SOC 25-2058 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Special Education Teachers, Secondary School — Columbia
Columbia, SC · 4 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in Columbia, SC is $58,860 a year, trailing the national median of $74,260 by 20.7%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in Columbia, SC is $58,860 a year, trailing the national median of $74,260 by 20.7%. Half of workers earn between $58,230 and $73,030. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $49,680 and the ninetieth at $77,660.
The area has 230 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 0.55 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Hilton Head Island leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $66,260. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 236th of 511 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $49,680 | −33.1% |
| 25th | $58,230 | −21.6% |
| Median (50th) | $58,860 | −20.7% |
| 75th | $73,030 | −1.7% |
| 90th | $77,660 | +4.6% |
| Mean | $63,600 | −14.4% |
Other metro areas in South Carolina
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hilton Head Island | $66,260 | 70 | |
| 2 | Charleston | $63,700 | 180 | |
| 3 | Greenville | $63,040 | 390 | |
| 4 | Spartanburg | $61,420 | 200 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Columbia run 6.3% below the national average, so the median of $58,860 goes as far as $62,818 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 15.4% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$58,860as reported by BLSLocal price level
93.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$62,818US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $58,860 a year, 20.7% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $49,680 to $77,660 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 230 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Hilton Head Island, at $66,260.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Special Education Teachers, Secondary School in Columbia, SC?
The median annual wage is $58,860, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $74,260, so pay in Columbia, SC is 20.7% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Columbia, SC earns more than $77,660 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $49,680 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Hilton Head Island, at $66,260 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 230 jobs in this occupation in Columbia, SC. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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