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The differences between public school teachers and special education teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a special education teacher has an average salary of $54,290, which is higher than the $42,231 average annual salary of a public school teacher.
The top three skills for a public school teacher include public schools, classroom management and K-12. The most important skills for a special education teacher are classroom management, autism, and behavior management.
| Public School Teacher | Special Education Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $42,231 | $54,290 |
| Hourly rate | $20.30 | $26.10 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 79,471 | 67,699 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Typically, public school teachers prepare lesson plans and give instructions to students in their assigned school. The teachers establish and implement grade appropriate course work to align the academic requirements of their students. They evaluate and monitor the performance of the students as well as assess and document their progress. Most often, they are exposed to complex tasks within the function of their job. Also, they may take part in the implementation of individual education plans for certain students.
A special education teacher is responsible for teaching students with disabilities. Special education teachers are trained professionals to provide distinct learning instructions for children with special cases for them to achieve their potentials and improve their self-confidence. A special education teacher must have excellent communication and organizational skills to assist the students with their learning areas. Special education teachers should be able to come up with engaging activities to support the students' behavioral and intellectual development.
Public school teachers and special education teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Public School Teacher | Special Education Teacher | |
| Average salary | $42,231 | $54,290 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $52,000 | Between $39,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | Baltimore, MD | Baltimore, MD |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Baltimore City Public Schools | Baltimore City Public Schools |
| Best paying industry | Education | Government |
There are a few differences between a public school teacher and a special education teacher in terms of educational background:
| Public School Teacher | Special Education Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Education | Special Education |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between public school teachers' and special education teachers' demographics:
| Public School Teacher | Special Education Teacher | |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 39.3% Female, 60.7% | Male, 24.6% Female, 75.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 3.7% White, 69.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 3.6% White, 71.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 8% |