Earn Your SC Teaching Certificate

Short answer: Yes. 

Longer answer: To teach in SC public schools, you'll eventually need a teaching certificate. But if you have a bachelor’s degree or vocational work experience, you may qualify for alternative pathways that put you in the classroom faster!

• Do you have a bachelor’s degree? Alternative certification programs often take less time and cost less than traditional teaching programs. Learn more about alternative certification.
• Are you a tradesperson? If you have vocational experience, you may be able to get licensed to teach as a Career & Technical Education instructor. Positions are available in fields such as health sciences, skilled trades, business and marketing and others. Learn more.
• Do you have a degree and professional experience in art, dance, music or theater? You may be eligible for an Advanced Fine Arts teaching certificate. Through this alternative certification pathway, you’ll get certified to teach your fine art special area at any grade level. Learn more about teaching Advanced Fine Arts.

How long your teaching certification takes depends on your background and the type of teaching program you choose. 

Here’s what you can expect for most programs:

• Bachelor’s degree & certification: About 4 years
• Master’s degree & certification: 1–3 years
• Alternative certification: 1–2 years
• Certification-only: Up to 1 year

If you have a bachelor’s degree in one subject, but want to teach something else, you may need to take a few courses before you can enroll in a teaching program. A post-baccalaureate or "post-bac" program through a college or university can help you get the extra credits you need. 

Check with your teaching program to find out how many credits you need to have in your future teaching subject. 

There are two tiers of South Carolina teacher certificates: Initial and Professional. You’ll receive your Initial certificate after you complete your teaching program. An Initial certificate is good for three years, and your employer can request an extension if needed.

To advance to your Professional certificate (good for five years), you’ll need to gain experience and meet certain criteria, such as completing a formal evaluation of your teaching. 

Learn more about how to advance your teaching certificate.

If you’re a certified educator out of state, you may be able to skip certain exams or other steps to get your SC teaching certificate. Review the South Carolina Department of Education Out-of-State Educators page, and look for info on your specific situation.

If you’re an international student, you’ll need extra documentation when you apply to your teaching program. It’s a good idea to start collecting those documents as soon as possible.

You’ll need: 

• Documentation that shows you are eligible to work legally in the U.S. This can be a copy of a valid work authorization, permanent resident card or U.S. passport.
• Test scores, if applicable.
• If you earned your degree in another country, you’ll also need an International Education Evaluation by an International Evaluation agency.

Learn more.

As a South Carolina educator, your pay will depend on your years of experience and where you work. South Carolina’s average teacher salary in the 2023–24 school year was about $58,000. (3) 

You can increase your salary with added credentials, such as a master’s degree. If you’ve taught for at least three years, you can also earn more with a National Board Certification. (4)

Learn more about South Carolina teacher pay.

Wondering how to pay for your program? We can help! Here are a few of the tools TeachSC offers:

• TeachSC scholarships for future educators
• $100 back for any application-related costs
• Information about financial resources with our Finances Guide
• Explore scholarships and other opportunities with our Financial Aid Explorer.