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Best states for a special education preschool teacher
Quoted expert
Dr. Michelle Powers
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
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- 41 - 51
Job opportunities vary from state to state, and education, training, and library careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to special education preschool teacher jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for special education preschool teachers.Our research shows that Pennsylvania is the best state in the country for special education preschool teachers.
Pennsylvania is the best state for jobs for special education preschool teachers, and Mississippi is the worst. The most common pay in Pennsylvania is $64,904, while the median pay in Mississippi is $36,424.We found that the South is best for special education preschool teachers, and the Northeast is the worst. Washington, DC is the best city in the country for special education preschool teacher jobs, where as Pennsylvania is the best state in the country.
10 best states for special education preschool teachers in 2025
1. Pennsylvania
Total special education preschool teacher jobs: 1,541 Average annual salary: $64,904 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location Quotient: 1.322. Oregon
Total special education preschool teacher jobs: 434 Average annual salary: $65,645 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $98,000 Location Quotient: 1.043. District of Columbia
Total special education preschool teacher jobs: 171 Average annual salary: $70,099 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $103,000 Location Quotient: 1.024. New York
Total special education preschool teacher jobs: 1,333 Average annual salary: $64,931 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location Quotient: 1.045. New Jersey
Total special education preschool teacher jobs: 1,088 Average annual salary: $60,705 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location Quotient: 1.376. Connecticut
Total special education preschool teacher jobs: 359 Average annual salary: $62,729 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $93,000 Location Quotient: 1.087. Massachusetts
Total special education preschool teacher jobs: 798 Average annual salary: $65,265 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location Quotient: 0.878. Alaska
Total special education preschool teacher jobs: 62 Average annual salary: $77,415 Lowest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $101,000 Location Quotient: 0.749. Washington
Total special education preschool teacher jobs: 699 Average annual salary: $62,501 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Location Quotient: 0.9510. Wyoming
Total special education preschool teacher jobs: 81 Average annual salary: $51,609 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location Quotient: 1.35
Special education preschool teacher jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a special education preschool teacher
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a special education preschool teacher
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania | $64,904 | $43,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,541 |
| 2 | Oregon | $65,645 | $43,000 | 4,142,776 | 434 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $70,099 | $47,000 | 693,972 | 171 |
| 4 | New York | $64,931 | $43,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,333 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $60,705 | $40,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,088 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $62,729 | $42,000 | 3,588,184 | 359 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $65,265 | $44,000 | 6,859,819 | 798 |
| 8 | Alaska | $77,415 | $59,000 | 739,795 | 62 |
| 9 | Washington | $62,501 | $41,000 | 7,405,743 | 699 |
| 10 | Wyoming | $51,609 | $36,000 | 579,315 | 81 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $52,610 | $35,000 | 1,342,795 | 243 |
| 12 | Delaware | $56,865 | $38,000 | 961,939 | 149 |
| 13 | Maryland | $57,384 | $38,000 | 6,052,177 | 807 |
| 14 | Vermont | $56,045 | $38,000 | 623,657 | 81 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $58,958 | $39,000 | 1,059,639 | 86 |
| 16 | Michigan | $47,774 | $32,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,026 |
| 17 | California | $58,445 | $39,000 | 39,536,653 | 2,434 |
| 18 | Georgia | $56,034 | $40,000 | 10,429,379 | 762 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $49,637 | $34,000 | 5,576,606 | 726 |
| 20 | Illinois | $48,001 | $33,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,721 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $44,252 | $31,000 | 4,454,189 | 607 |
| 22 | Nebraska | $44,919 | $32,000 | 1,920,076 | 343 |
| 23 | Virginia | $52,904 | $35,000 | 8,470,020 | 779 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $51,588 | $35,000 | 755,393 | 58 |
| 25 | Maine | $48,808 | $33,000 | 1,335,907 | 100 |
| 26 | Ohio | $43,257 | $29,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,301 |
| 27 | Nevada | $45,646 | $31,000 | 2,998,039 | 192 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $43,962 | $30,000 | 5,795,483 | 572 |
| 29 | Iowa | $44,956 | $31,000 | 3,145,711 | 291 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $40,758 | $30,000 | 2,088,070 | 278 |
| 31 | Kansas | $44,211 | $32,000 | 2,913,123 | 273 |
| 32 | West Virginia | $46,760 | $31,000 | 1,815,857 | 66 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $42,418 | $30,000 | 6,715,984 | 446 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $42,034 | $30,000 | 5,024,369 | 395 |
| 35 | Missouri | $38,101 | $27,000 | 6,113,532 | 820 |
| 36 | Arizona | $39,433 | $28,000 | 7,016,270 | 717 |
| 37 | Idaho | $43,765 | $29,000 | 1,716,943 | 107 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $47,875 | $36,000 | 1,427,538 | 37 |
| 39 | Indiana | $39,404 | $27,000 | 6,666,818 | 600 |
| 40 | Florida | $41,683 | $30,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,150 |
| 41 | Alabama | $41,235 | $30,000 | 4,874,747 | 200 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $37,255 | $27,000 | 3,004,279 | 286 |
| 43 | Colorado | $38,263 | $27,000 | 5,607,154 | 786 |
| 44 | Texas | $39,616 | $29,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,722 |
| 45 | Montana | $37,431 | $25,000 | 1,050,493 | 142 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $40,998 | $28,000 | 869,666 | 47 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $39,537 | $27,000 | 10,273,419 | 729 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $35,991 | $26,000 | 3,930,864 | 394 |
| 49 | Utah | $38,451 | $26,000 | 3,101,833 | 265 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $38,870 | $28,000 | 4,684,333 | 220 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $36,424 | $26,000 | 2,984,100 | 140 |
Highest paying states for special education preschool teachers
| Rank | State | Avg. Special Education Preschool Teacher Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania | $64,904 |
| 2 | Oregon | $65,645 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $70,099 |
| 4 | New York | $64,931 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $60,705 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $62,729 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $65,265 |
| 8 | Alaska | $77,415 |
| 9 | Washington | $62,501 |
| 10 | Wyoming | $51,609 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $52,610 |
| 12 | Delaware | $56,865 |
| 13 | Maryland | $57,384 |
| 14 | Vermont | $56,045 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $58,958 |
| 16 | Michigan | $47,774 |
| 17 | California | $58,445 |
| 18 | Georgia | $56,034 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $49,637 |
| 20 | Illinois | $48,001 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $44,252 |
| 22 | Nebraska | $44,919 |
| 23 | Virginia | $52,904 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $51,588 |
| 25 | Maine | $48,808 |
| 26 | Ohio | $43,257 |
| 27 | Nevada | $45,646 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $43,962 |
| 29 | Iowa | $44,956 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $40,758 |
| 31 | Kansas | $44,211 |
| 32 | West Virginia | $46,760 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $42,418 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $42,034 |
| 35 | Missouri | $38,101 |
| 36 | Arizona | $39,433 |
| 37 | Idaho | $43,765 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $47,875 |
| 39 | Indiana | $39,404 |
| 40 | Florida | $41,683 |
| 41 | Alabama | $41,235 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $37,255 |
| 43 | Colorado | $38,263 |
| 44 | Texas | $39,616 |
| 45 | Montana | $37,431 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $40,998 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $39,537 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $35,991 |
| 49 | Utah | $38,451 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $38,870 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $36,424 |
Expert opinions on the best states for special education preschool teachers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for special education preschool teachers 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