If you’re inspired to make a difference for students, you can have a big effect working in a critical need subject or geographic area.

Teaching in a critical need area not only means you can deepen your impact—you’ll also be starting a career with strong job security and plenty of options. (You can learn more about current critical need areas on the SC Department of Education Critical Need Areas page.)

In 2021, South Carolina’s average teacher salary was $53,185. (4) As an educator, you can also look forward to financial support outside of your salary. That includes comprehensive health insurance in most districts, a generous retirement plan and housing assistance programs, so you can live in the community where you teach.

Benefits for Critical Need Area Teachers

Teachers in shortage areas often qualify for extra financial aid, such as loan forgiveness. These programs mean that if you teach in a shortage area, you don’t have to pay all your student loans back!

Many districts also offer extra stipends and bonuses to critical need area teachers.

Want to learn more about South Carolina teacher benefits? Visit our Salary & Benefits page for in-depth information on teacher pay and our free downloadable South Carolina Salary & Benefits Report.

Substitute teachers, or guest teachers, fill in when full-time teachers can’t be in the classroom. As a substitute, you’ll practice classroom management, lesson planning and instructional skills.

Substitute teaching lets you teach in K-12 classrooms, making it a great way to work with many different age groups and subjects, and see what appeals to you. 

Becoming a substitute teacher

South Carolina does not have a statewide substitute teacher certification process. Check with your local district to find out what qualifications or training you’ll need to work there.

If you have a bachelor’s degree and want to fast-track your South Carolina teaching certificate, consider alternative certification!

What is alternative certification?

Alternative certification programs let you teach in a classroom—and earn a salary—while you get certified. You’ll take coursework outside of school hours, and implement what you’ve learned in your classroom during the day.

What do I need to get my alternative certification? 

South Carolina has a number of alternative certification pathways available. Some programs focus on particular geographic areas or subjects. 

You can look for alternative pathways on the TeachSC Program Explorer (the SC Department of Education Alternative Certification Guidance page also has a list of alternative pathways). Click on the programs that interest you to find eligibility requirements for each.

If you already have your South Carolina teaching certificate—or are enrolled in a teaching program—you might be ready to look for a classroom position of your own.

To get started, we recommend checking out the CERRA job board. You can explore job boards with full-time classroom teacher jobs and other district positions across South Carolina. You can also visit the website of the district where you want to teach to see current openings!

Paraprofessionals—also called paraeducators, teacher’s aides or classroom assistants—work closely with classroom teachers to support students.

As a paraprofessional, you might help plan and schedule class activities, work one-on-one with students to practice skills like reading or math, supervise students during lunchtime or field trips…your role can change daily, so the work is always new and rarely boring.

Becoming a paraprofessional

Many paraprofessional positions require only an associate’s degree or a passing score on the ParaPro Assessment. Visit the SC Department of Education paraprofessional page to learn more about becoming a paraprofessional.

Check your local school district’s website to start looking for paraprofessional positions.

Tutors work with students one-on-one or in small groups. As a tutor, you’ll collaborate with teachers and principals to make student support plans, work closely with students and track student progress. 

Becoming a tutor

To work as a tutor, you’ll generally need at least a high school diploma or GED. Some districts may have more specific qualifications. Visit the website of the district where you want to work and search their jobs portal to see specific openings and requirements.