Workers’ comp insurance cost for carpenters in South Carolina

Q: What does workers' comp cost carpentry contractors in South Carolina?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $6.36 per $100 of payroll: a <5-employee carpentry shop lands around $2.9k–$11k per year before experience mods and schedule credits.

Q: What drives the rate up or down?

Three levers: payroll (the exposure base), claims history (the experience modifier), and schedule credits/debits the insurer applies. Finish carpentry work is NCCI class 5437 (Carpentry — Cabinet and Trim Work) — jobsite installation of cabinetry, interior trim, stairs, and millwork; framing and general carpentry (class 5403) and new-dwelling construction are rated separately.

Published 2026-06-11 · by Brokly

Direct answer: South Carolina carpentry contractors pay a filed workers’-comp manual rate of $6.36 per $100 of payroll (2024 filed rate) — the 12th-highest of 51 US jurisdictions. Modeled on real payrolls, most <5-employee carpentry contractors land around $2.9k–$11k/yr, before experience mods and schedule credits.

75% of SC carpentry contractors have <5 employees — the chart below prices every size band from its own observed payroll.
South Carolina sits 12th of 51: MT pays more ($6.96), OK less ($5.57).
Workers’ comp is one of several coverages — see everything your carpentry shop needs in South Carolina →

What do South Carolina carpentry contractors pay for workers’ comp?

Modeled annual premium across the real size distribution of SC carpentry contractors

bar height = how many carpentry contractors are that size · figures = modeled annual cost

typical · most SC carpentry contractors

▼

<5 emp

≈$4.7k/yr

5–9 emp

≈$20k/yr

10–19 emp

≈$42k/yr

20–49 emp

≈$120k/yr

SMALLER

MID-SIZE

LARGER

A <5-employee SC carpentry shop: modeled $2.9k–$11k/yr in workers’-comp premium (that band’s own average wage, before experience mods and schedule credits). Bar heights show how many of the 454 SC carpentry contractors fall in each size band.

Cohort: size distribution of 454 SC carpentry contractors (Census CBP 2023); premiums modeled from one filed rate ($6.36/$100 payroll, 2024). Bands shown cover 451 of 454 establishments (99.3%) — 3 establishments in larger, very small-count, or data-suppressed size bands are not shown. 2023 payroll dollars, not inflation-adjusted. Illustrative benchmark — not a quote or coverage recommendation.

Filed manual rate (SC)

$6.36 / $100 payroll

as of 2024

Typical <5-employee carpentry shop (75% of SC)

$2.9k–$11k / yr modeled

as of 2024 · CBP 2023

Sources: Oregon DCBS workers' compensation premium rate ranking study, June 2025 (calendar-year 2024 rates) (as of calendar year 2024, retrieved 2026-06-04) · US Census County Business Patterns 2023, state file (Finish carpentry contractors (NAICS 238350)) (as of 2023, retrieved 2026-06-05)

How does South Carolina compare to nearby ranks?

Calculated manual rates, $ per $100 payroll, NCCI class 5437 (Carpentry — Cabinet and Trim Work), 2024. See all 51 jurisdictions →

Rank	State	Rate / $100 payroll
8	Louisiana	$6.72
9	Hawaii	$6.69
10	Rhode Island	$6.61
11	Pennsylvania	$6.59
12	South Carolina	$6.36
13	New Hampshire	$6.35
14	Connecticut	$6.32
15	Maine	$6.11
16	Vermont	$6.00

Sources: Oregon DCBS workers' compensation premium rate ranking study, June 2025 (calendar-year 2024 rates) (as of calendar year 2024, retrieved 2026-06-04)

Frequently asked questions

What does workers' comp cost carpentry contractors in South Carolina?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $6.36 per $100 of payroll: a <5-employee carpentry shop lands around $2.9k–$11k per year before experience mods and schedule credits.

What drives the rate up or down?

Three levers: payroll (the exposure base), claims history (the experience modifier), and schedule credits/debits the insurer applies. Finish carpentry work is NCCI class 5437 (Carpentry — Cabinet and Trim Work) — jobsite installation of cabinetry, interior trim, stairs, and millwork; framing and general carpentry (class 5403) and new-dwelling construction are rated separately.

Carpenters in nearby-ranked states: Pennsylvania ($6.59) · Oklahoma ($5.57) · California ($5.42) · Georgia ($7.12)

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Illustrative benchmark — not a quote or coverage recommendation. Figures are modeled from public filings and Census data for 454 South Carolina carpentry contractors; your premium depends on your payroll, claims history, and carrier.