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Special education preschool teacher salary
Average special education preschool teacher salary
$48,705
Average Special Education Preschool Teacher Salary
The average salary for a Special Education Preschool Teacher is approximately $48,705 per year, or $23 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on location, years of experience, and specific teaching credentials.
Where Can You Earn More?
States like California and New York often offer higher salaries for special education preschool teachers. For instance, teachers in California can earn upwards of $60,000 annually, reflecting the higher cost of living and demand for specialized educators.
Salary Estimates by Experience
- Entry-Level: $40,000 - $45,000
- Mid-Career: $46,000 - $55,000
- Experienced: $56,000 - $70,000
Understanding these dynamics can help aspiring teachers navigate their career paths. Additionally, resources like Zippia provide detailed insights and estimates, allowing job seekers to benchmark their salaries against industry trends.
Let Zippia find your next special education preschool teacher job
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Where can a Special Education Preschool Teacher earn more?
Special education preschool teacher salary estimates from across the web
Average special education preschool teacher salary by state
The average special education preschool teacher salary in Alaska, Oregon, and Massachusetts are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average special education preschool teacher salary states are Colorado, Missouri, and Montana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for special education preschool teachers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania | $64,904 | $31.20 |
| 2 | Oregon | $65,645 | $31.56 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $70,099 | $33.70 |
| 4 | New York | $64,931 | $31.22 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $60,705 | $29.19 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $62,729 | $30.16 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $65,265 | $31.38 |
| 8 | Alaska | $77,415 | $37.22 |
| 9 | Washington | $62,501 | $30.05 |
| 10 | Wyoming | $51,609 | $24.81 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $52,610 | $25.29 |
| 12 | Delaware | $56,865 | $27.34 |
| 13 | Maryland | $57,384 | $27.59 |
| 14 | Vermont | $56,045 | $26.94 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $58,958 | $28.35 |
| 16 | Michigan | $47,774 | $22.97 |
| 17 | California | $58,445 | $28.10 |
| 18 | Georgia | $56,034 | $26.94 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $49,637 | $23.86 |
| 20 | Illinois | $48,001 | $23.08 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $44,252 | $21.27 |
| 22 | Nebraska | $44,919 | $21.60 |
| 23 | Virginia | $52,904 | $25.43 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $51,588 | $24.80 |
| 25 | Maine | $48,808 | $23.47 |
| 26 | Ohio | $43,257 | $20.80 |
| 27 | Nevada | $45,646 | $21.95 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $43,962 | $21.14 |
| 29 | Iowa | $44,956 | $21.61 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $40,758 | $19.60 |
| 31 | Kansas | $44,211 | $21.26 |
| 32 | West Virginia | $46,760 | $22.48 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $42,418 | $20.39 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $42,034 | $20.21 |
| 35 | Missouri | $38,101 | $18.32 |
| 36 | Arizona | $39,433 | $18.96 |
| 37 | Idaho | $43,765 | $21.04 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $47,875 | $23.02 |
| 39 | Indiana | $39,404 | $18.94 |
| 40 | Florida | $41,683 | $20.04 |
| 41 | Alabama | $41,235 | $19.82 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $37,255 | $17.91 |
| 43 | Colorado | $38,263 | $18.40 |
| 44 | Texas | $39,616 | $19.05 |
| 45 | Montana | $37,431 | $18.00 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $40,998 | $19.71 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $39,537 | $19.01 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $35,991 | $17.30 |
| 49 | Utah | $38,451 | $18.49 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $38,870 | $18.69 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $36,424 | $17.51 |
Highest paying cities for special education preschool teachers
The highest-paying cities for special education preschool teachers are Washington, DC, New York, NY, and Benicia, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $70,133 | $33.72 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $64,964 | $31.23 |
| 3 | Benicia, CA | $64,607 | $31.06 |
| 4 | Fort Lee, NJ | $60,953 | $29.30 |
| 5 | Baltimore, MD | $57,637 | $27.71 |
| 6 | Marietta, GA | $56,315 | $27.07 |
| 7 | Nashua, NH | $52,804 | $25.39 |
| 8 | Jacksonville, FL | $43,137 | $20.74 |
| 9 | Austin, TX | $39,701 | $19.09 |
| 10 | Maricopa, AZ | $39,404 | $18.94 |
| 11 | Baton Rouge, LA | $38,909 | $18.71 |
| 12 | Ogden, UT | $38,733 | $18.62 |
| 13 | Denver, CO | $38,281 | $18.40 |
| 14 | Oklahoma City, OK | $35,950 | $17.28 |
Special education preschool teacher salary details
A special education preschool teacher's salary ranges from $33,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $70,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a special education preschool teacher's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $70,000 | $5,833 | $34 |
| 75th Percentile | $59,000 | $4,917 | $28 |
| Average | $48,705 | $4,059 | $23 |
| 25th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
| 10th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
Highest paying special education preschool teacher jobs
The highest paying types of special education preschool teachers are student teacher, reading specialist, and special education teacher.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher Internship | $48,398 | $4,033 | $23.27 | 105,496 |
| Teacher | $47,989 | $3,999 | $23.07 | 71,918 |
| Learning Support Teacher | $33,914 | $2,826 | $16.30 | 120,054 |
| English Language Arts Teacher | $48,483 | $4,040 | $23.31 | 88,793 |
| Kindergarten Teacher | $48,029 | $4,002 | $23.09 | 65,972 |
| Student Teacher | $59,035 | $4,920 | $28.38 | 79,071 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for special education preschool 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 special education preschool teachers now:
Which companies pay special education preschool teachers the most?
Special education preschool teacher salaries at Baltimore City Public Schools and Bilinguals are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average special education preschool teacher salary at companies like Newton Public Schools and Oxnard Union High School District are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baltimore City Public Schools | $66,312 | $31.88 |
| 2 | Bilingual Therapies | $62,519 | $30.06 |
| 3 | Newton Public Schools | $61,889 | $29.75 |
| 4 | Oxnard Union High School District | $60,814 | $29.24 |
| 5 | Weber School District | $60,082 | $28.89 |
| 6 | Los Angeles Unified School District | $58,219 | $27.99 |
| 7 | Campbell Union High School District | $57,735 | $27.76 |
| 8 | Pacific Rim Christian University | $57,686 | $27.73 |
| 9 | Benicia Unified School District | $56,735 | $27.28 |
| 10 | Cobb County School District | $56,396 | $27.11 |
| 11 | Franklin Pierce University | $56,236 | $27.04 |
| 12 | Montgomery County Public Schools | $55,125 | $26.50 |
| 13 | Alameda Unified | $55,039 | $26.46 |
| 14 | Broward County Public Schools | $54,707 | $26.30 |
| 15 | Clovis Municipal School District | $54,504 | $26.20 |
| 16 | Racker | $53,486 | $25.71 |
| 17 | Santa Clara County Office of Education | $53,396 | $25.67 |
| 18 | AHRC New York City Foundation | $53,145 | $25.55 |
| 19 | Hartford Public Schools | $52,106 | $25.05 |
| 20 | West Covina USD | $51,913 | $24.96 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Special education preschool teacher salary trends
The average special education preschool teacher salary has risen by $5,426 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average special education preschool teacher earned $43,279 annually, but today, they earn $48,705 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for special education preschool teachers over the last decade.
Compare special education preschool teacher salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average special education preschool teacher salary over time
Compare special education preschool teacher salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Special education preschool teacher salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $48,700 | $23.42 | +0.3% |
| 2024 | $48,600 | $23.35 | +1.8% |
| 2023 | $47,700 | $22.94 | +1.3% |
| 2022 | $47,100 | $22.64 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $45,800 | $22.03 | +2.2% |
Recently added special education preschool teacher salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AHRC New York City Foundation | Francis of Paola ELC Special Education Preschool Teacher | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $71,770 |
| Aa009 | Preschool Early Intervention: Special Education Teacher Itinerant: Avonworth, Northgate, and Quaker | Pittsburgh, PA | 06/27/2025 | $47,000 |
| Aa009 | Preschool Early Intervention: Special Education Teacher Classroom | Elizabeth, PA | 06/27/2025 | $47,000 |
| Illinois Association of School | Preschool Special Education Self-Contained Teacher (Stil Program) | Des Plaines, IL | 06/26/2025 | $60,321 |
| Cherry Hill Public Schools | (Anticipated)-Special Education Teacher-Preschool | Cherry Hill, NJ | 06/25/2025 | $57,378 |
| Racker | Special Education Preschool Teacher | Ithaca, NY | 06/20/2025 | $50,000 |
| Long Branch Public Schools | Preschool Special Education Teacher | Long Branch, NJ | 06/19/2025 | $60,111 |
| Amergis | Preschool Special Education Teacher SY | Portland, OR | 06/19/2025 | $127,150 |
| Ascend Rehab Services | Special Education Preschool Teacher | Livermore, CA | 06/19/2025 | $50,000 |
| Elmcrest Childrens Center | Special Education Preschool Teacher | Syracuse, NY | 06/17/2025 | $56,100 |
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