Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary schools 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 $72,650 ≈ $35/hr
National median salary $65,120
Total employment 260,870 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth -1.8%
Decline
Annual openings 15,400 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 230,200 → 226,100 (-4,100)
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
- District of Columbia$94,970
- Washington$93,970
- California$93,510
- New York$91,610
- Massachusetts$89,550
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- West Virginia$52,870
- Mississippi$53,290
- South Dakota$53,530
- Oklahoma$55,380
- Arkansas$56,160
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $94,970 | $97,910 | $46 | +30.7% | 1,070 |
| 2 | Washington | $93,970 | $95,040 | $45 | +29.3% | 3,450 |
| 3 | California | $93,510 | $97,170 | $45 | +28.7% | 23,280 |
| 4 | New York | $91,610 | $81,260 | $44 | +26.1% | 21,130 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $89,550 | $91,350 | $43 | +23.3% | 7,220 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $84,040 | $82,950 | $40 | +15.7% | 2,810 |
| 7 | Maryland | $83,370 | $78,850 | $40 | +14.8% | 2,760 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $80,910 | $84,300 | $39 | +11.4% | 1,070 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $80,520 | $76,660 | $39 | +10.8% | 11,610 |
| 10 | Alaska | $80,110 | $80,230 | $39 | +10.3% | 320 |
| 11 | Oregon | $78,310 | $77,700 | $38 | +7.8% | 1,520 |
| 12 | Illinois | $77,170 | $77,960 | $37 | +6.2% | 14,040 |
| 13 | Michigan | $75,380 | $74,600 | $36 | +3.8% | 4,010 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $74,740 | $76,420 | $36 | +2.9% | 880 |
| 15 | Colorado | $73,510 | $74,290 | $35 | +1.2% | 4,010 |
| 16 | Virginia | $72,890 | $67,740 | $35 | +0.3% | 7,440 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $72,340 | $72,680 | $35 | -0.4% | 7,640 |
| 18 | Vermont | $72,160 | $74,200 | $35 | -0.7% | 770 |
| 19 | Georgia | $72,090 | $72,880 | $35 | -0.8% | 9,370 |
| 20 | Ohio | $71,630 | $73,970 | $34 | -1.4% | 9,550 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $70,350 | $67,620 | $34 | -3.2% | 3,960 |
| 22 | Delaware | $70,000 | $65,990 | $34 | -3.6% | 1,070 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $68,060 | $60,940 | $33 | -6.3% | 1,270 |
| 24 | Nevada | $67,760 | $65,110 | $33 | -6.7% | 430 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $66,620 | $65,160 | $32 | -8.3% | 1,110 |
| 26 | Idaho | $66,070 | $63,610 | $32 | -9.1% | 620 |
| 27 | Alabama | $65,270 | $64,520 | $31 | -10.2% | 870 |
| 28 | Utah | $65,210 | $61,290 | $31 | -10.2% | 1,890 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $65,160 | $62,420 | $31 | -10.3% | 1,900 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $64,750 | $62,360 | $31 | -10.9% | 2,950 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $64,400 | $61,520 | $31 | -11.4% | 4,280 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $64,310 | $60,930 | $31 | -11.5% | 650 |
| 33 | Maine | $64,220 | $61,880 | $31 | -11.6% | 1,320 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $63,380 | $62,560 | $30 | -12.8% | 3,910 |
| 35 | Texas | $63,310 | $62,330 | $30 | -12.9% | 56,760 |
| 36 | Florida | $60,600 | $58,850 | $29 | -16.6% | 8,740 |
| 37 | Kansas | $60,550 | $59,970 | $29 | -16.7% | 1,610 |
| 38 | Iowa | $59,940 | $60,440 | $29 | -17.5% | 2,560 |
| 39 | Indiana | $59,860 | $58,760 | $29 | -17.6% | 3,640 |
| 40 | Missouri | $59,660 | $57,260 | $29 | -17.9% | 2,860 |
| 41 | Montana | $59,320 | $57,630 | $29 | -18.3% | 560 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $58,580 | $60,060 | $28 | -19.4% | 3,710 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $58,260 | $58,800 | $28 | -19.8% | 4,000 |
| 44 | Arizona | $57,470 | $56,030 | $28 | -20.9% | 2,450 |
| 45 | North Dakota | $57,450 | $57,950 | $28 | -20.9% | 590 |
| 46 | North Carolina | $57,160 | $58,260 | $27 | -21.3% | 4,430 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $56,160 | $54,290 | $27 | -22.7% | 1,430 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $55,380 | $50,630 | $27 | -23.8% | 2,360 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $53,530 | $51,090 | $26 | -26.3% | 790 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $53,290 | $50,570 | $26 | -26.6% | 2,530 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $52,870 | $50,380 | $25 | -27.2% | 1,690 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 459 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $105,290 | $100,660 | 3,440 |
| 2 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $104,810 | $101,530 | 490 |
| 3 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $100,150 | $99,720 | 1,740 |
| 4 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $99,840 | $103,830 | 60 |
| 5 | El Centro, CA | $99,020 | $110,170 | 180 |
| 6 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $98,940 | $99,170 | 300 |
| 7 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $98,640 | $102,260 | 790 |
| 8 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $98,330 | $90,030 | 1,700 |
| 9 | Vallejo, CA | $98,260 | $95,460 | 210 |
| 10 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $97,860 | $91,530 | 1,970 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary schools (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Temporary Help Services | $97,220 | $93,740 | 160 |
| 2 | State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $84,490 | $81,590 | 120 |
| 3 | Administrative and Support Services | $83,870 | $89,340 | 300 |
| 4 | Employment Services | $83,870 | $89,340 | 300 |
| 5 | Sector 56 - Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $83,870 | $89,340 | 300 |
| 6 | Educational Support Services, Privately Owned | $81,080 | $76,210 | 120 |
| 7 | Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities | $78,770 | $83,320 | 120 |
| 8 | Ambulatory Health Care Services | $78,730 | $89,930 | 210 |
| 9 | Offices of Other Health Practitioners | $78,730 | $90,260 | 210 |
| 10 | Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists | $75,010 | $84,420 | 180 |
| 11 | State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $74,510 | $78,160 | 2,430 |
| 12 | Educational Services, State Government Owned | $74,350 | $78,000 | 2,310 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school make in the U.S.?
The median special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school salary in the United States is $65,120 per year (mean $72,650), and about 80% earn between $49,350 and $103,010.
How much do special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school make per hour?
Roughly $35 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $72,650 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school the most?
District of Columbia has the highest average pay for special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school at $94,970 per year (median $97,910).
What is the job outlook for special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school?
Employment is projected to change -1.8% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 15,400 openings per year.
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