Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary Salary
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondaries in Columbia, SC make a median of $79,860 a year, or about $38.39 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $97K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.66), which stretches that salary to about $85,266 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,276/month, or 24.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $80K get you in Columbia?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbia’s Regional Price Parity (93.66). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About career/technical education teachers, postsecondaries
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What this looks like in Columbia
Columbia sits well above the national pay line for career/technical education teachers, postsecondary, local pay runs about 25% higher than the U.S. median of $64K. Rent runs $1,276/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for career/technical education teachers, postsecondaries in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $80K | $85K |
| Spartanburg | $83K | $92K |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $82K | $88K |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $64K | $64K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbia, SC
Entry-level career/technical education teachers, postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $97K or more, a $60K spread from bottom to top.
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | $83K | +29% | 2,000 |
| South Carolina | $80K | +25% | 1,980 |
| Massachusetts | $79K | +23% | 1,660 |
| Washington | $78K | +21% | 3,610 |
| Alaska | $77K | +21% | 1,120 |
| Minnesota | $77K | +21% | 1,510 |
| California | $77K | +20% | 11,040 |
| New York | $75K | +18% | 5,250 |
| Wyoming | $74K | +16% | 360 |
| North Dakota | $74K | +15% | 430 |
| South Dakota | $73K | +14% | 350 |
| New Jersey | $72K | +14% | 2,590 |
| Colorado | $70K | +10% | 2,060 |
| Oklahoma | $67K | +5% | 3,040 |
| Oregon | $65K | +3% | 1,140 |
| Rhode Island | $65K | +2% | 310 |
| West Virginia | $65K | +2% | 300 |
| Texas | $65K | +2% | 12,620 |
| New Hampshire | $65K | +2% | 220 |
| Arizona | $65K | +2% | 2,190 |
| Michigan | $63K | -1% | 3,480 |
| Pennsylvania | $63K | -1% | 4,780 |
| Alabama | $63K | -2% | 2,350 |
| Illinois | $62K | -2% | 4,420 |
| Vermont | $62K | -2% | 210 |
| Delaware | $62K | -2% | 190 |
| North Carolina | $62K | -2% | 6,510 |
| Tennessee | $62K | -2% | 2,140 |
| Iowa | $62K | -2% | 1,170 |
| Maryland | $62K | -3% | 780 |
| Nevada | $62K | -3% | 950 |
| Maine | $62K | -3% | 510 |
| Kentucky | $61K | -4% | 1,560 |
| Ohio | $61K | -5% | 3,440 |
| New Mexico | $60K | -5% | 1,070 |
| Nebraska | $60K | -5% | 470 |
| Georgia | $60K | -5% | 3,920 |
| Florida | $60K | -6% | 7,600 |
| Idaho | $60K | -6% | 570 |
| Missouri | $60K | -7% | 1,630 |
| Connecticut | $59K | -7% | 1,130 |
| District of Columbia | $59K | -7% | N/A |
| Indiana | $58K | -9% | 2,250 |
| Virginia | $58K | -9% | 1,860 |
| Montana | $57K | -10% | 430 |
| Louisiana | $56K | -12% | 780 |
| Hawaii | $52K | -19% | 70 |
| Utah | $51K | -20% | 2,280 |
| Mississippi | $51K | -21% | 1,030 |
| Arkansas | $50K | -21% | 1,550 |
| Kansas | $49K | -24% | 1,160 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
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Frequently asked questions
Can a career/technical education teachers, postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 25.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,276/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for career/technical education teachers, postsecondaries in Columbia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new career/technical education teachers, postsecondaries typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,246/month. At HUD’s $1,276/month FMR, rent would take 57% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is career/technical education teachers, postsecondary a high-paying job in Columbia?
Local pay is 25% above the national median — $80K here vs. $64K nationally.
How does Columbia compare to the national average for career/technical education teachers, postsecondaries?
Columbia pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s +25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do career/technical education teachers, postsecondaries make in Columbia, SC?
The median is $79,860 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,430, and experienced career/technical education teachers, postsecondaries can clear $97,010. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,090/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,276/month, which eats 25.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a career/technical education teachers, postsecondary salary go in Columbia?
Columbia has a Regional Price Parity of 93.66 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median career/technical education teachers, postsecondary salary is worth about $85,266 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do career/technical education teachers, postsecondaries get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.