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State profile · NCES F-33 FY2023

Teacher Salary in South Carolina

South Carolina's top-to-bottom district pay ratio (1.67x) ranks #41 of 47, lower-third dispersion. According to the NCES Common Core of Data finance survey, estimated teacher pay and per-pupil spending are available for every public school district in South Carolina.

$64,775
Est. state avg salary

Below benchmark

-7.8%
vs national
#27
National rank
69
Districts

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$64,775/year (est.)

South Carolina's top-to-bottom district pay ratio (1.67x) ranks #41 of 47, lower-third dispersion. Estimated average teacher salary is $64,775, below the national average of $70,245, ranking #27 of 49, across 69 public school districts with reliable data (NCES CCD F-33, FY2023).

  • Tight district pay band: South Carolina's top-to-bottom district pay ratio (1.67x) ranks #41 of 47, lower-third dispersion.
  • middle third nationally (#27 of 49)
  • South Carolina ranks #27 of 49 on the salary estimate and #23 of 49 on enrollment in the same reliable-district pool.
  • $33,544 spread between its highest- and lowest-paying districts
  • -7.8% vs the national average
  • +21.3% estimated-basis panel FY2019→FY2023 (balanced cohort, not the FTE average above)
  • #30 of 49 purchasing-power-adjusted (BEA RPP 93.5)

Same-district trend

How does a balanced panel separate change from district turnover?

For the same 67 South Carolina districts present with valid estimates in every release, the average state figure moved from $58,634 in FY2019 to $71,115 in FY2023 (+21.3%).

The fixed cohort prevents entering or missing districts from masquerading as salary movement. It is still a change in a derived district-level estimate, not evidence of any individual teacher's raise.

Purchasing-power-adjusted rank for South Carolina

South Carolina's nominal average teacher salary ranks #27 of the 49 states and territories that report teacher salaries. Adjusted by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis's 2023 Regional Price Parity (93.5, US = 100, a relative state-level price-level index, not a district or metro cost-of-living figure), the estimate becomes $71,368, ranking #30 of 49 , 3 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. BEA Regional Price Parities · NCES CCD F-33

South Carolina in the teacher-salary distribution

FY2023 estimated state averages from the same NCES-derived ranking

$64,775 45th percentile higher than 45% of 49 reporting states and territories

Show national distribution $0–$5,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 1 reporting states and territories (2%). Below this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 2 reporting states and territories (4%). Below this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 6 reporting states and territories (12%). Below this entry. $55,000–$60,000: 5 reporting states and territories (10%). Below this entry. $60,000–$65,000: 9 reporting states and territories (18%). This entry sits in this band. $65,000–$70,000: 7 reporting states and territories (14%). Above this entry. $70,000–$75,000: 2 reporting states and territories (4%). Above this entry. $75,000–$80,000: 4 reporting states and territories (8%). Above this entry. $80,000–$85,000: 5 reporting states and territories (10%). Above this entry. $85,000–$90,000: 5 reporting states and territories (10%). Above this entry. $90,000–$95,000: 1 reporting states and territories (2%). Above this entry. $95,000–$100,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Above this entry. $100,000–$105,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Above this entry. $105,000–$110,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Above this entry. $110,000–$115,000: 1 reporting states and territories (2%). Above this entry. $115,000–$120,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Above this entry. $120,000–$125,000: 1 reporting states and territories (2%). Above this entry. South Carolina $0 $125,000 reporting state salary estimates, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more reporting states and territories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey; state estimates derived from reported instructional-salary expenditure and teacher FTE · FY2023

South Carolina's comparable salary trend

Same reporting-district cohort, FY2019-FY2023

FY2023 estimated average
$71,115 21.28661728941186% vs FY2019
67 districts held in the panel
$55,000$60,000$65,000$70,000$75,000 FY2019FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023 South Carolina est. avg teacher salary, FY2019: $58,634South Carolina est. avg teacher salary, FY2020: $61,554South Carolina est. avg teacher salary, FY2021: $66,705South Carolina est. avg teacher salary, FY2022: $69,059South Carolina est. avg teacher salary, FY2023: $71,115 $58,634 $71,115 ▲ +21.3%
Read the chart as text
Period South Carolina est. avg teacher salary
FY2019 $58,634
FY2020 $61,554
FY2021 $66,705
FY2022 $69,059
FY2023 $71,115

Highest-paying districts in South Carolina

Estimated average teacher salary, enrolling districts (200+ students)

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.

Source NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey, FY2023 As of FY2023

Top 3 districts

1 $83,878

McCormick 01

Est. avg teacher salary
2 $80,409

Richland 01

Est. avg teacher salary
3 $77,389

Beaufort 01

Est. avg teacher salary

Districts by Estimated Teacher Salary

District Est. Avg Salary Enrollment Per-Pupil Exp
McCormick 01 $83,878 582 $26,313
Richland 01 $80,409 22,037 $22,474
Beaufort 01 $77,389 21,439 $24,823
Darlington 01 $75,804 9,042 $18,751
Horry 01 $73,173 47,357 $16,430
Spartanburg 06 $72,405 11,687 $16,313
Calhoun 01 $71,198 1,546 $16,865
Colleton 01 $71,176 4,946 $16,628
Florence 02 $70,865 1,068 $18,657
Anderson 04 $70,676 3,005 $16,285
Orangeburg $70,024 10,979 $20,885
Barnwell 45 $69,942 1,974 $15,920
Richland 02 $69,913 28,510 $17,794
Berkeley 01 $69,907 37,932 $15,212
Fairfield 01 $69,490 2,278 $25,197
Cherokee 01 $69,425 7,925 $15,506
Williamsburg 01 $68,889 2,946 $23,816
York 02 $68,760 9,087 $15,382
Charleston 01 $68,256 49,929 $23,120
Sumter 01 $67,976 14,800 $14,252
Greenville 01 $66,760 77,978 $13,774
Spartanburg 07 $66,530 7,371 $22,564
Dorchester 02 $66,163 26,135 $12,251
York 01 $66,048 5,038 $15,115
Anderson 02 $65,942 3,494 $14,125
Oconee 01 $65,883 10,217 $17,812
Spartanburg 05 $65,300 10,386 $25,466
Lexington 01 $65,206 28,031 $16,438
Spartanburg 04 $64,628 2,901 $13,754
York 04 $64,548 18,191 $14,913
Dorchester 04 $64,426 2,027 $32,392
Spartanburg 03 $64,413 2,784 $19,931
Lancaster 01 $64,398 15,114 $14,409
Florence 05 $64,251 1,225 $14,918
Aiken 01 $64,110 23,181 $15,471
Anderson 01 $64,060 10,839 $12,876
Laurens 55 $63,814 5,344 $15,416
Georgetown 01 $63,759 8,429 $19,248
Anderson 05 $63,744 12,560 $16,258
Lexington 02 $63,370 8,626 $19,344
Florence 01 $63,158 16,024 $15,778
Laurens 56 $63,128 2,715 $17,545
Anderson 03 $62,684 2,737 $15,541
Edgefield 01 $62,672 3,100 $17,724
Greenwood 50 $62,509 8,610 $14,774
Greenwood 52 $62,425 1,484 $14,629
Marion 10 $62,351 3,875 $15,690
Kershaw 01 $62,236 11,138 $14,074
Chesterfield 01 $62,076 7,019 $13,966
Pickens 01 $61,917 16,310 $13,568
Dillon 03 $61,908 1,506 $15,693
Greenwood 51 $61,835 893 $20,619
Spartanburg 01 $61,520 5,458 $14,480
Lexington 04 $61,486 3,544 $15,327
York 03 $61,465 16,493 $15,333
Lexington 05 $61,441 17,463 $15,881
Lexington 03 $60,971 1,977 $32,520
Florence 03 $60,835 2,993 $16,478
Newberry 01 $59,239 5,806 $16,978
Chester 01 $59,032 4,767 $17,336
Abbeville 60 $58,547 2,864 $18,582
Dillon 04 $57,335 3,880 $18,020
Saluda 01 $57,320 2,480 $15,515
Allendale 01 $56,592 974 $22,661
Union 01 $56,337 3,788 $13,465
Marlboro 01 $55,722 3,549 $18,401
Lee 01 $54,698 1,476 $19,737
Spartanburg 02 $50,813 11,740 $12,718
Hampton $50,333 2,399 $17,618

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
Hampton $50,333 2,399
Spartanburg 02 $50,813 11,740
Lee 01 $54,698 1,476
Marlboro 01 $55,722 3,549
Union 01 $56,337 3,788
Allendale 01 $56,592 974
Saluda 01 $57,320 2,480
Dillon 04 $57,335 3,880
Abbeville 60 $58,547 2,864
Chester 01 $59,032 4,767

Among enrolling districts (200+ students) with a reliable estimate; service entities excluded, see methodology.

Nationwide states with similar K-12 scale to South Carolina

Two nationwide peer sets for South Carolina: closest on estimated average teacher salary ($64,775 here) and closest on total student enrollment (736,002 here). Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not geographic containment.

Similar estimated salary

Nearest other states by unweighted district-mean teacher pay (F-33 derived, ≥5 districts with reliable estimates).

Similar enrollment

Nearest other states by NCES-reported K-12 enrollment. Salary peers above are excluded.

Compare Nearby-Ranked States

Oregon
$67,954
Rank #24
Louisiana
$66,733
Rank #25
Idaho
$66,710
Rank #26
Colorado
$64,442
Rank #28

Data: NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey + Staff Universe Survey, FY2023. 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 69 South Carolina public school districts with reliable data, the average teacher salary is $64,775 (NCES CCD F-33 reported teacher salaries divided by CCD Staff Universe Survey teacher headcounts, FY2023). It is a district-level mean derived from finance filings, so it will not match a contract-salary survey exactly, 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 $83,878, while Hampton sits at the lower end at $50,333.

How does South Carolina teacher pay compare to the national average?

South Carolina's average of $64,775 is below the national average of $70,245 (-7.8%), ranking #27 of the 49 jurisdictions with a reliable district estimate.

How many school districts are in South Carolina?

South Carolina has 69 public school districts in the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey, together serving 736,002 students.

How much do teachers make in South Carolina?

District-average teacher pay in South Carolina sits in a comparatively narrow band, from $50,333 in Hampton to $83,878 in McCormick 01. With that little district-to-district spread the statewide figure is a reasonable guide to what most districts pay. These are district-wide averages from NCES CCD F-33 (FY2023), not individual salaries or pay-scale steps.

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 $83,878. 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?

Within the separate enrollment-weighted state comparison, BEA's 2023 Regional Price Parity (93.5, US=100) adjusts South Carolina's nominal estimate of $66,712 from #34 to $71,368 and #30. The headline uses an unweighted district mean, so this does not replace it. Neither measure is take-home pay, taxes, or district/metro cost of living.

Explore South Carolina

Disclaimer & data sources

Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainTeacher for South Carolina