Classified and Unclassified Positions
The state of South Carolina utilizes a broad-band classification and compensation system. The state’s classifications are assigned to nine occupational groups: Administrative, Information Services, Education, Health Services, Human Services, Technical Services, Law Enforcement and Regulatory Services, Trade Services, Agricultural and Natural Resources. The classifications are then allocated to 10 pay bands. The salary ranges of the pay bands are 85 percent wide from minimum to maximum, except for Pay Band 1 which includes the minimum wage. The state’s institutions of higher education have a separate classification plan because of the South Carolina Higher Education Efficiency and Administrative Policies Act of 2011.
Both state agencies and institutions of higher education have unclassified state titles which include agency heads covered by the Agency Head Salary Commission, positions in the state’s Executive Compensation System, academic personnel and unclassified other. The category of unclassified other includes agency heads not covered by the Agency Head Salary Commission, staff of the Governor’s Office, teachers, such other personnel employed by the institutions of higher learning and/or medical institutions of education and research as are recommended by the respective governing bodies and approved by the South Carolina Department of Administration, and other positions as the General Assembly may elect to exempt.
South Carolina Job Classification and Compensation System Overview
State employees may be interested in learning more about why the state uses its classification and compensation system and how they can progress in their careers in the state system.
The South Carolina Job Classification and Compensation System Overview presentation is intended to provide general information and is not a guarantee of a certain classification or compensation. If they have questions, employees should contact their agency's Office of Human Resources.