Special Education Teachers, Preschool Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for special education teachers, preschools 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 $76,380 ≈ $37/hr
National median salary $64,830
Total employment 29,510 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +1.4%
Slower than average
Annual openings 2,100 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 29,300 → 29,700 (+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
- New Jersey$96,730
- New York$95,570
- Massachusetts$94,860
- Washington$91,660
- Maryland$89,650
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $96,730 | $92,060 | $47 | +26.6% | 1,720 |
| 2 | New York | $95,570 | $68,180 | $46 | +25.1% | 6,220 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $94,860 | $99,070 | $46 | +24.2% | 710 |
| 4 | Washington | $91,660 | $86,580 | $44 | +20% | 820 |
| 5 | Maryland | $89,650 | $85,010 | $43 | +17.4% | 70 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $86,680 | $87,960 | $42 | +13.5% | 380 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $84,680 | $83,510 | $41 | +10.9% | 490 |
| 8 | Oregon | $81,540 | $77,490 | $39 | +6.8% | 400 |
| 9 | Virginia | $79,490 | $77,570 | $38 | +4.1% | 650 |
| 10 | Alaska | $78,420 | $80,390 | $38 | +2.7% | 110 |
| 11 | Vermont | $77,290 | $79,000 | $37 | +1.2% | 70 |
| 12 | Colorado | $77,160 | $78,040 | $37 | +1% | 810 |
| 13 | Michigan | $75,760 | $75,860 | $36 | -0.8% | 430 |
| 14 | Missouri | $73,630 | $62,250 | $35 | -3.6% | 940 |
| 15 | Georgia | $73,350 | $72,310 | $35 | -4% | 380 |
| 16 | Hawaii | $72,660 | $75,120 | $35 | -4.9% | 230 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $72,260 | $75,880 | $35 | -5.4% | 1,250 |
| 18 | California | $69,930 | $59,550 | $34 | -8.4% | 2,510 |
| 19 | Ohio | $68,960 | $60,700 | $33 | -9.7% | 1,150 |
| 20 | Texas | $68,700 | $65,680 | $33 | -10.1% | 2,010 |
| 21 | Illinois | $67,490 | $62,580 | $32 | -11.6% | 1,080 |
| 22 | Utah | $66,570 | $58,230 | $32 | -12.8% | 110 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $65,620 | $66,010 | $32 | -14.1% | 270 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $65,620 | $59,310 | $32 | -14.1% | 120 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $63,950 | $61,720 | $31 | -16.3% | 80 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $63,130 | $60,060 | $30 | -17.3% | 50 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $62,540 | $60,870 | $30 | -18.1% | 240 |
| 28 | Florida | $61,580 | $58,240 | $30 | -19.4% | 1,370 |
| 29 | Iowa | $61,470 | $63,540 | $30 | -19.5% | — |
| 30 | Nebraska | $61,320 | $62,760 | $29 | -19.7% | 80 |
| 31 | Arizona | $61,160 | $60,130 | $29 | -19.9% | 330 |
| 32 | Maine | $60,130 | $60,680 | $29 | -21.3% | 40 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $59,310 | $60,180 | $29 | -22.3% | 640 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $59,100 | $59,550 | $28 | -22.6% | 330 |
| 35 | Kansas | $58,350 | $59,220 | $28 | -23.6% | 350 |
| 36 | Delaware | $57,660 | $59,250 | $28 | -24.5% | 100 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $55,440 | $59,800 | $27 | -27.4% | 170 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $55,140 | $56,890 | $27 | -27.8% | 960 |
| 39 | Idaho | $54,790 | $49,610 | $26 | -28.3% | 180 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $54,350 | $52,420 | $26 | -28.8% | 110 |
| 41 | Indiana | $54,120 | $48,680 | $26 | -29.1% | 380 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $53,400 | $52,100 | $26 | -30.1% | 80 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $51,050 | $54,220 | $25 | -33.2% | — |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $48,780 | $49,720 | $23 | -36.1% | 60 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $38,340 | $35,580 | $18 | -49.8% | 510 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 128 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $119,560 | $94,590 | 380 |
| 2 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $117,200 | $95,070 | 240 |
| 3 | Akron, OH | $100,650 | $97,520 | 60 |
| 4 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $99,440 | $97,020 | 610 |
| 5 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $94,240 | $94,820 | 470 |
| 6 | Fresno, CA | $93,800 | $84,830 | 120 |
| 7 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $92,660 | $88,640 | 80 |
| 8 | New Haven, CT | $90,440 | $88,750 | 50 |
| 9 | Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $89,970 | $89,820 | 30 |
| 10 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $89,180 | $91,800 | 130 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing special education teachers, preschools (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ambulatory Health Care Services | $132,120 | $115,100 | 2,230 |
| 2 | Offices of Other Health Practitioners | $126,580 | $114,240 | 2,030 |
| 3 | Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists | $126,580 | $114,240 | 2,030 |
| 4 | General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $84,410 | $94,760 | 50 |
| 5 | General Medical and Surgical Hospitals, Privately Owned | $84,410 | $94,760 | 50 |
| 6 | Hospitals | $79,680 | $88,200 | 70 |
| 7 | Hospitals, Privately Owned | $79,680 | $88,530 | 70 |
| 8 | Educational Services, State Government Owned | $75,600 | $73,270 | 330 |
| 9 | Elementary and Secondary Schools, State Government Owned | $75,600 | $74,400 | 280 |
| 10 | State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $75,600 | $73,270 | 330 |
| 11 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $75,560 | $69,790 | 80 |
| 12 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $73,060 | $72,990 | 740 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do special education teachers, preschool make in the U.S.?
The median special education teachers, preschool salary in the United States is $64,830 per year (mean $76,380), and about 80% earn between $45,620 and $130,040.
How much do special education teachers, preschool make per hour?
Roughly $37 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $76,380 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays special education teachers, preschool the most?
New Jersey has the highest average pay for special education teachers, preschool at $96,730 per year (median $92,060).
What is the job outlook for special education teachers, preschool?
Employment is projected to change +1.4% from 2024 to 2034 (Slower than average), with about 2,100 openings per year.
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