $314.
  • The average hourly rate that law firms charge in South Carolina is $254 (compared to $311 in the US), which is a blended rate that takes into account both lawyer and non-lawyer rates. Based on the practice area, how much law firms charge in South Carolina can range from $136 to $432.

Compare hourly rates to national averages and other states

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  • All of Clio’s research is published annually in the Legal Trends Report, which features in-depth analysis on the latest trends in AI technology and adoption, consumer perspectives on legal services, and this year, a first-of-its kind neurological study of legal professionals.

    Read the report

Hourly rates for legal services in South Carolina

Compare average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in South Carolina. “Non-lawyer” rates refer to non-licensed legal professionals like paralegals and other firm administrative staff. “Law firm” rates are a blended average of lawyer and non-lawyer rates.


Average lawyer hourly rates
Average non-lawyer hourly rates
Average law firm hourly rates
State average $300 $145 $254
High $492 $237 $456
Low $196 $118 $186
Industry average $349 $187 $311

Compare hourly rates to national averages and other states

Hourly rates for legal services by practice area in South Carolina

In South Carolina, hourly rates differ based on the types of services and practice areas offered by lawyers and their law firms


Practice area
Average lawyer hourly rate
Administrative$394
Appellate$358
Bankruptcy$378
Business$362
Civil Litigation$257
Civil Rights and Constitutional Law$424
Collections$325
Commercial Sale of Goods$376
Construction$258
Contracts$371
Corporate$368
Criminal$380
Elder Law$210
Employment Labor$325
Family$305
Government$280
Immigration$145
Insurance$174
Intellectual Property$456
Juvenile$201
Mediation and Arbitration$446
Medical Malpractice$174
Other$269
Personal Injury$208
Real Estate$346
Small Claims$329
Tax$402
Traffic Offenses$331
Trusts$415
Wills and Estates$374
Worker's Compensation$168

Key performance indicators in South Carolina

Key performance indicators (KPIs) offer valuable insights into a firm’s performance in South Carolina. This information helps lawyers understand how they and their employees are contributing to revenue generation, and can be instrumental in identifying areas for continuous improvement.


Utilization rate
Realization rate
Collection rate
What is it? How many hours individual lawyers put towards revenue-generating work. How much revenue-generating work is billed to a client after discounts or canceled fees. How much invoiced work gets paid to a law firm.
South Carolina average 37% 90% 92%
U.S. average 38% 88% 92%

Historical hourly rates in South Carolina


Year
Average lawyer hourly rate
Average non-lawyer hourly rate
Average law firm hourly rate
2025$300$145$254
2024$287$139$256
2023$249$122$218
2022$259$119$223
2021$246$113$211

Adjusted hourly rates in South Carolina

In addition to hourly rates, cost of living standards in South Carolina can affect overall purchasing power. Adjusted hourly rates take into account average consumer prices, and are calculated as follows.


Year
Adjusted lawyer hourly rate
Adjusted non-lawyer hourly rate
Adjusted law firm hourly rate
2025$322$156$273
2024$306$148$273
2023$266$130$232
2022$286$131$246
2021$272$124$234

Frequently asked questions

What is the hourly rate of a lawyer in South Carolina?

The hourly rate for a lawyer in South Carolina is between $145 and $456 per hour, with the average being $300.

How much does a family lawyer charge in South Carolina?

The average hourly rate for a family lawyer in South Carolina is $305 per hour.

How much does a civil litigation lawyer charge in South Carolina?

The average hourly rate for a civil litigation lawyer in South Carolina is $257 per hour.

How much does a criminal lawyer charge in South Carolina?

The average hourly rate for a criminal lawyer in South Carolina is $380 per hour.

What is the highest paid type of lawyer in South Carolina?

Intellectual Property attorneys are the highest paid type of lawyer in South Carolina, earning $456 per hour on average.

What is the lowest paid type of lawyer in South Carolina?

Immigration attorneys are the lowest paid type of lawyer in South Carolina, earning $145 per hour on average.

Explore lawyer rates in the U.S.

About the Legal Trends Report

The Legal Trends Report, published by Clio, provides information on the most important issues faced within the legal profession. By analyzing aggregated and anonymized data from tens of thousands of legal professionals in the U.S., supported by extensive survey research, this report offers unique insights into law firm efficiencies, hourly rates, and other key metrics for success.

Read the report