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Columbia, SC metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does an elementary school teacher make in Columbia, SC?

In the Columbia, SC metropolitan area, elementary school teachers earned a median of $60,050 a year in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 4,360 of these jobs there. That is 29% above the $46,430 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $48,170 and $76,010; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and South Carolina tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $48,765 in take-home pay.

Elementary school teacher pay in Columbia, SC at a glance

Median salary

$60,050$5,004 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$48,170—
25th percentile$50,710—
75th percentile$62,650—
90th percentile$76,010—
Jobs in this metro4,360Location quotient 1.24 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here29% aboveAll-jobs median $46,430
Against South Carolina1% belowStatewide median $60,820
Against the U.S.6% belowNational median $63,970

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Take-home payWhat $60,000 a year leaves after tax in South CarolinaFederal tax, FICA and South Carolina withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$29 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $60,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $60,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation South Carolina publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about South Carolina.

Elementary school teacher salary in Columbia, SC after taxes

$60,050
$20,000$125,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$60,050
Net 81%
Fed 8%
SC 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$48,765After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,064Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,876Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,026 / yr
South Carolina state income tax$1,666 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,594 / yr
Customize deductions in full South Carolina calculator

Elementary school teachers pay range in Columbia, SC, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Columbia, SC metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What elementary school teachers earned in the Columbia, SC metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (SC)
10th percentile—$4,014$48,170$40,007
25th percentile—$4,226$50,710$41,879
MedianMedian—$5,004$60,050$48,765
75th percentile—$5,221$62,650$50,681
90th percentile—$6,334$76,010$59,579

Is $60,050 a good salary in Columbia, SC?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for elementary school teachers next to both.

Median household income$68,359Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)93.76.3% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household87.8%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

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Elementary school teachers pay in other South Carolina metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Columbia, SC. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Elementary school teacher pay in Columbia, SC: common questions

What is the median salary for elementary school teachers in Columbia, SC?

The BLS median annual wage for elementary school teachers in the Columbia, SC metro area was $60,050 in May 2025, about $5,004 a month. Statewide, the South Carolina median for this job is $60,820, so the metro pays 1% below the state.

Is there an hourly rate for elementary school teachers in Columbia, SC?

BLS publishes pay for this job as an annual salary only, because the hours worked in a year vary too much to state a meaningful hourly rate.

How many elementary school teachers work in Columbia, SC?

BLS estimated 4,360 jobs for elementary school teachers in the metro in May 2025, or 11.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.24 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for elementary school teachers in Columbia, SC?

BLS wage estimates for elementary school teachers in Columbia, SC run from $48,170 at the 10th percentile to $50,710 at the 25th, $62,650 at the 75th, and $76,010 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do elementary school teachers take home after taxes in Columbia, SC?

On a median gross salary of $60,050, an estimated $48,765 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,876 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in South Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $11,285 (an effective rate of 18.8%).

How much do elementary school teachers make per month in Columbia, SC?

On the median annual salary of $60,050, gross monthly income is $5,004. After federal, FICA, and South Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $4,064 per month (or $1,876 every two weeks).

Is $60,050 a good salary in Columbia, SC?

At $60,050, the median salary for elementary school teachers is 87.8% of the Columbia, SC median household income ($68,359). It is 29% above the $46,430 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 93.7, so prices here run 6.3% below the U.S. average.