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Best states for a special education instructor
Quoted expert
Dr. Michelle Powers
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Do you want to become a special education instructor at Varsity Tutors, and you wonder what that means or entails? We have the full list of best states for special education instructors that you can check out, before you begin your journey. We wanted to look at the best states for special education instructors -- where there are plenty of special education instructor jobs to go around and special education instructors get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.
In order to get you the best states for special education instructors, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.We found that the South is best for special education instructors, and the Northeast is the worst. Martinez, CA is the best city in the country for special education instructor jobs, where as Alaska is the best state in the country.
10 best states for special education instructors in 2025
1. Alaska
Total special education instructor jobs: 158 Average annual salary: $67,804 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location Quotient: 1.222. Wyoming
Total special education instructor jobs: 154 Average annual salary: $45,359 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location Quotient: 1.663. Oregon
Total special education instructor jobs: 764 Average annual salary: $46,113 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Location Quotient: 1.194. Pennsylvania
Total special education instructor jobs: 1,984 Average annual salary: $45,638 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Location Quotient: 1.15. Colorado
Total special education instructor jobs: 1,290 Average annual salary: $44,196 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Location Quotient: 1.46. Connecticut
Total special education instructor jobs: 690 Average annual salary: $43,949 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Location Quotient: 1.347. California
Total special education instructor jobs: 4,273 Average annual salary: $51,575 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 0.948. Michigan
Total special education instructor jobs: 1,561 Average annual salary: $40,095 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 1.39. Washington
Total special education instructor jobs: 947 Average annual salary: $47,082 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 0.8310. Iowa
Total special education instructor jobs: 479 Average annual salary: $44,012 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Location Quotient: 0.85
Special education instructor jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a special education instructor
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a special education instructor
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $67,804 | $50,000 | 739,795 | 158 |
| 2 | Wyoming | $45,359 | $32,000 | 579,315 | 154 |
| 3 | Oregon | $46,113 | $31,000 | 4,142,776 | 764 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $45,638 | $28,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,984 |
| 5 | Colorado | $44,196 | $31,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,290 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $43,949 | $27,000 | 3,588,184 | 690 |
| 7 | California | $51,575 | $34,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,273 |
| 8 | Michigan | $40,095 | $27,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,561 |
| 9 | Washington | $47,082 | $32,000 | 7,405,743 | 947 |
| 10 | Iowa | $44,012 | $31,000 | 3,145,711 | 479 |
| 11 | Vermont | $39,665 | $25,000 | 623,657 | 168 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $42,648 | $26,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,549 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $49,228 | $30,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,019 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $42,837 | $30,000 | 755,393 | 130 |
| 15 | Nebraska | $38,098 | $27,000 | 1,920,076 | 471 |
| 16 | Illinois | $40,900 | $28,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,081 |
| 17 | Nevada | $37,866 | $25,000 | 2,998,039 | 758 |
| 18 | New York | $43,879 | $27,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,992 |
| 19 | Hawaii | $48,289 | $40,000 | 1,427,538 | 136 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $41,367 | $25,000 | 1,059,639 | 169 |
| 21 | Ohio | $37,978 | $25,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,612 |
| 22 | Texas | $41,293 | $27,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,532 |
| 23 | Maryland | $41,685 | $26,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,084 |
| 24 | District of Columbia | $47,446 | $29,000 | 693,972 | 212 |
| 25 | Kentucky | $35,294 | $24,000 | 4,454,189 | 829 |
| 26 | Missouri | $38,030 | $26,000 | 6,113,532 | 970 |
| 27 | New Hampshire | $36,943 | $23,000 | 1,342,795 | 363 |
| 28 | Delaware | $37,336 | $23,000 | 961,939 | 261 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $36,760 | $26,000 | 5,576,606 | 982 |
| 30 | Idaho | $35,458 | $25,000 | 1,716,943 | 265 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $35,456 | $24,000 | 6,715,984 | 722 |
| 32 | Kansas | $35,148 | $24,000 | 2,913,123 | 439 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $34,437 | $23,000 | 2,088,070 | 360 |
| 34 | Florida | $36,226 | $23,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,113 |
| 35 | Georgia | $36,359 | $24,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,301 |
| 36 | Arizona | $32,556 | $22,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,385 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $34,052 | $22,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,413 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $33,911 | $24,000 | 869,666 | 140 |
| 39 | Maine | $34,398 | $21,000 | 1,335,907 | 215 |
| 40 | Alabama | $34,958 | $23,000 | 4,874,747 | 387 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $34,509 | $22,000 | 1,815,857 | 163 |
| 42 | Montana | $31,320 | $22,000 | 1,050,493 | 266 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $32,420 | $21,000 | 5,024,369 | 779 |
| 44 | Wisconsin | $33,493 | $23,000 | 5,795,483 | 719 |
| 45 | Utah | $32,882 | $23,000 | 3,101,833 | 463 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $31,350 | $21,000 | 3,930,864 | 533 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $33,168 | $22,000 | 4,684,333 | 411 |
| 48 | Virginia | $32,739 | $20,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,290 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $32,200 | $22,000 | 3,004,279 | 317 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $31,287 | $21,000 | 2,984,100 | 277 |
| 51 | Indiana | $30,615 | $21,000 | 6,666,818 | 804 |
Highest paying states for special education instructors
| Rank | State | Avg. Special Education Instructor Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $67,804 |
| 2 | Wyoming | $45,359 |
| 3 | Oregon | $46,113 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $45,638 |
| 5 | Colorado | $44,196 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $43,949 |
| 7 | California | $51,575 |
| 8 | Michigan | $40,095 |
| 9 | Washington | $47,082 |
| 10 | Iowa | $44,012 |
| 11 | Vermont | $39,665 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $42,648 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $49,228 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $42,837 |
| 15 | Nebraska | $38,098 |
| 16 | Illinois | $40,900 |
| 17 | Nevada | $37,866 |
| 18 | New York | $43,879 |
| 19 | Hawaii | $48,289 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $41,367 |
| 21 | Ohio | $37,978 |
| 22 | Texas | $41,293 |
| 23 | Maryland | $41,685 |
| 24 | District of Columbia | $47,446 |
| 25 | Kentucky | $35,294 |
| 26 | Missouri | $38,030 |
| 27 | New Hampshire | $36,943 |
| 28 | Delaware | $37,336 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $36,760 |
| 30 | Idaho | $35,458 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $35,456 |
| 32 | Kansas | $35,148 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $34,437 |
| 34 | Florida | $36,226 |
| 35 | Georgia | $36,359 |
| 36 | Arizona | $32,556 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $34,052 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $33,911 |
| 39 | Maine | $34,398 |
| 40 | Alabama | $34,958 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $34,509 |
| 42 | Montana | $31,320 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $32,420 |
| 44 | Wisconsin | $33,493 |
| 45 | Utah | $32,882 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $31,350 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $33,168 |
| 48 | Virginia | $32,739 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $32,200 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $31,287 |
| 51 | Indiana | $30,615 |
Expert opinions on the best states for special education instructors
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for special education instructors to find work opportunities?
Dr. Michelle Powers
Assistant Professor of Special Education, Augustana University
The field of education, including special education, is full of incredible and rewarding work opportunities, across the US, for new graduates. As our current teaching workforce begins to reach the age of retirement, more and more options are going to emerge. Whether you want to stay in your community or reach out for a new adventure, school districts need skilled professionals to lead their classrooms. Sometimes, places that recent graduates might not consider beginning their careers can turn out to be a great fit. Smaller, more rural communities embrace young professionals and can give them mentoring and support to grow their skills and expertise. I am unsure if new professionals consider the Midwest and the opportunities we present for them, but I would encourage any recent graduate to look at these areas. The school systems here are excellent, more diverse than you might expect, and are doing some fantastic things in their classrooms that would be exciting and rewarding for anyone who loves teaching.
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Updated January 8, 2025