Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary Salary
In Columbia, SC, education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries earn $101,830 at the median. The range runs from $79K at the entry level to $130K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.66), which stretches that salary to about $108,723 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,276/month, or 19.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $102K 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 education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries
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What this looks like in Columbia
Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary pay in Columbia tracks closely to the national median, $102K locally vs. $106K nationwide, a 4% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,276/month, 20.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. 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 education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $102K | $109K |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $104K | $103K |
| Spartanburg | $100K | $110K |
| Florence | $100K | $116K |
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 education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries (10th percentile) start around $79K. Mid-career wages sit at $102K. Top earners bring in $130K or more, a $52K spread from bottom to top.
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $167K | +57% | 6,470 |
| California | $160K | +51% | 31,370 |
| Connecticut | $156K | +48% | 4,610 |
| New York | $139K | +31% | 19,210 |
| District of Columbia | $137K | +30% | 1,930 |
| New Jersey | $137K | +30% | 11,450 |
| Delaware | $133K | +25% | 1,100 |
| Maryland | $132K | +24% | 7,200 |
| Oregon | $130K | +23% | 4,160 |
| Utah | $129K | +22% | 2,940 |
| Massachusetts | $128K | +21% | 10,570 |
| Minnesota | $127K | +20% | 4,120 |
| Hawaii | $127K | +20% | 1,910 |
| Alaska | $126K | +19% | 890 |
| Rhode Island | $120K | +13% | 1,160 |
| Pennsylvania | $119K | +12% | 14,460 |
| Wisconsin | $117K | +11% | 4,030 |
| Illinois | $113K | +7% | 14,850 |
| Nebraska | $111K | +4% | 1,860 |
| Colorado | $111K | +4% | 5,760 |
| Nevada | $109K | +3% | 2,490 |
| North Dakota | $108K | +2% | 810 |
| New Mexico | $108K | +2% | 2,290 |
| Virginia | $106K | +0% | 8,470 |
| Wyoming | $105K | -0% | 410 |
| Vermont | $105K | -0% | 1,000 |
| New Hampshire | $105K | -1% | 1,590 |
| Iowa | $104K | -2% | 3,310 |
| Michigan | $104K | -2% | 9,610 |
| Georgia | $103K | -2% | 7,530 |
| Maine | $103K | -3% | 1,710 |
| South Carolina | $102K | -3% | 5,000 |
| Idaho | $101K | -5% | 1,830 |
| Kansas | $101K | -5% | 2,520 |
| Missouri | $100K | -5% | 7,120 |
| Kentucky | $100K | -6% | 4,940 |
| Ohio | $100K | -6% | 12,480 |
| Indiana | $99K | -7% | 6,990 |
| Tennessee | $98K | -8% | 6,180 |
| Arizona | $97K | -8% | 5,270 |
| Alabama | $97K | -8% | 3,020 |
| Florida | $96K | -9% | 16,960 |
| Montana | $96K | -10% | 930 |
| Texas | $94K | -11% | 37,140 |
| South Dakota | $88K | -17% | 680 |
| Oklahoma | $87K | -18% | 4,320 |
| Arkansas | $86K | -18% | 2,760 |
| Louisiana | $83K | -21% | 5,080 |
| North Carolina | $83K | -21% | 11,220 |
| Mississippi | $83K | -22% | 3,170 |
| West Virginia | $81K | -24% | 1,480 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
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Frequently asked questions
Can a education administrators, kindergarten through secondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?
Yes — at the median salary of $102K, rent takes 20.4% 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 education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries in Columbia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries typically earn — is $79K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,733/month. At HUD’s $1,276/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is education administrators, kindergarten through secondary a high-paying job in Columbia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $102K locally vs. $106K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Columbia compare to the national average for education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries?
Columbia pays $102K median vs. the U.S. average of $106K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $109K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries make in Columbia, SC?
The median is $101,830 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $78,880, and experienced education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries can clear $130,410. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $102K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,261/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,276/month, which eats 20.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a education administrators, kindergarten through secondary 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 education administrators, kindergarten through secondary salary is worth about $108,723 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do education administrators, kindergarten through secondaries 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.