Special ed teacher demographics and statistics in the US
Special ed teacher demographics research summary. Zippia estimates special ed teacher demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our special ed teacher estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about special ed teachers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 845,359 special ed teachers currently employed in the United States.
- 70.3% of all special ed teachers are women, while 29.7% are men.
- The average special ed teacher age is 42 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of special ed teachers is White (71.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (11.5%), Black or African American (9.3%) and Unknown (4.0%).
- Special ed teachers are most in-demand in Austin, TX.
- Washington, DC pays an annual average wage of $71,964, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women special ed teachers earned 98% of what men earned.
- Michigan is the best state for special ed teachers to live.
- Special ed teachers are 78% more likely to work at education companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Special ed teacher demographics by:
Special ed teacher gender statistics
70.3% of special ed teachers are women and 29.7% of special ed teachers are men.
- Female, 70.3%
- Male, 29.7%
Special ed teacher gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 70.3% |
| Male | 29.7% |
Special ed teacher gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$43,665
Female income
$42,720
Special ed teacher gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in special ed teacher positions over time. Currently, 70.3% of special ed teachers are female.
Special ed teacher gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 26.87% | 73.13% |
| 2011 | 23.30% | 76.70% |
| 2012 | 27.14% | 72.86% |
| 2013 | 24.62% | 75.38% |
| 2014 | 25.20% | 74.80% |
| 2015 | 26.06% | 73.94% |
| 2016 | 26.25% | 73.75% |
| 2017 | 26.32% | 73.68% |
| 2018 | 27.18% | 72.82% |
| 2019 | 26.18% | 73.82% |
| 2020 | 29.86% | 70.14% |
| 2021 | 29.72% | 70.28% |
Special ed teacher related jobs gender ratio
We compared special ed teachers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, auto collision repair instructor and automotive technology instructor have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Child Development Associate Teacher | 3% | 97% |
| Prekindergarten Teacher | 5% | 95% |
| Infant And Toddler Teacher | 5% | 95% |
| Special ED Teacher | 30% | 70% |
| Automotive Instructor | 96% | 4% |
| Automotive Technology Instructor | 96% | 4% |
| Auto Collision Repair Instructor | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Special ed teacher demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among special ed teachers is White, which makes up 71.2% of all special ed teachers. Comparatively, 11.5% of special ed teachers are Hispanic or Latino and 9.3% of special ed teachers are Black or African American.
- White, 71.2%
- Hispanic or Latino, 11.5%
- Black or African American, 9.3%
- Unknown, 4.0%
- Asian, 3.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Special ed teacher race
| Special ed teacher race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 71.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 11.5% |
| Black or African American | 9.3% |
| Unknown | 4.0% |
| Asian | 3.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Special ed teacher race and ethnicity over time
See how special ed teacher racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Special ed teacher race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 75.18% | 11.08% | 2.15% | 9.28% |
| 2011 | 74.16% | 11.31% | 2.43% | 9.55% |
| 2012 | 75.52% | 9.70% | 2.65% | 9.85% |
| 2013 | 76.24% | 10.09% | 2.56% | 8.54% |
| 2014 | 73.39% | 10.96% | 3.24% | 9.82% |
| 2015 | 73.08% | 11.04% | 2.78% | 10.35% |
| 2016 | 72.75% | 10.58% | 2.89% | 10.49% |
| 2017 | 72.53% | 10.18% | 3.21% | 11.20% |
| 2018 | 73.47% | 9.19% | 3.15% | 11.51% |
| 2019 | 75.49% | 9.84% | 2.59% | 9.81% |
| 2020 | 72.37% | 9.47% | 3.18% | 10.71% |
| 2021 | 71.24% | 9.31% | 3.61% | 11.51% |
Special ed teacher wage gap by race
According to our data, asian special ed teachers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american special ed teachers have the lowest average salary at $42,516.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $43,446 |
| White | $42,706 |
| Black or African American | $42,516 |
| Asian | $45,528 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $44,196 |
Average special ed teacher age
See how the average age of special ed teachers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Special ed teacher age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 42 | 47 |
| Unknown | 36 | 40 |
| Asian | 47 | 42.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 40 | 41 |
| White | 42 | 42 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 42 |
Special ed teacher age breakdown
The average age of special ed teachers is 40+ years years old, representing 58% of the special ed teacher population.
Special ed teacher age breakdown
| Special ED Teacher Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 58% |
| 30-40 years | 28% |
| 20-30 years | 13% |
Special ed teacher educational attainment
The most common degree for special ed teachers is bachelor's degree, with 63% of special ed teachers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 24% and master's degree degree at 9%.
- Bachelor's, 63%
- Master's, 24%
- Associate, 9%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
Special ed teachers by degree level
| Special ed teacher degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 63% |
| Master's | 24% |
| Associate | 9% |
| High School Diploma | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 2% |
Special ed teacher jobs you might like
Special ed teacher wage gap by degree level
According to the data, special ed teachers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $58,464 annually. With a Master's degree, special ed teachers earn a median annual income of $57,951 compared to $47,676 for special ed teachers with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $57,951 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $47,676 |
| Doctorate Degree | $58,464 |
Special ed teacher employment statistics
Most special ed teachers work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where special ed teachers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where special ed teachers work.
Special ed teacher jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 13% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 25% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 31% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 6% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 21% |
| > 10,000 employees | 5% |
Special ed teacher jobs by company type
Employees with the special ed teacher job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most special ed teachers prefer to work at education companies over private companies.
Special ed teacher jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 78% |
| Public | 1% |
| Private | 11% |
| Government | 9% |
Special ed teacher jobs by industry
The most common industries for special ed teachers are education, government and non profits.
Special ed teacher industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 73% |
| Government | 9% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Health Care | 4% |
| Professional | 3% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
Special ed teacher turnover and employment statistics
Special ed teacher unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for special ed teachers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Special ed teacher unemployment rate by year
| Year | Special ed teacher unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 3.76% |
| 2011 | 2.84% |
| 2012 | 2.73% |
| 2013 | 2.09% |
| 2014 | 2.34% |
| 2015 | 2.46% |
| 2016 | 1.61% |
| 2017 | 1.66% |
| 2018 | 0.99% |
| 2019 | 0.83% |
| 2020 | 1.65% |
| 2021 | 1.41% |
Average special ed teacher tenure
The average special ed teacher stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,692 special ed teachers resumes in Zippia's database.
Special ed teacher tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 21% |
| 1-2 years | 35% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 11% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 12% |
Special ed teacher LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of special ed teachers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Infant And Toddler Teacher | 5.04% | 63,094 |
| Special ED Teacher | 7.55% | - |
| Middle School Math Teacher | 8.89% | 82,440 |
| Physiology Teacher | 11.94% | 53,082 |
Similar special ed teacher jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Infant And Toddler Teacher | 5.04% | 63,094 |
| Middle School Math Teacher | 8.89% | 82,440 |
| Physiology Teacher | 11.94% | 53,082 |
Foreign languages spoken by special ed teachers
The most common foreign language among special ed teachers is Spanish at 64.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 14.5% and Arabic is the third-most popular at 4.8%.
- Spanish, 64.5%
- French, 14.5%
- Arabic, 4.8%
- Russian, 3.2%
- Italian, 3.2%
- Other, 9.8%
Special ed teacher languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 64.5% |
| French | 14.5% |
| Arabic | 4.8% |
| Russian | 3.2% |
| Italian | 3.2% |
| Other | 9.8% |
