Special Education Teacher Salary by StateBLS figures for special education teachers (kindergarten and elementary school), the broader group, in K-12 schools
BLS OEWS May 2025 · Broader BLS occupation: SOC 25-2052 Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School
BLS publishes no separate wage for special education teachers.
All special education teachers (kindergarten and elementary school) (SOC 25-2052 Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School), the broader occupation used here, earned a median $65,080 a year in elementary and secondary schools, public and private together, in May 2025.
The middle half of that group earned between $59,730 and $80,280.
In privately owned elementary and secondary schools alone (BLS industry 611105, national), the median for special education teachers (kindergarten and elementary school) was $61,030 on 11,830 jobs.
BLS splits special education teachers by grade level.
This is the kindergarten and elementary code (25-2052) in all K-12 schools, public and private together; the secondary code runs higher.
In privately owned schools alone, the BLS median for this occupation was $61,030.
BLS publishes this occupation in schools as annual pay only (school-year salaries), so no hourly figure is shown. BLS has no private school or charter school occupation code. The K-12 figures count public district, charter and private schools together; only the privately owned schools figure isolates private schools. OEWS covers wage-and-salary workers only and leaves out the self-employed, overtime pay and most bonuses.
How pay spreads across Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School
| Percentile | Annual |
|---|---|
| 10th | $49,380 |
| 25th | $59,730 |
| 50th (median) | $65,080 |
| 75th | $80,280 |
| 90th | $103,010 |
| Mean (average) | $72,640 |
SOC 25-2052 Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School, the broader occupation (not a special education teacher series), in elementary and secondary schools (NAICS 611100, public and private): 258,680 wage-and-salary jobs, BLS OEWS May 2025. The privately owned schools figure is shown as a median, mean and job count only.
Pay by grade level
BLS splits special education teachers by grade level and publishes no combined figure, so each level is shown on its own: the national median in K-12 schools (public and private together) and in privately owned schools alone.
| Occupation (SOC) | Median, all K-12 schools | 10th–90th | Jobs | Median, privately owned schools | Jobs, privately owned |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preschool (25-2051) | $65,680 | $45,760–$102,380 | 19,180 | $45,760 | 1,980 |
| Kindergarten and elementary (25-2052) | $65,080 | $49,380–$103,010 | 258,680 | $61,030 | 11,830 |
| Middle school (25-2057) | $66,760 | $49,410–$102,510 | 94,900 | $61,190 | 5,560 |
| Secondary (high school) (25-2058) | $74,510 | $49,860–$109,100 | 158,870 | $61,700 | 14,030 |
Pay for Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School by State
Median annual wage for SOC 25-2052 Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School in each state, BLS OEWS May 2025, alphabetical: all schools, public and private, in each state.
BLS publishes no private school figure by state.
BLS state figures cover every employer of the occupation in the state; nationally, more than 99% of these jobs are in elementary and secondary schools. "vs. U.S." compares the state median with the national all-employer median of $65,120; it is not adjusted for living costs.
| State | Median | 10th–90th | Jobs | vs. U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $64,520 | $50,510–$77,150 | 870 | −1% |
| Alaska | $80,230 | $58,690–$97,820 | 320 | +23% |
| Arizona | $56,030 | $46,400–$75,420 | 2,450 | −14% |
| Arkansas | $54,290 | $49,890–$63,630 | 1,430 | −17% |
| California | $97,170 | $63,180–$123,590 | 23,280 | +49% |
| Colorado | $74,290 | $50,700–$98,480 | 4,010 | +14% |
| Connecticut | $82,950 | $58,560–$107,040 | 2,810 | +27% |
| Delaware | $65,990 | $51,350–$95,500 | 1,070 | +1% |
| District of Columbia | $97,910 | $65,450–$128,370 | 1,070 | +50% |
| Florida | $58,850 | $51,730–$74,160 | 8,740 | −10% |
| Georgia | $72,880 | $49,510–$98,750 | 9,370 | +12% |
| Hawaii | $60,940 | $58,730–$78,760 | 1,270 | −6% |
| Idaho | $63,610 | $48,670–$86,370 | 620 | −2% |
| Illinois | $77,960 | $49,790–$104,490 | 14,040 | +20% |
| Indiana | $58,760 | $46,730–$78,490 | 3,640 | −10% |
| Iowa | $60,440 | $47,490–$77,260 | 2,560 | −7% |
| Kansas | $59,970 | $48,830–$75,940 | 1,610 | −8% |
| Kentucky | $60,060 | $46,070–$75,560 | 3,710 | −8% |
| Louisiana | $58,800 | $46,690–$71,620 | 4,000 | −10% |
| Maine | $61,880 | $45,620–$79,390 | 1,320 | −5% |
| Maryland | $78,850 | $60,720–$121,310 | 2,760 | +21% |
| Massachusetts | $91,350 | $61,200–$127,210 | 7,220 | +40% |
| Michigan | $74,600 | $48,720–$100,370 | 4,010 | +15% |
| Minnesota | $67,620 | $49,050–$96,240 | 3,960 | +4% |
| Mississippi | $50,570 | $46,600–$60,900 | 2,530 | −22% |
| Missouri | $57,260 | $43,880–$83,330 | 2,860 | −12% |
| Montana | $57,630 | $42,890–$78,930 | 560 | −12% |
| Nebraska | $62,420 | $47,430–$79,470 | 1,900 | −4% |
| Nevada | $65,110 | $47,810–$93,550 | 430 | 0% |
| New Hampshire | $65,160 | $44,620–$89,080 | 1,110 | 0% |
| New Jersey | $76,660 | $61,710–$103,680 | 11,610 | +18% |
| New Mexico | $76,420 | $58,110–$100,460 | 880 | +17% |
| New York | $81,260 | $59,460–$133,280 | 21,130 | +25% |
| North Carolina | $58,260 | $44,720–$73,990 | 4,430 | −11% |
| North Dakota | $57,950 | $47,060–$77,150 | 590 | −11% |
| Ohio | $73,970 | $46,870–$99,490 | 9,550 | +14% |
| Oklahoma | $50,630 | $43,870–$73,990 | 2,360 | −22% |
| Oregon | $77,700 | $58,620–$105,820 | 1,520 | +19% |
| Pennsylvania | $72,680 | $51,730–$98,170 | 7,640 | +12% |
| Rhode Island | $84,300 | $60,420–$98,170 | 1,070 | +29% |
| South Carolina | $62,360 | $49,540–$79,150 | 2,950 | −4% |
| South Dakota | $51,090 | $47,300–$61,740 | 790 | −22% |
| Tennessee | $62,560 | $49,860–$79,360 | 3,910 | −4% |
| Texas | $62,330 | $50,030–$74,240 | 56,760 | −4% |
| Utah | $61,290 | $37,970–$100,280 | 1,890 | −6% |
| Vermont | $74,200 | $49,730–$97,620 | 770 | +14% |
| Virginia | $67,740 | $50,830–$101,120 | 7,440 | +4% |
| Washington | $95,040 | $65,950–$126,570 | 3,450 | +46% |
| West Virginia | $50,380 | $42,890–$63,460 | 1,690 | −23% |
| Wisconsin | $61,520 | $47,940–$79,210 | 4,280 | −6% |
| Wyoming | $60,930 | $52,200–$77,070 | 650 | −6% |
Pay by employer
National figures for all special education teachers (kindergarten and elementary school) (SOC 25-2052): every employer, then K-12 schools of every ownership, then privately owned K-12 schools only, BLS OEWS May 2025.
BLS publishes no figure for special education teachers alone; these rows are for the whole occupation.
BLS publishes no split by type of private school.
Elementary and secondary schools (NAICS 611100) counts public district, charter and private schools together.
The privately owned schools row is a separate BLS industry series (611105); BLS industry estimates are national only, and this page shows that row as a median, mean and job count (no hourly figure or percentiles).
| Employer | Median | Mean | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries (every employer) | $65,120 | $72,650 | 260,870 |
| K-12 schools, public and private (NAICS 611100) | $65,080 | $72,640 | 258,680 |
| Privately owned K-12 schools only (BLS industry 611105) | $61,030 | $63,040 | 11,830 |
Job outlook for Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School
BLS projects employment of all special education teachers (kindergarten and elementary school) to decline 0.4%, from about 259,100 in 2025 to 258,100 in 2035 (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).
BLS projects no separate figure for special education teachers.
The projection covers every employer, public and private, with no split for private schools.
It includes the self-employed and comes from a different BLS program, so it is not directly comparable with the OEWS job counts above.
Pay by school role
BLS publishes wages by occupation, not job title, and has no private school or charter school code.
Teaching assistants and substitute teachers have a BLS occupation of their own.
Classroom and special education teachers, counselors, librarians and office staff are counted in broader groups.
Heads of school, instructional coaches and school nurses borrow the closest available occupation, labelled in the last column.
Compare figures with the same basis only.
| Role | Median, all K-12 schools | Median, privately owned schools | What the number is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private School Teacher | $63,980 | $58,140 | Broader BLS occupation (SOC 25-2021) |
| Special Education Teacher | $65,080 | $61,030 | Broader BLS occupation (SOC 25-2052) |
| Teaching Assistant | $36,990 | $37,090 | BLS occupation (SOC 25-9045) |
| Substitute Teacher | $42,890 | $36,210 | BLS occupation (SOC 25-3031) |
| Head of School | $105,840 | $98,020 | Closest available occupation, a stand-in (SOC 11-9032) |
| Instructional Coach | $81,050 | $68,290 | Closest available occupation (SOC 25-9031) |
| School Counselor | $76,760 | $62,190 | Broader BLS occupation (SOC 21-1012) |
| School Nurse | $69,340 | $74,090 | Closest available occupation (SOC 29-1141) |
| School Librarian | $74,130 | $59,460 | Broader BLS occupation (SOC 25-4022) |
| School Administrative Assistant | $47,050 | $46,020 | Broader BLS occupation (SOC 43-6014) |
Special Education Teacher salary questions
01How much do special education teachers make a year?
BLS publishes no separate wage for special education teachers.
The median annual wage for all special education teachers (kindergarten and elementary school) (SOC 25-2052), the broader group BLS publishes, in elementary and secondary schools, public and private together, was $65,080 in May 2025 (BLS OEWS).
The 10th percentile was $49,380 and the 90th percentile $103,010.
In privately owned schools alone, the median was $61,030.
02Which state pays special education teachers the most?
For all special education teachers (kindergarten and elementary school), counting every employer in the state (public and private schools together), the District of Columbia had the highest median in May 2025 at $97,910.
West Virginia had the lowest at $50,380.
These are not adjusted for living costs, and BLS publishes no private school figure by state; the state table above lists every state BLS published.
03What is the average special education teacher salary?
The mean (average) annual wage for all special education teachers (kindergarten and elementary school) in K-12 schools, public and private, was $72,640 in May 2025, against a $65,080 median.
In privately owned schools alone the mean was $63,040.
The median is the better guide to a typical salary, because a smaller number of high earners pull the average up.
04Is demand for special education teachers growing?
BLS projects employment of all special education teachers (kindergarten and elementary school) to decline 0.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 259,100 to 258,100 jobs, with about 16,400 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).
Those projections cover every employer, public and private, include the self-employed and come from a different BLS program, so they are not directly comparable with the OEWS job counts on this page.
05How does pay in privately owned schools compare?
The privately owned schools median was lower on the May 2025 BLS figures: preschool (25-2051): $45,760 in privately owned schools against $65,680 in all K-12 schools; kindergarten and elementary (25-2052): $61,030 in privately owned schools against $65,080 in all K-12 schools; middle school (25-2057): $61,190 in privately owned schools against $66,760 in all K-12 schools; secondary (high school) (25-2058): $61,700 in privately owned schools against $74,510 in all K-12 schools.
BLS publishes privately owned elementary and secondary schools as a separate national industry series (611105); the all-schools figure counts public district, charter and private schools together, so it includes the private schools.
BLS publishes no private school figure by state.
06Does the privately owned schools figure cover private special education schools?
Only those BLS classes as elementary and secondary schools.
BLS sorts each employer into one industry by its main activity, so special education teachers at employers BLS classes in another industry are not in the privately owned schools figure (611105).