State profile · NCES F-33 FY2022
Teacher Salary in South Carolina
According to the NCES Common Core of Data finance survey, estimated teacher pay and per-pupil spending are available across 76 public school districts in South Carolina.
- $64,959
- Est. state avg salary
- -24.3%
- vs national
- #43
- National rank
- 76
- Districts
South Carolina's estimated average teacher salary is $64,959, materially below the national average of $85,759, ranking #43 of 51 states and territories, across 76 public school districts (NCES CCD F-33, FY2022).
- lower third nationally (#43 of 51)
- $29,390 spread between its highest- and lowest-paying districts
- -24.3% vs the national average
- +18.0% since FY2019
- #44 of 51 purchasing-power-adjusted (BEA RPP 93.3)
What does the NCES F-33 data show for South Carolina?
South Carolina reports 76 public school districts in the NCES Common Core of Data FY2022 Local Education Agency Finance Survey, with an average teacher salary of $64,959. That places the state in the lower third of US teacher-pay rankings - #43 of 51, materially below the national average of $85,759 (-24.3%). The state's public schools serve 735,759 students across these districts. Most district figures divide total instructional spending by the district's REPORTED teacher headcount (NCES CCD Staff Universe Survey); a small number of large consolidated districts that report staffing only at a sub-district level fall back to an estimated ratio instead, since total instructional spending also includes aides and assistants, both figures run somewhat above survey-reported classroom-teacher-only salaries, treat this as a relative cross-district comparison, not an exact paycheck, and see our methodology for the formula, its data source per district, and its limits.
Among enrolling districts, pay varies widely: McCormick 01 reports the highest estimated average salary at $80,604, while Spartanburg 02 sits at the lower end at $51,214 - a spread of $29,390 between top and bottom reporting districts. Licensing rules, state aid formulas, collective bargaining density, and local tax bases all drive this intra-state variation. Urban and suburban districts with larger tax bases typically lead, while rural districts often lag despite lower cost of living.
Teacher compensation here reflects both state policy choices, the statutory minimum salary schedule, pension funding levels, licensure reciprocity, and the funding formula that determines how much state aid each district receives per pupil. A #43 national rank signals where South Carolina sits in the competition for teachers against neighboring states; teacher shortage areas typically correlate with lower pay rank. Figures below are per-district averages derived from the F-33 instructional salary expenditure field (Z33) divided by each district's reported teacher FTE (or an estimated FTE for the small minority with no reported figure), a district-level aggregate, not individual salary records.
Purchasing-power-adjusted rank
South Carolina's nominal average teacher salary ranks #43 of 51 states and territories. Adjusted by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis's 2022 Regional Price Parity (93.3, US = 100, a relative state-level price-level index, not a district or metro cost-of-living figure), the estimate becomes $69,592, ranking #44 of 51 , 1 places lower than the nominal rank once relative price levels are factored in. This purchasing-power view is not published by NEA's teacher-pay rankings or the aggregator sites; it comes from combining our own F-33-derived salary estimate with BEA's public RPP series. See the full 51-state release for methodology and download.
South Carolina's estimated average teacher salary, FY2019-FY2022
Highest-paying districts in South Carolina
Estimated average teacher salary, enrolling districts (200+ students)
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$80,604 Est. avg salary
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$74,408 Est. avg salary
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$74,361 Est. avg salary
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$72,697 Est. avg salary
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$71,928 Est. avg salary
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$71,679 Est. avg salary
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$70,710 Est. avg salary
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$70,478 Est. avg salary
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$69,369 Est. avg salary
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$69,287 Est. avg salary
What this shows McCormick 01 leads South Carolina on the F-33 instructional-salary estimate. Service entities (CTCs, county offices) are excluded, their enrollment-based ratios are not reliable salary figures.
Top 3 districts
Districts by Estimated Teacher Salary
| District | Est. Avg Salary | Enrollment | Per-Pupil Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| McCormick 01 | $80,604 | 615 | $21,584 |
| Darlington 01 | $74,408 | 9,223 | $17,417 |
| Williamsburg 01 | $74,361 | 3,014 | $18,857 |
| Richland 01 | $72,697 | 22,151 | $22,848 |
| Beaufort 01 | $71,928 | 21,283 | $22,414 |
| Fairfield 01 | $71,679 | 2,363 | $23,713 |
| Florence 02 | $70,710 | 1,107 | $16,080 |
| Horry 01 | $70,478 | 46,551 | $14,530 |
| Orangeburg | $69,369 | 11,319 | $16,538 |
| Lexington 05 | $69,287 | 17,245 | $15,709 |
| Spartanburg 06 | $69,257 | 11,467 | $13,672 |
| Richland 02 | $69,156 | 28,303 | $18,376 |
| Clarendon 02 | $68,689 | 2,453 | $15,274 |
| York 02 | $68,681 | 8,831 | $14,492 |
| Spartanburg 01 | $68,556 | 5,228 | $13,176 |
| Lexington 01 | $67,222 | 27,766 | $16,643 |
| Dorchester 04 | $66,632 | 2,025 | $27,454 |
| Lancaster 01 | $66,449 | 14,609 | $14,178 |
| Charleston 01 | $66,404 | 49,331 | $20,688 |
| Anderson 04 | $65,539 | 2,893 | $15,497 |
| York 01 | $65,421 | 5,007 | $14,974 |
| Dorchester 02 | $65,327 | 25,343 | $13,014 |
| Jasper 01 | $65,162 | 2,672 | $22,648 |
| Greenville 01 | $65,107 | 76,939 | $13,261 |
| Oconee 01 | $64,688 | 10,229 | $16,539 |
| Aiken 01 | $64,558 | 22,800 | $14,610 |
| Calhoun 01 | $64,532 | 1,545 | $17,102 |
| Spartanburg 07 | $64,331 | 7,118 | $21,655 |
| Bamberg 01 | $64,140 | 1,168 | $18,501 |
| Kershaw 01 | $63,538 | 10,856 | $16,649 |
| York 03 | $63,367 | 16,880 | $14,454 |
| Sumter 01 | $63,318 | 15,101 | $13,072 |
| Barnwell 29 | $63,068 | 732 | $19,682 |
| Cherokee 01 | $62,840 | 7,792 | $15,161 |
| Spartanburg 05 | $62,807 | 9,785 | $16,243 |
| Barnwell 45 | $62,579 | 1,982 | $14,948 |
| Berkeley 01 | $62,373 | 37,074 | $13,148 |
| York 04 | $62,254 | 17,393 | $15,020 |
| Colleton 01 | $62,010 | 4,971 | $14,513 |
| Anderson 05 | $61,932 | 12,686 | $14,281 |
| Dillon 03 | $61,894 | 1,490 | $12,264 |
| Lexington 04 | $61,756 | 3,419 | $14,350 |
| Bamberg 02 | $61,685 | 626 | $22,682 |
| Spartanburg 04 | $61,626 | 2,899 | $12,229 |
| Anderson 01 | $61,446 | 10,593 | $14,120 |
| Lexington 02 | $61,404 | 8,641 | $16,747 |
| Laurens 55 | $61,255 | 5,442 | $13,649 |
| Florence 01 | $61,109 | 15,266 | $16,480 |
| Laurens 56 | $61,084 | 2,766 | $15,916 |
| Florence 05 | $60,971 | 1,201 | $13,431 |
| Barnwell 19 | $60,919 | 519 | $20,846 |
| Spartanburg 03 | $60,832 | 2,624 | $20,925 |
| Chesterfield 01 | $60,704 | 6,901 | $13,849 |
| Georgetown 01 | $60,612 | 8,373 | $18,708 |
| Pickens 01 | $60,437 | 16,217 | $12,307 |
| Anderson 02 | $60,228 | 3,429 | $13,073 |
| Marlboro 01 | $60,005 | 3,664 | $15,934 |
| Anderson 03 | $59,459 | 2,654 | $14,355 |
| Edgefield 01 | $59,423 | 3,157 | $21,700 |
| Greenwood 50 | $59,391 | 8,326 | $14,020 |
| Lee 01 | $58,946 | 1,441 | $19,081 |
| Allendale 01 | $58,904 | 992 | $22,976 |
| Abbeville 60 | $58,617 | 2,946 | $20,782 |
| Newberry 01 | $58,252 | 5,749 | $14,882 |
| Chester 01 | $58,085 | 4,833 | $16,887 |
| Hampton | $57,792 | 2,455 | $16,919 |
| Saluda 01 | $57,709 | 2,394 | $12,371 |
| Dillon 04 | $57,262 | 3,876 | $13,283 |
| Marion 10 | $57,113 | 3,999 | $14,103 |
| Greenwood 52 | $56,685 | 1,500 | $13,948 |
| Greenwood 51 | $56,170 | 932 | $14,091 |
| Florence 04 | $55,596 | 585 | $18,374 |
| Lexington 03 | $55,498 | 2,038 | $23,153 |
| Florence 03 | $53,225 | 3,140 | $15,242 |
| Union 01 | $52,279 | 3,859 | $12,593 |
| Spartanburg 02 | $51,214 | 10,963 | $12,458 |
Specialized non-enrolling agencies (career/technical centers, county offices, service co-ops) are excluded from the salary ranking, their enrollment-based estimates are not reliable.
Lowest-Paying Districts in South Carolina
| District | Est. Avg Salary | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|
| Spartanburg 02 | $51,214 | 10,963 |
| Union 01 | $52,279 | 3,859 |
| Florence 03 | $53,225 | 3,140 |
| Lexington 03 | $55,498 | 2,038 |
| Florence 04 | $55,596 | 585 |
| Greenwood 51 | $56,170 | 932 |
| Greenwood 52 | $56,685 | 1,500 |
| Marion 10 | $57,113 | 3,999 |
| Dillon 04 | $57,262 | 3,876 |
| Saluda 01 | $57,709 | 2,394 |
Among enrolling districts (200+ students) with a reliable estimate; service entities excluded, see methodology.
Compare Nearby-Ranked States
Data: NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey + Staff Universe Survey, FY2022. Salary figures divide instructional expenditure (variable Z33) by each district's reported teacher FTE, or an estimated FTE for the small minority with no reported figure. Not individual salary data. Read our methodology.
South Carolina teacher salary FAQ
What is the average teacher salary in South Carolina?
Across South Carolina's 76 public school districts, the average teacher salary is $64,959 (NCES CCD F-33 finance data divided by CCD Staff Universe Survey teacher headcounts, FY2022). This figure is derived from total instructional spending and runs above survey-reported classroom-teacher-only salaries, read it as a relative comparison.
Which South Carolina school district pays teachers the most?
McCormick 01 reports the highest average teacher salary in South Carolina at $80,604, while Spartanburg 02 sits at the lower end at $51,214.
How does South Carolina teacher pay compare to the national average?
South Carolina's average of $64,959 is materially below the national average of $85,759 (-24.3%), ranking #43 of 51 US states and territories.
How many school districts are in South Carolina?
South Carolina has 76 public school districts in the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey, together serving 735,759 students.
Can teachers earn $100,000 in South Carolina?
No South Carolina district with reliable data reports an estimated average teacher salary at or above $100,000; the state's highest is McCormick 01 at $80,604. This is a district-wide average, not an individual salary, step, or years-of-experience figure.
How does South Carolina rank after adjusting for cost of living?
Adjusted by the BEA's 2022 Regional Price Parity (93.3, US=100), South Carolina's purchasing-power-adjusted estimated teacher salary is $69,592, ranking #44 of 51 states and territories, lower than its #43 nominal-salary rank. This is a relative state-level price-level comparison, not take-home pay, taxes, or district/metro cost of living.
Related
According to the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) F-33 Local Education Agency Finance Survey, PlainTeacher's figures are computed directly, no number is typed in by an editor. South Carolina's district figures are aggregated directly from each district's FY2022 F-33 submission, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Data current as of FY2022.
| Publisher | PlainTeacher |
| Sources | Public official public datasets |