teachers.

learn about the 5,000+ teachers
who guide our children's future

SALARIES

Minimum salaries for teachers are set by the state and are based on education level and years of teaching experience.  Salaries increase for each additional year of teaching experience and for completion of a higher degree.

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Greenville County Schools Salary Rank

Of 73 South Carolina Districts, School Year 2022-23

Like many other school districts, Greenville County Schools pays teachers above the state minimums to keep teacher pay competitive with area school districts—both in-state and out-of-state. Below are Greenville County Schools’ rankings among the 73 state, non-charter, school districts for 2022-23.

3

Rank: 3rd*

1st-year teacher with a bachelor’s degree.

13

Rank: 13th

Teacher with 10 years of experience and a master’s degree.

6

Rank: 6th

Teacher with 20 years of experience and a master’s degree.

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Teacher Salary Schedules

South Carolina Minimum & Greenville County Schools, School Year 2022-23

 *Greenville County Schools’ first-year teacher salary includes four supplemental work days (beyond 190 days). 
Source: “Teacher Salary Schedules,” South Carolina Dept. of Education. (online: http://ed.sc.gov/finance/financial-data/historical-data/teacher-salary-schedules/); “Greenville County Schools Teacher Salary Schedule,” Greenville County Schools. (online: https://sites.google.com/greenvilleschools.us/employees/resources/payroll/salaries-and-pay-schedules);  Human Resources Dept., Greenville County Schools.

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Average Teacher Salary: Southeast States

School Year 2021-22

State government in South Carolina compares the average public school teacher salary in the state to that of the eleven southeast states shown below.  In 2021-22 the average salary in South Carolina was $340 above the average across these other states.  Greenville County Schools’ was nearly $2,000 higher.

Sources: Southeastern Average Teacher Salary Survey. South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office (online: https://rfa.sc.gov/teacher-salary-projections); South Carolina Teacher Salary Information, Average Teacher Salary by District, CERRA (online:  https://www.cerra.org/research.html).

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WORK ENVIRONMENT

Teaching is both a rewarding and challenging profession. A supportive work environment with opportunities for professional growth is essential to job satisfaction and retaining good teachers.

WORK QUICK FACTS

54

Hours Worked Per Week

Hours Worked Per Week

The 2022 Merrimack College National Teacher Survey reported a median number of 54 hours worked per week by teachers.

120

Continuing Education Credits

Continuing Education Credits

Teachers are re-certified every 5 years after acquiring 120 continuing education credits during that time.

3 Years

Teacher Probationary Period

Teacher Probationary Period

Beginning teachers have a 3-year probationary period before receiving their professional certificate.

1 Year

Length of Teacher Contract

Length of Teacher Contract

South Carolina does not have teacher unions. Instead, teachers annually receive 1-year contracts.

WHAT TEACHERS WANT

Teachers face numerous challenges in their work.  The 2023, second annual, national Merrimack College Teacher Survey asked teachers this question:  “What steps could your district or school take to support your mental well-being.  Select all that apply.”  The fifteen most often cited steps are shown below.

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Steps a District or School Could Take to Support Teacher Mental Well-Being

Steps most often cited from the second annual, national, Merrimack College Teacher Survey, 2023.
Pay raise or bonus to reduce financial stress (67%)
Smaller class sizes (62%)
More/better support for student discipline-related issues (62%)
Fewer administrative burdens associated with meetings & paperwork (57%)
More acknowledgement of good work/ hard work/ successes (54%)
Permitting/encouraging mental wellness/health days (52%)
More/better substitute teachers so I feel [better] able to take days off if need be (52%)
More para-professionals to assist teachers in the classroom/with students (49%)
More/better support if/when parents make demands I find unreasonable (39%)
Less time required for lunch duty, hall duty and non-teaching student supervisory tasks (38%)
Time/space and student supervision if/when I need a few minutes to de-stress (35%)
More influence over district or school policies or rules (34%)
More autonomy to teach what/how I think is best (32%)
Better/more affordable access to counseling/mental health professionals (31%)
[More] opportunities to exercise during the school day (31%)

2023, Second Annual, Merrimack College Teacher Survey, Winston School of Education and Social Policy at Merrimack College and EdWeek Research Center.

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SHORTAGE

Rapid population growth in Greenville County and across South Carolina, combined with declining availability of qualified teachers, is leading to an increasing shortage of professional educators in the public K-12 education system.  

INCREASING OPEN POSITIONS

Open teaching positions are those for which teachers need to be hired prior to the school year. They include positions that were filled and those that were not (remained vacant). Open positions in South Carolina public schools numbered 6,010 in 2012-13 and 9,160 in 2022-23–a 52% increase.    Over the same period, open positions in Greenville County Schools increased from 400 to 760–a 90% increase.

The number of unfilled or vacant teaching positions at the start of the school year in South Carolina public schools more than doubled in two years from 2020-21 to 2022-23 going from 700 to 1,470.  In Greenville County Schools it increased from 7 to 28.

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Open Teaching Positions in South Carolina and Greenville County Schools

By Sources Used to Fill Them (2012-13 to 2022-23)

Source: Tables 3C & 5, South Carolina Annual Educator Supply & Demand Reports, Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention & Advancement (CERRA). (online: https://www.cerra.org/research.html)

DECLINING TEACHER POOL

The number of in-state, college graduates eligible for teacher certification has decreased significantly since 2015.  The number used here (from CERRA) is the number eligible with bachelor’s degrees from public and private colleges in South Carolina plus the number eligible with master’s degrees from state public institutions.

In 2022, this number of graduates eligible for teacher certification was 9% lower than 2015.   Over the same seven-year time period public K-12 enrollment in South Carolina grew by more than 25,000 students
.

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South Carolina In-State Teacher Program Graduates

2015 to 2022

Source: “Five-Year Key Teacher Supply & Demand Data,” Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, & Advancement (CERRA).  (online https://www.cerra.org/research.html); Active Student Headcounts, 135-Day Active Headcount,” South Carolina Department of Education (online: https://ed.sc.gov/data/other/student-counts/active-student-headcounts/)

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