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    South Carolina Teacher Salaries

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    Benefits & Career Growth

How Much Do Teachers Make In South Carolina?

Teacher salaries vary by school district, but in general, your salary will depend on your experience, education level and location in the state.

Your starting salary, or entry level salary, is how much you’ll make in your first year right after your teaching program. You’ll earn a higher starting salary with a master’s degree than you will with a bachelor’s.

In South Carolina, the average teacher starting salary is $44,693. (1) The chart below shows samples of salaries for entry level teachers around South Carolina.

District

Salary for first-year teacher with a bachelor's 

Salary for first-year teacher with a master's 

Greenville County Schools$51,841$56,177
Jasper County Schools$50,015$54,225
Richland One$50,100$54,677
Rock Hill Schools$52,000$59,000

 

You can see even more salary examples in our (free!) downloadable Salary & Benefits guide!

Average salary refers to what all teachers make, on average. That includes people who have been in the job for years. South Carolina’s average teacher salary is $60,763. (1)

The chart below shows base salaries for South Carolina teachers with a decade of experience and a master’s degree. Find more examples from around the state in the Salary & Benefits Guide!
 

District

Base salary for teacher with 10 years of experience and a master’s 

Greenville County Schools$62,500
Jasper County Schools$63,938
Richland One$59,173
Rock Hill Schools$66,804

Increase Your Salary

A graphic reads: "Example: Say you teach middle school math in Horry County. Your pay could add up like this: $52K (Starting salary) + $8.4K (Master's degree + 5 years' experience) + $5K (National Board Certification) + $2.4K (Basketball coach) = $67,800 (Total Salary)"

You’ve got options to earn even more as a teacher! Here are a few ways you can boost your pay:
 

  • Teach a shortage area subject. You may earn more if you teach a shortage area subject, like math or special education. Check with your district to see if they offer shortage area subject incentives.
  • Earn an advanced credential. You’ll earn more with a master’s degree, or if you get your National Board Certification. In South Carolina, National Board Certified teachers can earn an additional $5,000! (2)
  • Lead an extracurricular. Most districts offer stipends if you lead certain extracurriculars, such as yearbook, choir or athletics. This extra pay can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars!
  • Get credit for prior experience. Have work experience relevant to your teaching subject? You could earn more! Talk to your school district hiring manager about your eligibility.
     

The Salary & Benefits Guide has more info about ways to increase your teacher pay!

How much do similar professions make in South Carolina?

A bar chart comparing average teacher salaries with comparable professions in SC. It says: Registered Nurse - $80K; Teacher - $61K; Family Therapist - $51K; Paralegal - $49K; Social Worker - $48K; Childcare Worker - $28K. Source: U.S. Department of Labor.

Salary numbers are important information, but you may also be wondering how teacher salaries compare to other professions. A South Carolina teacher's salary is comparable to or even higher than many similar fields.

Check out the chart to compare average salaries in other skilled professions across the state. (3)

Get the Salary Guide
The cover of the TEACH Salary & Benefits Guide

Download the free TeachSC Teacher Salary & Benefits Guide! Inside, you’ll find:

  • Sample teacher salaries across South Carolina, so you can see specific numbers from your region
  • Financial aid opportunities, such as loan forgiveness and home buying programs for teachers
  • Info on:
    • Career and salary growth opportunities
    • Teacher job security
    • And more!
Get the Free Salary Guide

Benefits for Teachers

In South Carolina, teachers receive comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus secure retirement plans and vacation time.

As a South Carolina teacher, you’ll most likely enroll in the South Carolina State Health Plan. This covers medical, dental, vision and other insurance costs for public school teachers and their families. (4)

The SC Department of Administration’s benefits calculator lets you see exactly what contributions to expect toward your health insurance, retirement plan and other benefits. Visit the state Benefits and Leave page to use this tool.

Vacation days will depend on your district, but in general, you can expect:

  • Spring break
  • December holiday break
  • National holidays off
  • Paid personal & sick days during the school year

You may also get time off during the summer. Teachers use this time to travel, explore professional development, relax or work elsewhere. Some districts offer summer positions for teachers, such as summer school classes or curriculum development jobs.

In South Carolina, you’ll receive retirement funds through the South Carolina Public Employee Benefit Authority. You can choose between the South Carolina Retirement System and the State Optional Retirement Program.

South Carolina Retirement System

The South Carolina Retirement System is a pension plan, meaning you’ll receive monthly funds from the state after you retire. The longer you’ve worked in the school system, the more you’ll get in retirement. (5)

State Optional Retirement Program

The State Optional Retirement Program works a little differently. This program is more like a traditional IRA, meaning the amount you get in retirement corresponds to how much you contribute. (6)

Our Salary & Benefits Guide has more details about retirement eligibility and benefits.

Stepping into a classroom could mean stepping out of debt. There are a number of loan forgiveness opportunities for teachers. These programs cancel your remaining student loans (meaning you don’t have to pay them back!) in exchange for a commitment to teach for several years.

Perkins Loan Forgiveness

You can get up to 100% of your Perkins Loan forgiven if you teach a shortage area subject in a school that serves low-income students. 

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

If you’ve worked full-time in a public service field for 10 years, you may qualify to have your remaining student loans forgiven through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Qualifying fields include government service, nonprofits and public education.

Rural Recruitment Initiative

If you teach in a school district that participates in the Rural Recruitment Initiative, you may be eligible for up to $5,000 in loan forgiveness for up to seven years, if you have a private loan or if you’ve exhausted your federal loan forgiveness options.

South Carolina Teacher Loan Forgiveness

If you have a South Carolina Teacher Loan, Career Changers Loan or PACE Loan, you could get loan forgiveness funds through the South Carolina Teacher Loan Program. To qualify, you’ll need to teach in a critical need subject area, critical need geographic area or both. 

Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program

The Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program benefits public school teachers with federal student loans.

Teachers in certain shortage areas, including math, science and special education can receive up to $17,500. If you teach a different subject, you can still get up to $5,000 in forgiven loans.

The Salary & Benefits Guide has more details about loan forgiveness programs for teachers!

Buying a house is expensive, but there are resources to help teachers find a home in the community where they teach.

Good Neighbor Next Door

The federal government created Good Neighbor Next Door to contribute to community revitalization and to support people in service professions. The U.S. Department of Housing and Development offers a discount of 50% from the list price of qualifying homes.

Palmetto Heroes

The Palmetto Heroes program is available to vital community members, such as veterans, nurses and classroom teachers. Through this state program, homebuyers receive fixed rate mortgages and down payment assistance.

Teacher Next Door Program

The Teacher Next Door Program is designed to help classroom teachers buy a home and become homeowners in the communities where they work. The program offers a wide range of support for educators, including housing grants and home loans.

Homes for Heroes

Homes for Heroes assists educators by making the home buying, selling or refinancing process easier (and saving teachers money in the process)! Learn more about Homes for Heroes.

The TeachSC Salary & Benefits Guide has more details about housing support for South Carolina teachers!

Want to continue your education or pursue professional development? Many South Carolina school districts provide funds for tuition reimbursement and professional development (such as conferences or trainings) for teachers.

Building your skills can increase both your knowledge and your pay. It also helps districts retain top-notch educators, so it’s a win-win for everyone.

You don’t have to wait for your district to help cover your continuing education. You'll find grants, scholarships and fellowships for South Carolina teachers and teacher candidates with our Financial Aid Explorer.

The world’s best brands offer discounts to teachers. Think J. Crew, Madewell, Apple, Jo-Ann Fabrics, AC Moore and Marriott Hotels. That means plane tickets take you further. Cell phone bills and gym memberships cost less. Your wardrobe has more options. And new technology is so much more affordable.

As a state employee, you can start getting discounts with the PerksCard program. Your PerksCard lets you save on services and products from both local and national companies. 

Career Growth for SC Teachers

As an educator, you can grow your career and your salary, both in and out of the classroom.

If your heart is in the classroom, you can teach and grow into specialized leadership roles. For example, you could become:

  • A peer evaluator who offers instructional support and feedback to colleagues.
  • A mentor teacher who helps student teachers and early career teachers develop their teaching skills and strategies.
  • A lead teacher who runs your academic department at your school. 

Many districts provide extra pay for these leadership roles.

After you have some experience under your belt, you might be curious about shifting your career focus. School or district leadership positions can be a great next step.

Principals, curriculum coordinators and superintendents help schools and districts run smoothly. These roles also have their own salary schedules—often over six figures!
 

Our Salary & Benefits Guide has more info about administrator pay.

What’s next

Teacher Career Paths | TeachSC

From teacher support to district leadership to education policy, there’s no one map for your education career.

Read More

Career Coaching in South Carolina

Talk to an expert about how to become a certified teacher in South Carolina. Get free advice on what to teach and how to choose and apply to the right program.

Read More

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South Carolina Teacher Salary

Learn everything you need to know about SC teacher salaries, benefits and career opportunities. Read on & download the full salary guide!

Get Your Free Teacher Salary Guide
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There are many ways you can increase your salary, such as earning advanced degrees or leading extracurriculars. You can also earn bonuses when you meet certain performance benchmarks, or if you earn your National Board Certification.

References

  1. “Teacher Pay and Student Spending: How Does Your State Rank?” National Education Association. April 29, 2025. https://www.nea.org/resource-library/teacher-pay-and-student-spending-how-does-your-state-rank
  2. National Board Certification. South Carolina Department of Education. https://www.ed.sc.gov/finance/financial-services/national-board-certification/
  3. Employees. Public Employee Benefit Authority. https://www.peba.sc.gov/employees
  4. South Carolina Retirement System. Public Employee Benefit Authority. https://www.peba.sc.gov/plans/scrs
  5. South Carolina Optional Retirement Program. Public Employee Benefit Authority. https://www.peba.sc.gov/sorp