June 2025

Released July 18, 2025

Download the full PDF for South Carolina

Download the summary PDF for South Carolina

United States

Employment snapshot

• In June, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 11, rose in 7, and remained unchanged in 33.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.9 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 1.8 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.1 percent.

• In June, payroll jobs rose in 27 states and fell in 24. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.9 percent in Alaska. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.5 percent in Rhode Island.

South Carolina

Employment snapshot

• In June, South Carolina added 5,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.1 percent. In the prior month, South Carolina added 7,100 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, South Carolina added 68,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.3 percentage points from 4.4 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 147,000 in June, or 0.1 percent. South Carolina ranks 1st in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In June, South Carolina’s private sector added 5,500 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 63,400 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, South Carolina added 6,500 net private payroll jobs.

• In June, employment in South Carolina rose by 5,627, and over the past 12 months it rose by 28,694.

• South Carolina’s labor force participation rate rose to 57.6 percent in June from 57.5 percent and ranks 49th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.5 percentage points.

---

South Carolina

Payroll employment

• South Carolina added 5,800 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during June. In the prior month, South Carolina added 7,100 jobs. South Carolina nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 11 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 147,000 in June, or 0.1 percent. South Carolina ranks 1st in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• South Carolina added 5,500 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during June. In the prior month, South Carolina added 6,500 jobs. South Carolina private sector payroll employment has increased in 11 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 74,000 jobs in June, or 0.1 percent. South Carolina ranks 1st in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From May 2025 to June 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (+2,100) and Leisure and Hospitality (+1,400).
• The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-700) and Federal Government (+0).

From June 2024 to June 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (+17,800) and Private Education and Health Services (+16,200).
• The worst performing sectors were Manufacturing (-600) and Federal Government (+200).

South Carolina

Labor force

The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.

• The labor force participation rate in South Carolina rose to 57.6 percent in June from 57.5 percent in the prior month.

• South Carolina ranks 49th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in South Carolina was 59.3 percent in June 2015, and the 10-year low was 57.3 percent occurring in October 2022.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 62.3 percent in June.