Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $49,350 | Data unavailable |
| Median (50th percentile) | $65,120 | Data unavailable |
| Mean (average) | $72,650 | Data unavailable |
| 90th percentile | $103,010 | Data unavailable |
BLS publishes only annual wages for this occupation because workers are typically paid on an annual basis rather than hourly.
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 52 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $64,520 | $50,510 | $77,150 | 870 | 0.24 |
| Alaska | $80,230 | $58,690 | $97,820 | 320 | 0.58 |
| Arizona | $56,030 | $46,400 | $75,420 | 2,450 | 0.45 |
| Arkansas | $54,290 | $49,890 | $63,630 | 1,430 | 0.65 |
| California | $97,170 | $63,180 | $123,590 | 23,280 | 0.76 |
| Colorado | $74,290 | $50,700 | $98,480 | 4,010 | 0.83 |
| Connecticut | $82,950 | $58,560 | $107,040 | 2,810 | 0.99 |
| Delaware | $65,990 | $51,350 | $95,500 | 1,070 | 1.31 |
| District of Columbia | $97,910 | $65,450 | $128,370 | 1,070 | 0.91 |
| Florida | $58,850 | $51,730 | $74,160 | 8,740 | 0.52 |
| Georgia | $72,880 | $49,510 | $98,750 | 9,370 | 1.14 |
| Hawaii | $60,940 | $58,730 | $78,760 | 1,270 | 1.2 |
| Idaho | $63,610 | $48,670 | $86,370 | 620 | 0.43 |
| Illinois | $77,960 | $49,790 | $104,490 | 14,040 | 1.37 |
| Indiana | $58,760 | $46,730 | $78,490 | 3,640 | 0.68 |
| Iowa | $60,440 | $47,490 | $77,260 | 2,560 | 0.98 |
| Kansas | $59,970 | $48,830 | $75,940 | 1,610 | 0.67 |
| Kentucky | $60,060 | $46,070 | $75,560 | 3,710 | 1.1 |
| Louisiana | $58,800 | $46,690 | $71,620 | 4,000 | 1.23 |
| Maine | $61,880 | $45,620 | $79,390 | 1,320 | 1.23 |
| Maryland | $78,850 | $60,720 | $121,310 | 2,760 | 0.6 |
| Massachusetts | $91,350 | $61,200 | $127,210 | 7,220 | 1.18 |
| Michigan | $74,600 | $48,720 | $100,370 | 4,010 | 0.54 |
| Minnesota | $67,620 | $49,050 | $96,240 | 3,960 | 0.8 |
| Mississippi | $50,570 | $46,600 | $60,900 | 2,530 | 1.3 |
| Missouri | $57,260 | $43,880 | $83,330 | 2,860 | 0.58 |
| Montana | $57,630 | $42,890 | $78,930 | 560 | 0.65 |
| Nebraska | $62,420 | $47,430 | $79,470 | 1,900 | 1.11 |
| Nevada | $65,110 | $47,810 | $93,550 | 430 | 0.16 |
| New Hampshire | $65,160 | $44,620 | $89,080 | 1,110 | 0.97 |
| New Jersey | $76,660 | $61,710 | $103,680 | 11,610 | 1.61 |
| New Mexico | $76,420 | $58,110 | $100,460 | 880 | 0.6 |
| New York | $81,260 | $59,460 | $133,280 | 21,130 | 1.3 |
| North Carolina | $58,260 | $44,720 | $73,990 | 4,430 | 0.53 |
| North Dakota | $57,950 | $47,060 | $77,150 | 590 | 0.83 |
| Ohio | $73,970 | $46,870 | $99,490 | 9,550 | 1.03 |
| Oklahoma | $50,630 | $43,870 | $73,990 | 2,360 | 0.82 |
| Oregon | $77,700 | $58,620 | $105,820 | 1,520 | 0.46 |
| Pennsylvania | $72,680 | $51,730 | $98,170 | 7,640 | 0.75 |
| Puerto Rico | $58,220 | $50,700 | $62,780 | 1,850 | 1.17 |
| Rhode Island | $84,300 | $60,420 | $98,170 | 1,070 | 1.28 |
| South Carolina | $62,360 | $49,540 | $79,150 | 2,950 | 0.76 |
| South Dakota | $51,090 | $47,300 | $61,740 | 790 | 1.04 |
| Tennessee | $62,560 | $49,860 | $79,360 | 3,910 | 0.71 |
| Texas | $62,330 | $50,030 | $74,240 | 56,760 | 2.4 |
| Utah | $61,290 | $37,970 | $100,280 | 1,890 | 0.65 |
| Vermont | $74,200 | $49,730 | $97,620 | 770 | 1.51 |
| Virginia | $67,740 | $50,830 | $101,120 | 7,440 | 1.08 |
| Washington | $95,040 | $65,950 | $126,570 | 3,450 | 0.58 |
| West Virginia | $50,380 | $42,890 | $63,460 | 1,690 | 1.43 |
| Wisconsin | $61,520 | $47,940 | $79,210 | 4,280 | 0.87 |
| Wyoming | $60,930 | $52,200 | $77,070 | 650 | 1.38 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 16,400. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.2%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Data unavailable No academic program is mapped to this occupation in the official crosswalk. Entry is usually through work experience, training, or apprenticeship.
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
BLS groups this occupation differently from O*NET. Skills and tasks below come from the closest O*NET occupation, Special Education Teachers, Elementary School (25-2056.00).
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Instruct students with disabilities in academic subjects, using a variety of techniques, such as phonetics, multisensory learning, or repetition to reinforce learning and meet students' varying needs.
- Develop or implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of disabilities.
- Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement.
- Modify the general elementary education curriculum for students with disabilities.
- Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, or administrative regulations.
- Prepare classrooms with a variety of materials or resources for children to explore, manipulate, or use in learning activities or imaginative play.
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.
- Provide assistive devices, supportive technology, or assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- American Sign Language Browser
- Children's educational software
- Drawing software
- EasyCBM
- Email software
- Individualized Educational Program IEP software
- Nuance Dragon NaturallySpeaking
- Rethink Ed
- Scientific Learning Fast ForWord
- Screen magnification software
- Screen reader software
Transferable skills for career changers: Instructing, Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving, Coordination.
Common job titles: Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teacher (DHH Teacher), Emotional Disabilities Teacher, Hearing Impaired Itinerant Teacher (HI Itinerant Teacher), Learning Support Teacher, Resource Program Teacher, Severe Emotional Disorders Elementary Teacher (SED Elementary Teacher), Special Educator, SPED Inclusion Teacher (Special Education Inclusion Teacher), SPED Resource Teacher (Special Education Resource Teacher), SPED Teacher (Special Education Teacher).
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school make?
The national median annual wage for special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school was $65,120 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $49,350 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $103,010. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school a growing career?
BLS projects employment of special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school to change -0.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 16,400 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($97,910), California ($97,170), Washington ($95,040). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.