Best Student-Teacher Ratios in South Carolina

The schools in South Carolina with the lowest student-teacher ratios offer smaller class sizes, which research links to better academic outcomes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The top-ranked school, Washington Center, has a ratio of just 5:1.

The South Carolina state average is 14.3:1, compared to the national average of 15.7:1. Schools with enrollment under 100 are excluded to ensure meaningful comparisons.

5:1
Best Ratio
Washington Center
14.3:1
State Average
15.7:1
National Average
50
Schools Listed
# School Student:Teacher Enrollment
1. Washington Center Greenville 5:1
-65% vs state
119
2. Burke High Charleston 6:1
-58% vs state
342
3. Gates School Mt. Pleasant 6.4:1
-55% vs state
109
4. Bridgewater Academy Charter Myrtle Beach 6.7:1
-53% vs state
125
5. Meeting Street Academy-Spartanburg Spartanburg 7.3:1
-49% vs state
320
6. Carver-Lyon Elementary Columbia 7.4:1
-48% vs state
417
7. Beaufort Elementary Beaufort 7.6:1
-47% vs state
375
8. Allegro Charter School of Music North Charleston 7.6:1
-47% vs state
250
9. Midlands Arts Conservatory Columbia 7.9:1
-45% vs state
166
10. Meeting Street Elementary North Charleston 8.1:1
-43% vs state
1,133
11. Lady'S Island Elementary Beaufort 8.1:1
-43% vs state
241
12. Simmons Pinckney Middle Charleston 8.1:1
-43% vs state
190
13. North Charleston Elementary North Charleston 8.2:1
-43% vs state
329
14. A. C. Moore Elementary Columbia 8.2:1
-43% vs state
244
15. Fairfield Middle Winnsboro 8.4:1
-41% vs state
311
16. Mccormick High McCormick 8.5:1
-41% vs state
192
17. Port Royal Elementary Port Royal 8.5:1
-41% vs state
179
18. North Charleston High North Charleston 8.7:1
-39% vs state
829
19. Nursery Road Elementary Columbia 8.8:1
-38% vs state
471
20. Academy of Hope Charter Conway 8.8:1
-38% vs state
100
21. Palmetto Achievement Center for Excellence Academy Columbia 8.9:1
-38% vs state
216
22. Charleston Progressive Charleston 8.9:1
-38% vs state
184
23. Seven Oaks Elementary Columbia 9:1
-37% vs state
522
24. Fairfield Magnet for Math and Science Winnsboro 9:1
-37% vs state
188
25. W. a. Perry Middle Columbia 9.1:1
-36% vs state
320
26. Ronald E. Mcnair Jr. High Lake City 9.1:1
-36% vs state
275
27. Lower Lee Elementary Mayesville 9.2:1
-36% vs state
128
28. H. E. Corley Elementary Irmo 9.3:1
-35% vs state
557
29. Whale Branch Elementary Seabrook 9.3:1
-35% vs state
409
30. Sanders-Clyde Elementary Charleston 9.3:1
-35% vs state
369
31. Mitchell Elementary Charleston 9.3:1
-35% vs state
188
32. Summit Classical School Clinton 9.3:1
-35% vs state
112
33. Hilton Head Island Early Childhood Center Hilton Head Island 9.4:1
-34% vs state
301
34. Harleyville-Ridgeville Middle Dorchester 9.4:1
-34% vs state
169
35. North Vista Elementary Florence 9.5:1
-34% vs state
446
36. Dutch Fork Elementary Irmo 9.5:1
-34% vs state
442
37. E.B. Ellington Elementary Ravenel 9.5:1
-34% vs state
366
38. Thornwell School for the Arts Hartsville 9.5:1
-34% vs state
188
39. Spartanburg Preparatory School Spartanburg 9.6:1
-33% vs state
454
40. Allendale-Fairfax Middle Fairfax 9.6:1
-33% vs state
196
41. St. James Santee Elementary-Middle McClellanville 9.6:1
-33% vs state
167
42. Calhoun Falls Charter School Calhoun Falls 9.6:1
-33% vs state
159
43. Chicora Elementary North Charleston 9.7:1
-32% vs state
316
44. Hampton Elementary Hampton 9.7:1
-32% vs state
275
45. Allendale Fairfax High Fairfax 9.7:1
-32% vs state
252
46. Cherokee Charter School Gaffney 9.8:1
-31% vs state
633
47. Scdjj Evaluation and Detention Center Columbia 9.8:1
-31% vs state
417
48. Theodore Lester Elementary Florence 9.8:1
-31% vs state
362
49. Green Charter School of the Lowcountry N Charleston 9.8:1
-31% vs state
301
50. Broad River Elementary Beaufort 9.9:1
-31% vs state
467
Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Common Core of Data (CCD), 2022-23 school year. Schools with enrollment under 100 are excluded.
Largest Schools in South Carolina → Highest-Spending Districts → Chronic Absenteeism →

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.