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As an Exceptional Children's Teacher, you play a crucial role in shaping the educational experiences of students with diverse needs. The average salary for this position is $46,317 annually, which equates to around $22 per hour. This salary can vary significantly depending on factors such as geographical location, years of experience, and specific educational institutions.
For example, states like California and New York often offer higher salaries compared to others, reflecting the cost of living and demand for skilled educators in those regions. In addition, urban areas typically provide better pay due to higher demand for specialized educators.
Exceptional Children's Teachers can find positions in public schools, private institutions, and specialized educational settings. With a growing emphasis on inclusive education, the demand for qualified teachers in this field continues to rise. Exploring job opportunities in various states and cities can lead to not only a fulfilling career but also competitive compensation.
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The highest-paying states for exceptional children's teachers are New York, Maryland, and Washington. The lowest average exceptional children's teacher salary states are Arkansas, Indiana, and Texas.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $67,351 | $32.38 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $61,999 | $29.81 |
| 3 | New York | $74,371 | $35.76 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $54,230 | $26.07 |
| 5 | Nebraska | $53,412 | $25.68 |
| 6 | Michigan | $51,282 | $24.65 |
| 7 | Washington | $62,339 | $29.97 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $56,367 | $27.10 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $58,910 | $28.32 |
| 10 | Wyoming | $51,876 | $24.94 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $51,017 | $24.53 |
| 12 | Montana | $49,240 | $23.67 |
| 13 | Illinois | $50,064 | $24.07 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $49,176 | $23.64 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $53,655 | $25.80 |
| 16 | Kansas | $49,527 | $23.81 |
| 17 | Virginia | $52,628 | $25.30 |
| 18 | Alaska | $56,437 | $27.13 |
| 19 | Utah | $51,564 | $24.79 |
| 20 | Ohio | $49,279 | $23.69 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $47,709 | $22.94 |
| 22 | Vermont | $50,062 | $24.07 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $45,105 | $21.69 |
| 24 | California | $52,385 | $25.19 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $45,393 | $21.82 |
| 26 | Oregon | $49,389 | $23.74 |
| 27 | Iowa | $45,749 | $21.99 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $47,249 | $22.72 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $46,823 | $22.51 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $45,687 | $21.96 |
| 31 | Delaware | $45,264 | $21.76 |
| 32 | Colorado | $43,850 | $21.08 |
| 33 | Missouri | $44,201 | $21.25 |
| 34 | Georgia | $43,970 | $21.14 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $42,114 | $20.25 |
| 36 | Alabama | $44,853 | $21.56 |
| 37 | Arizona | $41,146 | $19.78 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $49,725 | $23.91 |
| 39 | Idaho | $42,831 | $20.59 |
| 40 | Florida | $41,709 | $20.05 |
| 41 | Nevada | $38,866 | $18.69 |
| 42 | Indiana | $39,464 | $18.97 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $42,574 | $20.47 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $39,683 | $19.08 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $41,653 | $20.03 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $37,765 | $18.16 |
| 47 | Texas | $38,924 | $18.71 |
| 48 | Maine | $41,294 | $19.85 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $39,555 | $19.02 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $40,254 | $19.35 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $38,131 | $18.33 |
The highest-paying cities for exceptional children's teachers are Santa Barbara, CA, Riverside, CA, and Forest Park, IL.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Barbara, CA | $52,484 | $25.23 |
| 2 | Riverside, CA | $51,785 | $24.90 |
| 3 | Forest Park, IL | $50,162 | $24.12 |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | $50,156 | $24.11 |
| 5 | Shepherdsville, KY | $47,201 | $22.69 |
| 6 | McDonough, GA | $44,051 | $21.18 |
| 7 | Sandpoint, ID | $43,665 | $20.99 |
| 8 | Halifax, NC | $43,045 | $20.69 |
| 9 | Littleton, NC | $43,024 | $20.68 |
| 10 | Henderson, NC | $42,782 | $20.57 |
| 11 | Oxford, NC | $42,727 | $20.54 |
| 12 | Wilson, NC | $42,486 | $20.43 |
| 13 | Durham, NC | $42,417 | $20.39 |
| 14 | Graham, NC | $42,376 | $20.37 |
| 15 | Greensboro, NC | $42,316 | $20.34 |
| 16 | Havelock, NC | $42,286 | $20.33 |
| 17 | Beaufort, NC | $42,283 | $20.33 |
| 18 | Winston-Salem, NC | $42,261 | $20.32 |
| 19 | Pittsboro, NC | $42,208 | $20.29 |
| 20 | North Wilkesboro, NC | $42,177 | $20.28 |
An exceptional children's teacher's salary ranges from $35,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $61,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $61,000 | $5,083 | $29 |
| 75th Percentile | $53,000 | $4,417 | $25 |
| Average | $46,317 | $3,860 | $22 |
| 25th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
| 10th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
The highest paying types of exceptional children's teachers are science teacher, student teacher, and reading teacher.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher Internship | $48,398 | $4,033 | $23.27 | 105,496 |
| First Grade Teacher | $49,757 | $4,146 | $23.92 | 70,517 |
| Teacher | $47,989 | $3,999 | $23.07 | 71,918 |
| 6th Grade Teacher | $45,615 | $3,801 | $21.93 | 69,523 |
| Long Term Substitute Teacher | $42,808 | $3,567 | $20.58 | 69,133 |
| Music Teacher | $51,978 | $4,331 | $24.99 | 54,429 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for exceptional children's teachers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Patricia Rogan Ph.D.
Professor, Special Education/Urban Teacher Education, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
Top companies hiring exceptional children's teachers now:
Exceptional children's teacher salaries at University of California, Berkeley and Broward County Public Schools are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average exceptional children's teacher salary at companies like Chatham County Schools and KIPP DC are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley | $56,148 | $26.99 |
| 2 | Broward County Public Schools | $53,433 | $25.69 |
| 3 | Chatham County Schools | $51,763 | $24.89 |
| 4 | KIPP DC | $51,403 | $24.71 |
| 5 | Union County Public Schools | $51,090 | $24.56 |
| 6 | Learning Care Group | $50,975 | $24.51 |
| 7 | KIPP Austin Public Schools | $50,406 | $24.23 |
| 8 | Davidson Academy | $49,987 | $24.03 |
| 9 | East Baton Rouge Parish Public Schools | $49,153 | $23.63 |
| 10 | The School District of Philadelphia | $48,645 | $23.39 |
| 11 | Intermountain Healthcare | $48,418 | $23.28 |
| 12 | Charter Schools USA | $48,304 | $23.22 |
| 13 | Vance County Schools | $48,142 | $23.15 |
| 14 | Tiller School | $47,843 | $23.00 |
| 15 | Lauderdale County Schools | $47,804 | $22.98 |
| 16 | Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools | $47,658 | $22.91 |
| 17 | Central Park School for Children | $47,494 | $22.83 |
| 18 | Alamance-Burlington School System | $46,750 | $22.48 |
| 19 | AMIkids | $46,632 | $22.42 |
| 20 | Wilkes University | $46,185 | $22.20 |
The average exceptional children's teacher salary has risen by $6,157 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average exceptional children's teacher earned $40,160 annually, but today, they earn $46,317 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for exceptional children's teachers over the last decade.
Compare exceptional children's teacher salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare exceptional children's teacher salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $46,300 | $22.27 | +2.1% |
| 2025 | $45,400 | $21.80 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $44,300 | $21.28 | +1.8% |
| 2023 | $43,400 | $20.89 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $42,400 | $20.39 | +1.6% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idea Public Schools | Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Teacher-Idea River Bluff) | Jacksonville, FL | 06/28/2025 | $50,000 |
| Amergis | Exceptional Student Education Teacher | Orlando, FL | 06/25/2025 | $89,741 |
| Public School of North Carolina | Exceptional Children's Teacher: EC General Curriculum (Signing Bonus Eligible) | North Wilkesboro, NC | 05/29/2025 | $78,263 |
| Idea Public Schools | Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Teacher | Jacksonville, FL | 05/28/2025 | $50,000 |
| Miami-Dade County Public Schools | Exceptional Student Education (K-12) Teacher | Miami, FL | 05/18/2025 | $53,053 |
| TMSA Public Charter Schools | Exceptional Children's Teacher (Multiple Openings) | Apex, NC | 05/17/2025 | $68,330 |
| Amergis | Exceptional Student Education Teacher-Central FL School Year | Tavares, FL | 05/15/2025 | $89,741 |
| Wilkes County Schools | Exceptional Children's Teacher for Best Academy-Ec/Gc-Pro-Rated Signing Bonus Eligible SC | Boone, NC | 05/10/2025 | $78,263 |
| State of New York | Teacher 2/Teacher 3/Teacher 4 (NY Helps), New York City Children's Center, Bronx Campus, P26057 | New York, NY | 05/04/2025 | $63,361 |
| Wilkes County Schools | Exceptional Children's Teacher: Ecgc (Signing Bonus Eligible School Year | Ronda, NC | 04/27/2025 | $78,263 |
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