Early Childhood Education Jobs in South Carolina

Outstanding access to early learning programs and steadily increasing numbers of students throughout the state’s preschool system are just a few of the reasons why it’s great to be an early childhood education professional in South Carolina.

A 2018 report published by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) revealed that South Carolina exceeds the national average when it comes to student access to preschool. During the 2017-18 school year, about 28,000 students were enrolled in preschool programs – that’s an increase of about 3,500 students from the year before.

You’re sure to feel right at home in the early childhood education field in South Carolina, where job opportunities abound, salaries are competitive, and access to preschool programs for the state’s youngest learners is strong.

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South Carolina Salary Rankings

#33

in the US for Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education

#24

in the US for Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School

#32

in the US for Special Education Teachers, Preschool

#46

in the US for Childcare Workers

#33

in the US for Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare

#42

in the US for Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education

Early Childhood Jobs in South Carolina

From preschool teachers and childcare workers to preschool administrators and social workers, professionals of all stripes working in South Carolina’s early childhood education system stand out in the South, thanks to competitive salaries that often exceed what these professionals earn in neighboring states. For example, kindergarten teachers earn an average salary of $46,490 in North Carolina, but in South Carolina, it’s $52,540 – or about $6,000 more annually! And in some of the Palmetto State’s metropolitan regions, average salaries in early childhood education climb even higher, often surpassing the national average.

Occupation	Total Employed	Median Annual Salary	% of US Median
Childcare Workers	6,700	$21,030	85%
Child, Family, and School Social Workers	3,320	$38,930	72%
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education	5,940	$28,940	84%
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education	2,120	$52,540	90%
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School	3,040	$56,960	90%
Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare	540	$46,390	76%
Special Education Teachers, Preschool	160	$48,110	78%
= Salary below nat’l. avg. = Salary above nat’l. avg.

Childcare Workers – There are 6,700 childcare workers employed in South Carolina earning an average salary of $21,030. Jobs among South Carolina’s childcare workers are expected to increase by 6.4% through 2026.

Child, Family, and School Social Workers – South Carolina’s 3,320 child, family, and school social workers earn an average of $38,930. The future looks bright for professionals in this field, thanks to a 16% projected job growth rate through 2026. The number of child, family, and school social worker jobs in South Carolina is projected to increase by 14.1% through 2026.

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education – There are 2,120 kindergarten teachers employed in South Carolina, and they earn an average salary of $52,540. Jobs for kindergarten teachers are projected to increase by 9.7% through 2026, which is higher than the national projected growth rate of 7%.

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education – South Carolina’s 5,940 preschool teachers earn an average salary of $28,940. There are nearly three times as many preschool teachers as kindergarten teachers working here. The number of preschool teacher jobs in South Carolina is expected to increase by 11.6% through 2026 – higher than the national growth rate of 10% for this occupation during the same period.

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City-Level Job Stats

The stars of the show among South Carolina’s early childhood educators in terms of average salary are Charleston’s education administrators, who are ranked eighth in the nation, and Florence’s preschool teachers, who are ranked sixth in the nation.

Average salaries in South Carolina can be quite different from one region to the next. For example, kindergarten teachers in the Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway metro region earn an average salary of $70,230, which is $27,000 more than the average salary for kindergarten teachers in Florence.

Kindergarten Teachers

Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC – 840 licensed teachers with an average salary of $48,440
Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville – 230 licensed teachers with an average salary of $47,960
Columbia – 360 licensed teachers with an average salary of $51,120
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC – 270 licensed teachers with an average salary of $63,920
Greenville-Mauldin-Easley – 410 licensed teachers with an average salary of $50,690
Spartanburg – 100 licensed teachers with an average salary of $60,630
Florence – 110 licensed teachers with an average salary of $43,150
Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway – 130 licensed teachers with an average salary of $70,230
Sumter –average salary of $49,940

Preschool Teachers

Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC – 4,340 licensed teachers with an average salary of $27,010
Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville – 810 licensed teachers with an average salary of $27,530
Columbia – 890 licensed teachers with an average salary of $30,160
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC – 500 licensed teachers with an average salary of $28,580
Greenville-Mauldin-Easley – 1,300 licensed teachers with an average salary of $22,920
Spartanburg – 520 licensed teachers with an average salary of $24,850
Florence – 280 licensed teachers with an average salary of $45,870
Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway – 480 licensed teachers with an average salary of $34,680

Kindergarten Teachers

Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC – 840 licensed teachers with an average salary of $48,440
Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville – 230 licensed teachers with an average salary of $47,960
Columbia – 360 licensed teachers with an average salary of $51,120
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC – 270 licensed teachers with an average salary of $63,920
Greenville-Mauldin-Easley – 410 licensed teachers with an average salary of $50,690
Spartanburg – 100 licensed teachers with an average salary of $60,630
Florence – 110 licensed teachers with an average salary of $43,150
Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway – 130 licensed teachers with an average salary of $70,230
Sumter –average salary of $49,940

Special Education Teachers – Preschool

Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC – 90 licensed teachers with an average salary of $50,430
Columbia – 70 licensed teachers with an average salary of $48,010

Special Education Teachers – Kindergarten and Elementary School

Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC – 1,700 licensed teachers with an average salary of $49,860
Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville – 350 licensed teachers with an average salary of $48,150
Columbia – 440 licensed teachers with an average salary of $51,120
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC –average salary of $66,870
Greenville-Mauldin-Easley – 420 licensed teachers with an average salary of $49,790
Spartanburg – 120 licensed teachers with an average salary of $59,850
Florence – 180 licensed teachers with an average salary of $44,000
Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway – 1,000 licensed teachers with an average salary of $68,590

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