Home / Heat pump installation cost / States / South Carolina
South Carolina · HVAC mechanics and installers rank 41 of 50 · labor −7.2%
Heat pump installation cost in South Carolina
A 2,000 sq ft home heat pump in ducted air-source heat pump comes to about $9,650 to $19,300 in South Carolina when the national installed price keeps its materials and its labor part is scaled to what HVAC mechanics and installers earn statewide. Permit fees are set by each city or town, not the state.
Wages and housing figures checked October 21, 2026 · sources
- 1Ducted air-source, 2,000 sq ft home $9,650–$19,300
- 2SC labor index −7.2% vs US
- 3Median home value $259,000
Change size or material All heat pump installation pages
What HVAC mechanics and installers earn in South Carolina
South Carolina's hvac mechanics and installers earn a median $27.22 an hour, below the US median of $29.33. That ranks 41 of 50 states, among the ten lowest-paid states for the trade. Applied to the labor share of a 2,000 sq ft home heat pump, that takes about $540 off the national midpoint.
The index is statewide. Wages inside South Carolina differ by metro area, and a contractor's price also depends on overhead, insurance, travel and how busy the season is, none of which a wage median captures.
Heat pump installation prices in South Carolina by material
Each row starts from the installed price per home that a national cost guide publishes and moves only the labor part by the South Carolina index. For 2,000 sq ft home:
| Material | National | South Carolina | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ducted air-source heat pump | $10,000–$20,000 | $9,650–$19,300 | $14,450 |
| Ductless mini-split heat pump | $2,000–$17,000 | $1,950–$16,400 | $9,150 |
By size
| Home size (sq ft) | National | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft home | $6,000–$8,500 | $5,800–$8,200 |
| 1,500 sq ft home | $8,000–$10,500 | $7,700–$10,100 |
| 2,000 sq ft home | $10,000–$20,000 | $9,650–$19,300 |
| 2,500 sq ft home | $12,000–$22,000 | $11,550–$21,200 |
| 3,000 sq ft home | $18,000–$25,000 | $17,350–$24,100 |
| 3,500 sq ft home | $20,000–$28,000 | $19,300–$27,000 |
| 4,000 sq ft home | $22,000–$32,000 | $21,200–$30,850 |
Ducted air-source heat pump. The labor part of this job is $5,000–$10,000 at national rates and $4,650–$9,300 at South Carolina rates.
South Carolina homes and incomes
The median owner-occupied home in South Carolina is valued at $259,000 (US: $332,700), 32 of 50 states. The midpoint estimate here is 5.6% of that value, a sizeable share. Against the state's median household income of $69,324, the same midpoint equals 2.5 months of income. 71.9% of South Carolina's occupied homes are owner-occupied (US 65.2%), so a larger share of households buy this work themselves.
Permits in South Carolina
Building-permit fees are set locally. No South Carolina town schedule has been collected for this site yet, so this page shows no permit amount. The national cost guide puts heat pump permits at $50–$300; the local building department can give the real figure and say whether one is needed.
Other projects in South Carolina
| Project | Trade index | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement, 2,000 sq ft | Roofers −17.4% | $7,500–$10,950 |
| Siding replacement, 1,500 sq ft | Carpenters −16.3% | $5,500–$16,550 |
| Deck building, 320 sq ft | Carpenters −16.3% | $7,400–$14,850 |
States ranked next to South Carolina
Oklahoma ($9,700–$19,450) · North Carolina ($9,700–$19,400) · Florida ($9,650–$19,300) · Georgia ($9,600–$19,250) · Idaho ($9,600–$19,200) · Tennessee ($9,550–$19,100)
More: all states · how contractors price a roof · comparing three quotes
Sources
- Installed price: HomeGuide: Heat pump cost (Oct 30, 2025) — “Air-source (ducted) $10,000 – $25,000+ (includes air handler installation)”.
- Labor portion: Filterbuy: Heat pump installation cost guide (Mar 4, 2026) — “labor typically accounts for 40% to 60% of the total installation cost.” (midpoint, 50%, used).
- Statewide wage: O*NET OnLine, HVAC mechanics and installers (49-9021), South Carolina local wages (BLS 2025 wage data).
- Housing and income: Census QuickFacts, South Carolina (ACS 2020-2024); US: QuickFacts, United States.
Checked October 21, 2026. Estimates are ranges built from published averages, not quotes. Cost by Town does not perform or arrange work.