South Carolina Snapshot
1,292
Public Schools in South Carolina
92
Colleges in South Carolina
48.4%
Avg Completion Rate
How South Carolina compares
South Carolina
48.41%
National Average
56.52%
South Carolina's avg completion rate is 14.3% lower than the national average.
South Carolina Education Laws
Compulsory attendance, homeschool regulation, school choice programs, and per-pupil spending for South Carolina — verified against ECS, HSLDA, Ballotpedia, and NCES.
Compulsory Ages
12 years of required schooling (national avg 11.0)
Kindergarten
Entry age: 5 by Sep 1
Homeschool Regulation
Notice plus testing or subjects required
School Choice
Education Scholarship Trust Fund — pending court resolution
Per-Pupil Spending
18% below national avg ($15,305)
Student-Teacher Ratio
2% below national avg (14.5)
Compulsory Education in South Carolina
South Carolina requires school attendance from age 5 through age 17 — a total of 12 years of required schooling. Kindergarten attendance is mandatory; children must enter K by 5 by Sep 1.
Homeschool Laws in South Carolina
South Carolina falls in the moderate regulation tier (HSLDA classification). Notice plus testing or subjects required.
- Notice to authorities required: Yes
- Standardized testing required: No
- Specific subjects mandated: Yes
Option via association (3rd party accountability); annual records
School Choice in South Carolina
South Carolina operates the following private-school choice programs:
- Education Savings Account (ESA)
Education Scholarship Trust Fund — pending court resolution
School Spending & Class Size in South Carolina
South Carolina spends $12,516 per K-12 student annually (NCES, FY2022). 18% below national avg ($15,305). The average student-to-teacher ratio is 14.2:1. 2% below national avg (14.5).
How South Carolina compares to other states
Quick policy snapshot for every other state. Click any state to view its full policy page.
| State | Ages | Homeschool | Choice | Per-Pupil $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 6–17 | Low | Universal | $11,314 |
| Alaska | 7–16 | None | None | $20,403 |
| Arizona | 6–16 | Low | Universal | $10,003 |
| Arkansas | 5–18 | Low | Universal | $12,520 |
| California | 6–18 | Moderate | None | $17,078 |
| Colorado | 6–17 | Low | None | $13,572 |
| Connecticut | 5–18 | Low | None | $22,769 |
| Delaware | 5–16 | Moderate | Limited | $17,277 |
| District of Columbia | 5–18 | Moderate | Limited | $28,100 |
| Florida | 6–16 | Moderate | Universal | $11,763 |
| Georgia | 6–16 | Moderate | Limited | $12,350 |
| Hawaii | 6–18 | Moderate | None | $16,597 |
| Idaho | 7–16 | None | Universal | $9,557 |
| Illinois | 7–17 | None | None | $17,889 |
| Indiana | 7–18 | Low | Universal | $11,413 |
| Iowa | 6–16 | Moderate | Universal | $13,549 |
| Kansas | 7–18 | None | Limited | $13,768 |
| Kentucky | 6–18 | Low | None | $12,702 |
| Louisiana | 7–18 | Moderate | Universal | $12,477 |
| Maine | 7–17 | Moderate | None | $18,046 |
| Maryland | 5–18 | Moderate | Limited | $16,018 |
| Massachusetts | 6–16 | High | None | $20,857 |
| Michigan | 6–16 | None | None | $13,715 |
| Minnesota | 7–17 | Moderate | Limited | $14,873 |
| Mississippi | 6–17 | Low | Universal | $10,030 |
| Missouri | 7–17 | None | None | $12,915 |
| Montana | 7–16 | Moderate | Limited | $13,432 |
| Nebraska | 6–18 | Moderate | None | $14,950 |
| Nevada | 7–18 | Moderate | Limited | $12,646 |
| New Hampshire | 6–18 | Moderate | Universal | $19,753 |
| New Jersey | 6–16 | None | Limited | $23,046 |
| New Mexico | 5–18 | Moderate | None | $12,915 |
| New York | 6–16 | High | None | $28,760 |
| North Carolina | 7–16 | Moderate | Universal | $10,413 |
| North Dakota | 7–16 | Moderate | None | $16,385 |
| Ohio | 6–18 | Moderate | Limited | $15,204 |
| Oklahoma | 5–18 | None | Universal | $10,430 |
| Oregon | 7–18 | Moderate | None | $14,521 |
| Pennsylvania | 8–17 | High | Limited | $19,188 |
| Rhode Island | 5–18 | High | Limited | $20,546 |
| South Dakota | 6–18 | Low | None | $12,649 |
| Tennessee | 6–18 | Moderate | Universal | $11,554 |
| Texas | 6–18 | None | Universal | $11,675 |
| Utah | 6–18 | Moderate | Limited | $9,140 |
| Vermont | 6–16 | High | Limited | $21,656 |
| Virginia | 5–18 | Moderate | Limited | $14,202 |
| Washington | 8–18 | Moderate | None | $15,420 |
| West Virginia | 6–17 | Moderate | Universal | $14,308 |
| Wisconsin | 6–18 | Low | Limited | $14,914 |
| Wyoming | 7–16 | Low | Universal | $18,763 |
More about South Carolina
Explore other state-specific topics to get the full picture of living in South Carolina.
FAQ
How many ZIP codes does Mubboo track in South Carolina?
Mubboo tracks 424 ZIP codes in South Carolina via the U.S. Census ZCTA basemap. Use the search box above to look up data for any specific ZIP.
How does South Carolina's average college completion rate compare nationally?
South Carolina's average college completion rate is lower the national average. See the "How South Carolina compares" callout above for the precise side-by-side comparison.
How fresh is this data?
Mubboo refreshes each data source on its native cadence — HUD Fair Market Rents annually (October), Tax Foundation tables annually, and federal datasets per their published schedules. Each page caches for 24 hours via ISR. See our methodology page for details.
Data sources: NCES Common Core of Data, College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education). Mubboo refreshes each source on its native cadence (HUD annually, Tax Foundation annually, etc.). See our full methodology →