Special Education Teachers, Middle School Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for special education teachers, middle 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 $73,780 ≈ $35/hr
National median salary $66,810
Total employment 95,200 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth -1.9%
Decline
Annual openings 6,300 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 94,800 → 93,000 (-1,800)
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$99,830
- Washington$97,240
- New York$92,940
- District of Columbia$87,810
- Connecticut$87,110
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- South Dakota$52,820
- Mississippi$53,070
- Missouri$54,340
- West Virginia$55,110
- Oklahoma$56,310
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $99,830 | $101,530 | $48 | +35.3% | 4,860 |
| 2 | Washington | $97,240 | $99,520 | $47 | +31.8% | 1,550 |
| 3 | New York | $92,940 | $93,820 | $45 | +26% | 7,870 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $87,810 | $79,170 | $42 | +19% | 520 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $87,110 | $92,900 | $42 | +18.1% | 1,260 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $87,040 | $84,550 | $42 | +18% | 3,110 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $83,910 | $93,970 | $40 | +13.7% | 380 |
| 8 | Maryland | $82,830 | $76,410 | $40 | +12.3% | 1,540 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $82,680 | $79,110 | $40 | +12.1% | 5,660 |
| 10 | Alaska | $81,120 | $81,000 | $39 | +9.9% | 200 |
| 11 | Utah | $78,740 | $78,920 | $38 | +6.7% | 690 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $77,460 | $77,040 | $37 | +5% | 3,710 |
| 13 | Oregon | $75,670 | $78,360 | $36 | +2.6% | 590 |
| 14 | Illinois | $75,300 | $74,730 | $36 | +2.1% | 4,460 |
| 15 | Delaware | $73,780 | $77,420 | $35 | +0% | — |
| 16 | Ohio | $73,110 | $74,590 | $35 | -0.9% | 7,540 |
| 17 | New Mexico | $72,820 | $74,440 | $35 | -1.3% | 1,090 |
| 18 | Vermont | $72,150 | $73,110 | $35 | -2.2% | 470 |
| 19 | Michigan | $71,920 | $76,040 | $35 | -2.5% | 1,410 |
| 20 | Colorado | $71,610 | $66,130 | $34 | -2.9% | 2,020 |
| 21 | Virginia | $71,440 | $63,820 | $34 | -3.2% | 3,000 |
| 22 | Georgia | $71,040 | $70,550 | $34 | -3.7% | 3,740 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $70,140 | $63,630 | $34 | -4.9% | 1,930 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $69,270 | $65,840 | $33 | -6.1% | 2,650 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $68,420 | $61,750 | $33 | -7.3% | 380 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $67,090 | $66,760 | $32 | -9.1% | 650 |
| 27 | Maine | $66,100 | $63,440 | $32 | -10.4% | 310 |
| 28 | Iowa | $65,940 | $63,590 | $32 | -10.6% | 990 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $65,740 | $63,460 | $32 | -10.9% | 680 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $64,940 | $62,770 | $31 | -12% | 330 |
| 31 | Texas | $64,850 | $63,360 | $31 | -12.1% | 12,580 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $64,550 | $62,310 | $31 | -12.5% | 980 |
| 33 | Montana | $63,270 | $63,960 | $30 | -14.2% | 190 |
| 34 | Arizona | $62,350 | $62,130 | $30 | -15.5% | 580 |
| 35 | Idaho | $61,630 | $60,170 | $30 | -16.5% | 300 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $60,950 | $60,000 | $29 | -17.4% | 1,310 |
| 37 | Nevada | $60,690 | $63,280 | $29 | -17.7% | 290 |
| 38 | Indiana | $60,670 | $58,900 | $29 | -17.8% | 1,070 |
| 39 | Kansas | $60,480 | $59,780 | $29 | -18% | 550 |
| 40 | Florida | $60,410 | $60,440 | $29 | -18.1% | 2,630 |
| 41 | Alabama | $60,220 | $62,850 | $29 | -18.4% | 460 |
| 42 | North Dakota | $60,110 | $57,680 | $29 | -18.5% | 200 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $58,160 | $60,200 | $28 | -21.2% | 1,530 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $57,680 | $59,360 | $28 | -21.8% | 2,470 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $57,420 | $59,420 | $28 | -22.2% | 1,130 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $56,690 | $56,830 | $27 | -23.2% | 750 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $56,310 | $50,450 | $27 | -23.7% | 930 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $55,110 | $56,440 | $27 | -25.3% | 1,080 |
| 49 | Missouri | $54,340 | $50,370 | $26 | -26.3% | 1,050 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $53,070 | $50,750 | $26 | -28.1% | 1,020 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $52,820 | $51,360 | $25 | -28.4% | 310 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 345 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $121,070 | $112,040 | 360 |
| 2 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $110,850 | $102,930 | 350 |
| 3 | Fresno, CA | $104,540 | $92,160 | 80 |
| 4 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $104,450 | $104,860 | 50 |
| 5 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $103,880 | $97,640 | 70 |
| 6 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $103,580 | $104,470 | — |
| 7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $101,560 | $102,110 | 2,030 |
| 8 | Bellingham, WA | $101,120 | $98,140 | 50 |
| 9 | Salinas, CA | $100,840 | $99,280 | 40 |
| 10 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $100,350 | $103,370 | 720 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing special education teachers, middle schools (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities | $79,170 | $78,510 | 50 |
| 2 | Nursing and Residential Care Facilities | $77,700 | $75,590 | 70 |
| 3 | Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities | $77,700 | $77,870 | 30 |
| 4 | Sector 62 - Health Care and Social Assistance | $77,700 | $81,560 | 110 |
| 5 | State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $75,430 | $78,640 | 730 |
| 6 | Educational Services, State Government Owned | $75,380 | $78,600 | 730 |
| 7 | Elementary and Secondary Schools, State Government Owned | $75,380 | $78,600 | 730 |
| 8 | Educational Support Services | $71,970 | $72,820 | 90 |
| 9 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $67,750 | $74,430 | 89,410 |
| 10 | Elementary and Secondary Schools, Local Government Owned | $67,680 | $74,400 | 88,610 |
| 11 | Educational Services, Local Government Owned | $67,670 | $74,400 | 88,670 |
| 12 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $67,670 | $74,400 | 88,680 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do special education teachers, middle school make in the U.S.?
The median special education teachers, middle school salary in the United States is $66,810 per year (mean $73,780), and about 80% earn between $49,420 and $102,510.
How much do special education teachers, middle school make per hour?
Roughly $35 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $73,780 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays special education teachers, middle school the most?
California has the highest average pay for special education teachers, middle school at $99,830 per year (median $101,530).
What is the job outlook for special education teachers, middle school?
Employment is projected to change -1.9% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 6,300 openings per year.
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