The life sciences sector in South Carolina is growing faster than the national sector, with pharmaceutical manufacturing leading employment growth and strengthening the state’s position as a center for drug production.
The industry generated an estimated $20.1 billion in annual economic activity while supporting 23,499 jobs across 2,811 establishments in 2025, according to data compiled by SCbio. From 2021 to 2025, employment grew 20.8 percent, nearly three times the national rate of 7 percent.
“South Carolina is a hotspot for pharmaceutical manufacturing largely because of population growth in the Southeast that is driving demand,” said Joey Von Nessen, chief economist at the University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business. “The sector also benefits from the state’s established manufacturing infrastructure, strong workforce, and competitive business environment.”
Meanwhile, four major subsectors of South Carolina's bioscience industry added jobs in 2025, led by growth of 52.4 percent in research, testing, and medical laboratories. Bioscience-related distribution and pharmaceuticals also recorded double-digit gains.
Meanwhile, the sector offers relatively high wages, with average annual pay of $109,555, about 73 percent above the state's private-sector average.
Most of the Palmetto State’s life sciences sector is concentrated around Greenville, Columbia, and the Charleston region. In July 2026, Swiss pharmaceutical manufacturer Octapharma selected York County for its first U.S. manufacturing facility. The company announced a $1.5 billion investment expected to create more than 1,500 jobs in Rock Hill, adding a major new player to the state's pharmaceutical manufacturing base.
Other noted companies around the state include Nephron Pharmaceuticals in West Columbia, the Ritedose Corp. in Columbia, PAI Pharma in Greenville, and Alcami in Charleston.
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