Richland County, SC jobs, unemployment and layoffs
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Show me jobs near meRichland County economy
3.9%
unemployment, Sep 2026
4.5% the month before
219,084
in the labor force
Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics
418,725
people in Richland County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
$61,699
median household income
Source: Census ACS
44%
of workers in white-collar occupations
Management, business, financial and professional; Census ACS
Where Richland County ranks
Where Richland County placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #13Counties with the most jobs in AI-exposed sectors in the Southeast31% · of 100
- #25Best counties for laid-off professionals in the Southeast57 / 100 · of 77
Richland County outlook: Building
Built from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census figures. It describes the area, not any one employer in it.
- Private-sector jobs up 2.6% from 2022 to 2025
- Population up 4.6% from 2020 to 2025
- Unemployment 3.9%, down 0.6 points from a year ago
- Sectors adding the most jobs: health care (+3,125 jobs), hotels & food (+1,491 jobs)
- Sectors losing the most jobs: admin & staffing (−2,219 jobs), wholesale (−689 jobs)
Local job-market news
Recent headlines about layoffs, AI and jobs in Richland County. Each link goes to the publisher.
- South Carolina independent pharmacies call for help amid financial strugglesWSAV-TV on MSN · Nov 6, 2026
- BRITTONS TO CLOSE AFTER 80 YEARS IN COLUMBIA, SCMR Magazine · Oct 8, 2026
Learn and get funded in Richland County
- Which AI skills each kind of job asks for, with the pay premium.
- Your local workforce board and American Job Centers: training vouchers and re-employment help.
- Grants and funding for job seekers, ranked for your state and situation.
- Unemployment benefits by state, if you are between jobs.
Richland County layoffs
3
Layoff notices, last 12 months
107
workers named
A floor: states may leave out counts
3
employers
| Notice date | Employer | City or county | Workers | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PepsiCoTakes effect Oct 18, 2026 | Richland County | 105 | — | State record | |
| C2 Technologies | Richland | 1 | — | State record | |
| 2 C TechnologiesTakes effect Mar 6, 2026 | Richland County | 1 | Layoff | State record |
Employers hiring most in Richland County
Employers with the most open professional roles in this county’s cities. The county is taken from each job’s city, so roles with no city are not counted.
- Scout Motors43 open roles
- The Nuclear Company28 open roles
- Westinghouse Electric15 open roles
- Trane U.s.13 open roles
- Amarok7 open roles
- State of South Carolina7 open roles
- Veterans Health Administration7 open roles
- AgFirst Farm Credit Bank5 open roles
- NexonIT5 open roles
- Trane Technologies5 open roles
Colleges in Richland County
| College | City | Type | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of South Carolina-Columbia | Columbia | Public 4-year | 20,000+ |
| Benedict College | Columbia | Private non-profit 4-year | 1,000–4,999 |
| Columbia College | Columbia | Private non-profit 4-year | 1,000–4,999 |
| Columbia International University | Columbia | Private non-profit 4-year | 1,000–4,999 |
| Allen University | Columbia | Private non-profit 4-year | Under 1,000 |
Conferences in Richland County
Industry conferences and trade shows held in Richland County. 3 with dates announced.
- SC.CPA Fall Fest Accounting Conference
Nov 19 to Nov 20, 2026 · Columbia, SC
Ticket Up to $1,000. $1,000 non-member; 16 CPE hours; member price not listed
- South Carolina Hospital Association Annual Meeting
Dec 9, 2026 · Columbia, SC
Paid ticket, price not listed
- Southeastern Museums Conference Annual Meeting
Oct 4 to Oct 6, 2027 · Columbia, SC
Paid ticket. Registration via members portal; pricing not yet posted. Premium membership gives $25 off early bird.
Workforce development and job centers
The public workforce board and American Job Centers serving Richland County. They offer free help with job search, training and filing for benefits.
Laid off in South Carolina? How to file for unemployment in South Carolina (steps, weekly amount and the appeal deadline).
- Midlands Workforce Development Board
Fairfield, Lexington, Richland
SC Works Center Columbia Midlands
Columbia · Comprehensive · 803-737-5627
Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm
Cities in Richland County
Other South Carolina counties
Laid off or looking for work in Richland County?
See what to do first and the jobs open near you.
See your options after a layoffSources: Census Bureau and BLS (county unemployment is not seasonally adjusted); layoff notices from South Carolina’s published record; job counts from our live job board; IPEDS for colleges; CareerOneStop for workforce boards and job centers. South Carolina unemployment benefits and severance rules.
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