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The differences between special ed teachers and special educators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a special educator has an average salary of $53,565, which is higher than the $49,456 average annual salary of a special ed teacher.
The top three skills for a special ed teacher include classroom management, instructional materials and behavior management. The most important skills for a special educator are autism, student learning, and math.
| Special ED Teacher | Special Educator | |
| Yearly salary | $49,456 | $53,565 |
| Hourly rate | $23.78 | $25.75 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 71,990 | 62,545 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Special ED teachers are teaching professionals who create and apply appropriate curricula and assign activities for students with special needs and disabilities. These teachers must work with the parents, general education teachers, and the school administrators to develop Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for each student. They are required to monitor the behavioral patterns of children with special needs while keeping track of their progress. Special ED teachers must also mentor other professionals who are involved with children with disabilities.
A special education teacher's role is to facilitate learning for students with disabilities. The responsibilities of a special education teacher typically revolve around identifying the needs of students, devising lesson plans and strategies to meet their needs, developing test structure to assess their learning, and assisting them in areas of difficulties. It is also essential to coordinate with families and guardians, reporting to them should there be any problems. Furthermore, as a special education teacher, it is necessary to monitor the students' progress and behavior, maintaining a safe and healthy learning environment for them.
Special ed teachers and special educators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Special ED Teacher | Special Educator | |
| Average salary | $49,456 | $53,565 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $71,000 | Between $38,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Oceanside, NY |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | New York |
| Best paying company | Whitby School | Capistrano Unified |
| Best paying industry | Education | Government |
There are a few differences between a special ed teacher and a special educator in terms of educational background:
| Special ED Teacher | Special Educator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Special Education | Special Education |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between special ed teachers' and special educators' demographics:
| Special ED Teacher | Special Educator | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.7% Female, 70.3% | Male, 21.3% Female, 78.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 3.6% White, 71.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 3.6% White, 71.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |