What are the salaries of Hilton Head town employees in 2026? Search the data
Curious about how much town employees make on Hilton Head Island?
Maybe you’re thinking about applying for a job with the town. Or you’re just a concerned citizen who wants to know where your taxpayer dollars are going.
We asked The Town of Hilton Head Island to tell us the salaries of all full-time, part-time and temporary employees. The town provided us a spreadsheet with salary information as of April 20, 2026.
The South Carolina Freedom of Information act requires public bodies to release the exact compensation of all public employees that make more than $50,000 per year upon request, as well as the exact compensation of elected officials. For employees that earn less than $50,000, the public body has to disclose compensation within a limited range.
What does that mean? If you work for a public body, how much you make is considered the business of the public. That includes everyone from the highest-level executives to clerks and assistants. Anyone can request this information at any time by making a FOIA request.
Search through our table at the bottom of the story to find out how much town employees are making. You can search by name, position or department.
The data in our table includes base salaries only, and does not include additional compensation such as allowances and deferred compensation. It also does not include benefits. Some employees included in the table may have left the town between April 20 and present day.
Who has the highest salary?
At $236,215 per year, Town Manager Marc Orlando receives the highest salary from the town.
As Town Manager, Orlando oversees all departments and helps ensure the town is on track with its strategic plan.
In December, the Town Council voted to give Orlando a 4% raise and $25,000 bonus. Orlando’s contract extends through Feb 21, 2031.
At the time, Council Member Steve Alfred told The Packet that Orlando was doing an “absolutely outstanding job” and that the council has to consider what kinds of salaries and bonuses other employers are offering to people in “comparable positions.”
How much do firefighters make?
Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue handles fire and emergency medical services for the Town of Hilton Head. Fire Rescue employees fight fires, drive ambulances and operate 911 dispatch.
Firefighters make between $50,846 and $64,109 per year, according to the data, while senior firefighters make between $62,025 and $73,442. Then there’s Fire Apparatus Operators, who drive emergency vehicles. They make between $75,648 and $82,519 per year.
Higher-ranking employees make more: lieutenants make between $88,341 and $98,282 per year, captains make between $97,934 and $110,429, and the Fire Chief, Chris Blankenship, makes $184,478 per year, the data shows.
We didn’t include this in our table, but many Fire Rescue employees also earn some kind of additional pay. This might include deferred compensation, allowances, paramedic pay, pay for training other employees pay and pay for handling hazardous materials, according to a note attached to the data. The data shows that most firefighters received roughly $10,000 of additional pay, with higher ranking officials receiving around $15,000 to just under $20,000.
The data also shows that twelve high-ranking town officials received $9,000 in additional pay. One town employee, Development Services Manager Charles Lowe received $16,500 in additional pay, and Orlando, the town manager, received $24,372 in additional pay.
How much do council members get paid?
Your tax dollars also go into the pockets of Hilton Head Island council members and the mayor.
In June 2024, the council gave itself a 15% raise for the first time in 12 years.
According to the data, Mayor Alan Perry receives a base salary of $37,375 per year. Council members each get $23,345 per year.
How does that compare to other local governments in Beaufort County?
According to the Beaufort County Code of Ordinances, county council members each make $26,988 per year while the vice-chair receives $28,002 and the chair receives $28,990.
In June 2025, the Town of Bluffton voted to give its council members a raise from $11,000 to $17,000 and its mayor a raise from $16,500 to $25,000. However, according to SC law, this compensation change won’t go into effect until the start date of the terms of two or more members of the town council elected at the next general election.
