Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$48,440
- 25th Percentile — Junior$60,930
- 50th Percentile — Median$76,580
- 75th Percentile — Senior$99,690
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$120,080
The top 10% of Special Education Teachers earn $120,080 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $48,440, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii (est.) | $123,612 | +55.0% |
| Alaska (est.) | $105,270 | +32.0% |
| California | $101,160 | +26.8% |
| New Mexico | $94,040 | +17.9% |
| Oregon | $86,380 | +8.3% |
| Delaware | $84,030 | +5.4% |
| Maryland | $82,430 | +3.4% |
| Massachusetts | $81,220 | +1.8% |
| Virginia | $79,960 | +0.3% |
| New York | $78,020 | -2.2% |
| Washington | $77,090 | -3.3% |
| Colorado | $76,690 | -3.8% |
| Georgia | $76,370 | -4.2% |
| Montana (est.) | $75,762 | -5.0% |
| Michigan | $75,610 | -5.2% |
| Pennsylvania | $74,940 | -6.0% |
| Rhode Island | $74,530 | -6.5% |
| Idaho (est.) | $74,168 | -7.0% |
| Wyoming (est.) | $74,168 | -7.0% |
| Utah | $73,090 | -8.4% |
| New Jersey | $72,910 | -8.6% |
| District of Columbia | $72,850 | -8.7% |
| Minnesota | $72,690 | -8.9% |
| South Carolina (est.) | $70,180 | -12.0% |
| Illinois | $69,780 | -12.5% |
| South Dakota (est.) | $69,382 | -13.0% |
| Florida | $69,330 | -13.1% |
| Kansas (est.) | $67,788 | -15.0% |
| Iowa | $67,400 | -15.5% |
| Arizona | $67,330 | -15.6% |
| Wisconsin | $67,230 | -15.7% |
| Oklahoma (est.) | $66,990 | -16.0% |
| Tennessee | $66,680 | -16.4% |
| Connecticut | $66,570 | -16.5% |
| North Carolina | $66,360 | -16.8% |
| New Hampshire | $65,870 | -17.4% |
| Nevada | $65,590 | -17.8% |
| Nebraska | $65,560 | -17.8% |
| Maine | $64,880 | -18.6% |
| Kentucky | $64,840 | -18.7% |
| Arkansas | $63,760 | -20.1% |
| Texas | $63,720 | -20.1% |
| North Dakota | $63,400 | -20.5% |
| Indiana | $61,280 | -23.2% |
| Louisiana | $60,900 | -23.6% |
| Ohio | $58,020 | -27.2% |
| Missouri | $57,710 | -27.6% |
| Alabama | $54,660 | -31.5% |
| Vermont | $51,340 | -35.6% |
| Mississippi | $49,000 | -38.6% |
| West Virginia | $42,640 | -46.5% |
What Factors Affect Special Education Teachers Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Special Education Teachers is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: California pays an average of $101,160, while West Virginia pays $42,640 — a gap of $58,520 per year.
The middle half of Special Education Teachers earn between $60,930 and $99,690 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $48,440, while the top 10% earn more than $120,080.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- Elementary School Teachers $72,650/yr United States 8.9% vs this role
- Secondary School Teachers $76,320/yr United States 4.3% vs this role
- Middle School Teachers $72,030/yr United States 9.7% vs this role
- Kindergarten Teachers $69,370/yr United States 13.0% vs this role
- Preschool Teachers $43,030/yr United States 46.0% vs this role
- Business Professors $114,720/yr United States +43.8% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +27.2% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +72.2% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Special Education Teachers?
The average salary for Special Education Teachers in the United States is $79,750 per year, with a median of $76,580.
What is the starting salary for Special Education Teachers?
Entry-level Special Education Teachers typically earn between $48,440 and $60,930 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Special Education Teachers the most?
California pays Special Education Teachers the most at $101,160 per year on average, followed by New Mexico ($94,040) and Oregon ($86,380).
How much do Special Education Teachers make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $79,750, Special Education Teachers earn approximately $38.34 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Special Education Teachers a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 33,930 Special Education Teachers jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $79,750 and a median of $76,580 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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