Special Education Teachers, All Other Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for special education teachers, all others across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $79,750 ≈ $38/hr
National median salary $76,580
Total employment 33,930 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +1.1%
Slower than average
Annual openings 2,900 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 41,000 → 41,500 (+400)
Typical entry education Bachelor's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- California$101,160
- New Mexico$94,040
- Oregon$86,380
- Delaware$84,030
- Maryland$82,430
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- West Virginia$42,640
- Mississippi$49,000
- Vermont$51,340
- Alabama$54,660
- Missouri$57,710
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $101,160 | $103,050 | $49 | +26.8% | 8,920 |
| 2 | New Mexico | $94,040 | $86,520 | $45 | +17.9% | 100 |
| 3 | Oregon | $86,380 | $82,240 | $42 | +8.3% | 820 |
| 4 | Delaware | $84,030 | $85,040 | $40 | +5.4% | 50 |
| 5 | Maryland | $82,430 | $76,100 | $40 | +3.4% | 3,020 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $81,220 | $78,440 | $39 | +1.8% | 300 |
| 7 | Virginia | $79,960 | $77,280 | $38 | +0.3% | 540 |
| 8 | New York | $78,020 | $65,970 | $38 | -2.2% | 2,170 |
| 9 | Washington | $77,090 | $76,790 | $37 | -3.3% | 170 |
| 10 | Colorado | $76,690 | $79,290 | $37 | -3.8% | 180 |
| 11 | Georgia | $76,370 | $76,130 | $37 | -4.2% | 980 |
| 12 | Michigan | $75,610 | $78,540 | $36 | -5.2% | 3,320 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $74,940 | $76,530 | $36 | -6% | 450 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $74,530 | $80,080 | $36 | -6.5% | 110 |
| 15 | Utah | $73,090 | $67,860 | $35 | -8.4% | 100 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $72,910 | $71,110 | $35 | -8.6% | 610 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $72,850 | $71,130 | $35 | -8.7% | 130 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $72,690 | $69,470 | $35 | -8.9% | 180 |
| 19 | Illinois | $69,780 | $64,850 | $34 | -12.5% | 2,560 |
| 20 | Florida | $69,330 | $68,690 | $33 | -13.1% | 900 |
| 21 | Iowa | $67,400 | $71,050 | $32 | -15.5% | 340 |
| 22 | Arizona | $67,330 | $59,500 | $32 | -15.6% | — |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $67,230 | $66,910 | $32 | -15.7% | 160 |
| 24 | Tennessee | $66,680 | $63,300 | $32 | -16.4% | 180 |
| 25 | Connecticut | $66,570 | $61,480 | $32 | -16.5% | 1,400 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $66,360 | $65,170 | $32 | -16.8% | — |
| 27 | New Hampshire | $65,870 | $66,670 | $32 | -17.4% | 160 |
| 28 | Nevada | $65,590 | $64,410 | $32 | -17.8% | 1,230 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $65,560 | $59,760 | $32 | -17.8% | 60 |
| 30 | Maine | $64,880 | $56,780 | $31 | -18.6% | — |
| 31 | Kentucky | $64,840 | $63,140 | $31 | -18.7% | 290 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $63,760 | $61,690 | $31 | -20.1% | 70 |
| 33 | Texas | $63,720 | $65,710 | $31 | -20.1% | 880 |
| 34 | North Dakota | $63,400 | $61,500 | $30 | -20.5% | 90 |
| 35 | Indiana | $61,280 | $60,920 | $29 | -23.2% | 80 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $60,900 | $61,170 | $29 | -23.6% | 610 |
| 37 | Ohio | $58,020 | $51,230 | $28 | -27.2% | 580 |
| 38 | Missouri | $57,710 | $49,610 | $28 | -27.6% | 210 |
| 39 | Alabama | $54,660 | $49,520 | $26 | -31.5% | 110 |
| 40 | Vermont | $51,340 | $46,980 | $25 | -35.6% | 70 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $49,000 | $46,700 | $24 | -38.6% | 60 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $42,640 | $39,920 | $21 | -46.5% | 530 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 128 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Salinas, CA | $112,900 | $107,370 | 200 |
| 2 | Vallejo, CA | $110,000 | $108,010 | 110 |
| 3 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $109,600 | $106,570 | 4,230 |
| 4 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $107,390 | $105,090 | 140 |
| 5 | Visalia, CA | $107,190 | $104,710 | 200 |
| 6 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $106,650 | $104,450 | 100 |
| 7 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $106,510 | $104,080 | 50 |
| 8 | North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $103,220 | $101,720 | 70 |
| 9 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $102,870 | $100,810 | 410 |
| 10 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $101,850 | $102,850 | 580 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing special education teachers, all others (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals, State Government Owned | $93,070 | $91,800 | 40 |
| 2 | Technical and Trade Schools | $90,870 | $88,770 | 120 |
| 3 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $86,260 | $86,740 | 760 |
| 4 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $86,260 | $86,740 | 760 |
| 5 | Temporary Help Services | $81,910 | $79,960 | 310 |
| 6 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $81,750 | $81,140 | 1,900 |
| 7 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $81,750 | $81,140 | 1,900 |
| 8 | Educational Support Services, Local Government Owned | $80,910 | $82,090 | 330 |
| 9 | Educational Services, Local Government Owned | $80,460 | $84,770 | 21,690 |
| 10 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $80,460 | $84,280 | 24,150 |
| 11 | Elementary and Secondary Schools, Local Government Owned | $80,290 | $84,830 | 21,180 |
| 12 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $80,290 | $84,480 | 22,600 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do special education teachers, all other make in the U.S.?
The median special education teachers, all other salary in the United States is $76,580 per year (mean $79,750), and about 80% earn between $48,440 and $120,080.
How much do special education teachers, all other make per hour?
Roughly $38 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $79,750 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays special education teachers, all other the most?
California has the highest average pay for special education teachers, all other at $101,160 per year (median $103,050).
What is the job outlook for special education teachers, all other?
Employment is projected to change +1.1% from 2024 to 2034 (Slower than average), with about 2,900 openings per year.
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Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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