Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Kindergarten special education teacher salary
Average kindergarten special education teacher salary
$51,199
Understanding Kindergarten Special Education Teacher Salaries
The average salary for a Kindergarten Special Education Teacher stands at $51,199 per year. This figure can fluctuate depending on various factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific school district. For instance, teachers in urban areas often earn higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for specialized education professionals.
In states like California and New York, salaries can exceed the national average, reflecting the increased demand for well-trained educators. Furthermore, teachers with advanced degrees or additional certifications may see a significant salary boost. For example, those with a Master’s degree in Special Education can earn up to $55,000 annually.
Job Opportunities and Growth
The job outlook for special education teachers remains positive, with ongoing needs across various school districts. Roles not only include teaching but also involve collaborating with other educational professionals to tailor learning experiences for students with special needs. Those interested in pursuing this career can find numerous job listings through platforms like Zippia, which provides comprehensive resources for job seekers in the education sector.
Let Zippia find your next kindergarten special education teacher job
Let Zippia find your next kindergarten special education teacher job
Where can a Kindergarten Special Education Teacher earn more?
Average kindergarten special education teacher salary by state
The highest-paying states for kindergarten special education teachers are Massachusetts, New York, and Oregon. The lowest average kindergarten special education teacher salary states are Missouri, Indiana, and Arkansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for kindergarten special education teachers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania | $55,533 | $26.70 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $65,967 | $31.71 |
| 3 | Oregon | $60,942 | $29.30 |
| 4 | New York | $62,253 | $29.93 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $64,952 | $31.23 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $54,598 | $26.25 |
| 7 | Maryland | $56,065 | $26.95 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $55,560 | $26.71 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $52,762 | $25.37 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $54,637 | $26.27 |
| 11 | Nevada | $47,869 | $23.01 |
| 12 | Washington | $56,539 | $27.18 |
| 13 | Delaware | $52,566 | $25.27 |
| 14 | Alaska | $60,681 | $29.17 |
| 15 | North Dakota | $54,748 | $26.32 |
| 16 | Kentucky | $44,126 | $21.21 |
| 17 | Ohio | $44,766 | $21.52 |
| 18 | Nebraska | $44,481 | $21.39 |
| 19 | Michigan | $44,600 | $21.44 |
| 20 | Illinois | $45,187 | $21.72 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $51,252 | $24.64 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $45,139 | $21.70 |
| 23 | California | $55,260 | $26.57 |
| 24 | Virginia | $50,568 | $24.31 |
| 25 | Georgia | $47,540 | $22.86 |
| 26 | Kansas | $44,440 | $21.37 |
| 27 | Vermont | $45,639 | $21.94 |
| 28 | Hawaii | $55,778 | $26.82 |
| 29 | Texas | $44,759 | $21.52 |
| 30 | West Virginia | $45,085 | $21.68 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $41,616 | $20.01 |
| 32 | Iowa | $43,624 | $20.97 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $43,780 | $21.05 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $39,957 | $19.21 |
| 35 | Florida | $43,527 | $20.93 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $41,456 | $19.93 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $40,925 | $19.68 |
| 38 | Colorado | $41,522 | $19.96 |
| 39 | Arizona | $39,908 | $19.19 |
| 40 | Missouri | $38,331 | $18.43 |
| 41 | Idaho | $41,805 | $20.10 |
| 42 | Indiana | $38,165 | $18.35 |
| 43 | Alabama | $41,102 | $19.76 |
| 44 | Montana | $35,055 | $16.85 |
| 45 | Utah | $39,721 | $19.10 |
| 46 | North Carolina | $38,384 | $18.45 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $37,349 | $17.96 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $39,315 | $18.90 |
| 49 | Maine | $38,731 | $18.62 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $36,172 | $17.39 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $35,249 | $16.95 |
Highest paying cities for kindergarten special education teachers
The highest-paying cities for kindergarten special education teachers are Washington, DC, Lowell, MA, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $65,962 | $31.71 |
| 2 | Lowell, MA | $64,117 | $30.83 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $62,524 | $30.06 |
| 4 | San Mateo, CA | $58,225 | $27.99 |
| 5 | Bellevue, WA | $56,747 | $27.28 |
| 6 | Baltimore, MD | $56,246 | $27.04 |
| 7 | Reston, VA | $51,362 | $24.69 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $45,392 | $21.82 |
| 9 | Houston, TX | $44,772 | $21.52 |
| 10 | Miami, FL | $42,502 | $20.43 |
| 11 | Baton Rouge, LA | $35,266 | $16.95 |
Kindergarten special education teacher salary details
A kindergarten special education teacher's salary ranges from $39,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $66,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a kindergarten special education teacher's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $66,000 | $5,500 | $32 |
| 75th Percentile | $58,000 | $4,833 | $28 |
| Average | $51,199 | $4,267 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| 10th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
Highest paying kindergarten special education teacher jobs
The highest paying types of kindergarten special education teachers are student teacher, special education teacher, and special educator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher | $47,989 | $3,999 | $23.07 | 71,918 |
| Head Teacher | $51,715 | $4,310 | $24.86 | 73,756 |
| 5th Grade Teacher | $46,300 | $3,858 | $22.26 | 57,358 |
| 4th Grade Teacher | $47,619 | $3,968 | $22.89 | 68,138 |
| English Language Arts Teacher | $48,483 | $4,040 | $23.31 | 88,793 |
| Long Term Substitute Teacher | $42,808 | $3,567 | $20.58 | 69,133 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for kindergarten special education 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 kindergarten special education teachers now:
Which companies pay kindergarten special education teachers the most?
Kindergarten special education teacher salaries at Baltimore City Public Schools and The Bronx Charter School for Children are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average kindergarten special education teacher salary at companies like Our Lady of Lourdes Inc and Pacific Rim Christian University are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baltimore City Public Schools | $61,135 | $29.39 |
| 2 | The Bronx Charter School for Children | $53,779 | $25.86 |
| 3 | Our Lady of Lourdes Inc | $53,625 | $25.78 |
| 4 | Pacific Rim Christian University | $53,548 | $25.74 |
| 5 | Giant City Consolidated School Dist 130 | $53,288 | $25.62 |
| 6 | International Christian Montessori Academy | $52,040 | $25.02 |
| 7 | Eagle County School District | $51,630 | $24.82 |
| 8 | The Academy | $50,626 | $24.34 |
| 9 | Anderson Community Schools | $49,812 | $23.95 |
| 10 | East Baton Rouge Parish Public Schools | $49,543 | $23.82 |
| 11 | TODAYS FRESH START | $48,954 | $23.54 |
| 12 | Lamar Middle School | $47,150 | $22.67 |
| 13 | Lowell Community Charter Public School | $41,293 | $19.85 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Kindergarten special education teacher salary trends
The average kindergarten special education teacher salary has risen by $5,703 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average kindergarten special education teacher earned $45,496 annually, but today, they earn $51,199 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for kindergarten special education teachers over the last decade.
Compare kindergarten special education teacher salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average kindergarten special education teacher salary over time
Compare kindergarten special education teacher salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Kindergarten special education teacher salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $51,200 | $24.62 | +0.3% |
| 2024 | $51,100 | $24.55 | +1.8% |
| 2023 | $50,200 | $24.12 | +1.3% |
| 2022 | $49,500 | $23.79 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $48,200 | $23.16 | +2.2% |
Recently added kindergarten special education teacher salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence Public Schools | Kindergarten Teacher Special Education | Lawrence, MA | 06/17/2025 | $56,415 |
| Long Branch Public Schools | Kindergarten Special Education Teacher | Long Branch, NJ | 05/08/2025 | $60,111 |
| Burnsville-Eagan-Savage Schools | Ecse Vpk/Kindergarten Special Education Teacher | Burnsville, MN | 04/22/2025 | $46,060 |
| Match Education | Kindergarten To 12Th Grade Special Education Teachers) | Boston, MA | 03/28/2025 | $61,812 |
| Boston Speech and Language Therapy | Special Education Teacher-Kindergarten | Milton, MA | 03/09/2025 | $156,525 |
| Illinois Association of School | Kindergarten-Eighth Grade Special Education Teacher | Port Byron, IL | 01/29/2025 | $40,506 |
| Jersey City Global Charter School | Special Education Teacher, Kindergarten | Jersey City, NJ | 11/14/2024 | $66,020 |
| Richland-Bean Blossom Community School Corporation | Special Education Inclusion Teacher-Kindergarten | Richland, WA | 10/23/2024 | $45,600 |
| Medford School District 549C | Temporary Kindergarten Special Education Classroom Teacher (Self Contained)-Wilson Elementary | Medford, OR | 10/13/2024 | $46,545 |
| Illinois Association of School | Kindergarten-Eighth Grade Special Education Teacher | Port Byron, IL | 10/10/2024 | $40,506 |
Kindergarten special education teacher salary FAQs
Search for kindergarten special education teacher jobs