Unemployment benefits in South Carolina
South Carolina's maximum weekly unemployment benefit is $350.
| Minimum weekly benefit | not confirmed |
|---|---|
| Maximum weekly benefit | $350 |
| Maximum duration | Varies — see below |
How the weekly benefit is calculated
50% of your average weekly wage in your highest base-period quarter (high-quarter wages ÷ 26).
Duration
Varies 12–20 weeks, based on the state's insured unemployment rate.
dew.sc.gov returned 403 on every direct-fetch attempt; figures come from search-indexed snippets of the agency's own pages. Minimum weekly benefit not confirmed.
None of the figures on this page were read directly from the state agency's own site — the agency's site could not be reached from this research environment, so these come from search-indexed snippets of that same page or from independently agreeing third-party trackers.
Sources
- SC Dept. of Employment and Workforce — how unemployment insurance works, read 2026-08-23.
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South Carolina unemployment: common questions
How much is unemployment in South Carolina?
50% of your average weekly wage in your highest base-period quarter (high-quarter wages ÷ 26). The maximum is $350. dew.sc.gov returned 403 on every direct-fetch attempt; figures come from search-indexed snippets of the agency's own pages. Minimum weekly benefit not confirmed.
How long do unemployment benefits last in South Carolina?
Varies 12–20 weeks, based on the state's insured unemployment rate.
What wages count toward my benefit?
The standard base period: your wages in the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you filed your claim.
What is the maximum weekly unemployment payment in South Carolina?
$350 a week is the most South Carolina pays, before any deductions you elect such as tax withholding or child support. Most claimants receive less, because the weekly amount is calculated from your own base-period wages: 50% of your average weekly wage in your highest base-period quarter (high-quarter wages ÷ 26).
What day does unemployment pay in South Carolina?
This page does not model payment dates. Timing is set by South Carolina's own unemployment agency rather than by the benefit formula, and normally depends on when your weekly or biweekly claim is filed and processed rather than on a fixed calendar day. What this page does model is how much you are owed and for how long, both traced to the sources listed below.
More on South Carolina pay and deductions
South Carolina paycheck calculator
South Carolina's own brackets, deductions and payroll assessments, with the sources behind each.
Where South Carolina ranks
What South Carolina leaves you against every other state on the same salary, and where a move gains most.
South Carolina wage garnishment limits
The most a creditor can take from a South Carolina paycheck, where state law is stricter than federal.