Special Education Teacher Salary
Average Special Education Teacher Salary
$47,958 yearlyTo create our salary estimates, Zippia starts with data published in publicly available sources such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Foreign Labor Certification Data Center (FLC) Show More
How much does a Special Education Teacher make?
Special education teachers make $47,958 per year on average, or $23.06 per hour, in the United States. Special education teachers on the lower end of that spectrum, the bottom 10% to be exact, make roughly $36,000 a year, while the top 10% makes $62,000.
Location impacts how much a special education teacher can expect to make. Special education teachers make the most in Maryland, Alaska, New York, Washington, and Connecticut.
Highest Paying States For Special Education Teachers
The darker areas on the map show where special education teachers earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
- State View
- County View
Special Education Teacher average salary by State
| Rank | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $67,969 | $32.68 | 1,062 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $56,328 | $27.08 | 580 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $65,305 | $31.40 | 235 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $55,546 | $26.70 | 1,372 |
| 5 | New York | $59,237 | $28.48 | 1,681 |
| 6 | Washington | $57,476 | $27.63 | 798 |
| 7 | Wyoming | $47,240 | $22.71 | 109 |
| 8 | Delaware | $52,107 | $25.05 | 167 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $49,856 | $23.97 | 1,775 |
| 10 | Alaska | $67,669 | $32.53 | 62 |
| 11 | Oregon | $53,133 | $25.54 | 523 |
| 12 | Illinois | $48,772 | $23.45 | 2,014 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $55,462 | $26.66 | 935 |
| 14 | West Virginia | $54,208 | $26.06 | 99 |
| 15 | Ohio | $46,574 | $22.39 | 1,436 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $45,293 | $21.78 | 324 |
| 17 | Nebraska | $44,004 | $21.16 | 417 |
| 18 | Michigan | $45,037 | $21.65 | 1,270 |
| 19 | Vermont | $45,887 | $22.06 | 127 |
| 20 | Kentucky | $43,345 | $20.84 | 677 |
| 21 | Virginia | $52,763 | $25.37 | 918 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $49,178 | $23.64 | 127 |
| 23 | Nevada | $43,369 | $20.85 | 647 |
| 24 | California | $55,358 | $26.61 | 2,739 |
| 25 | Kansas | $45,955 | $22.09 | 358 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $45,525 | $21.89 | 88 |
| 27 | Florida | $46,524 | $22.37 | 1,658 |
| 28 | Georgia | $46,925 | $22.56 | 973 |
| 29 | Missouri | $43,253 | $20.79 | 935 |
| 30 | Texas | $43,600 | $20.96 | 2,201 |
| 31 | Minnesota | $42,361 | $20.37 | 877 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $42,215 | $20.30 | 570 |
| 33 | Iowa | $41,504 | $19.95 | 380 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $39,960 | $19.21 | 627 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $39,876 | $19.17 | 501 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $38,950 | $18.73 | 309 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $48,178 | $23.16 | 63 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $38,196 | $18.36 | 495 |
| 39 | Arizona | $37,626 | $18.09 | 1,086 |
| 40 | Colorado | $39,143 | $18.82 | 948 |
| 41 | North Carolina | $39,697 | $19.09 | 1,010 |
| 42 | Indiana | $38,053 | $18.29 | 836 |
| 43 | Montana | $35,474 | $17.05 | 215 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $37,120 | $17.85 | 322 |
| 45 | Alabama | $40,004 | $19.23 | 252 |
| 46 | Maine | $37,560 | $18.06 | 150 |
| 47 | Utah | $38,142 | $18.34 | 339 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $38,210 | $18.37 | 289 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $37,329 | $17.95 | 49 |
| 50 | Idaho | $37,192 | $17.88 | 141 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $35,918 | $17.27 | 199 |
Highest Paying Cities For Special Education Teachers
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baltimore, MD | $68,394 | $32.88 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $65,282 | $31.39 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $59,761 | $28.73 |
| 4 | Richmond, CA | $57,511 | $27.65 |
| 5 | Ashburn, VA | $54,774 | $26.33 |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | $50,424 | $24.24 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $49,092 | $23.60 |
| 8 | Savannah, GA | $46,914 | $22.55 |
| 9 | Topeka, KS | $46,150 | $22.19 |
| 10 | Detroit, MI | $45,314 | $21.79 |
| 11 | Covington, KY | $44,681 | $21.48 |
| 12 | Houston, TX | $44,028 | $21.17 |
| 13 | Saint Louis, MO | $43,879 | $21.10 |
| 14 | Minneapolis, MN | $42,374 | $20.37 |
| 15 | Columbia, SC | $40,014 | $19.24 |
Here Are The Five Most In Demand Cities Right Now:
Special Education Teacher Salary Details
What is a Special Education Teacher's Salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
| 75th Percentile | $55,000 | $4,583 | $26 |
| Average | $47,958 | $3,997 | $23 |
| 25th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
Average Salary By Related Titles
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd Grade Teacher | $48,358 | $4,030 | $23.25 | 59,077 |
| Teacher | $47,494 | $3,958 | $22.83 | 71,918 |
| Elementary School Teacher | $54,562 | $4,547 | $26.23 | 84,607 |
| Learning Support Teacher | $34,145 | $2,845 | $16.42 | 120,054 |
| Long Term Substitute Teacher | $45,651 | $3,804 | $21.95 | 69,133 |
| Resource Teacher | $52,285 | $4,357 | $25.14 | 73,796 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for Special Education Teachers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Patricia Rogan Ph.D.
Professor, Special Education/Urban Teacher Education, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
Teacher salaries continue to grow, but they vary from state to state and district to district. According to the NEA, the average starting salary for beginning teachers in 2017-18 was $39,249. The average salary of all teachers in the U.S. was $61,730 in 2018-19, which was a 2.1% increase from the previous year. Despite COVID-19 and its impact on teachers, it is doubtful that teacher salaries will jump significantly in the years ahead (due to state economic challenges) unless teachers strike.Show more
Here are the five companies hiring the most now:
Which Companies Pay Special Education Teachers The Most?
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miriam Hospital | $78,337 | $37.66 | 20 |
| 2 | Adventist HealthCare | $76,191 | $36.63 | 14 |
| 3 | The Monarch School | $59,430 | $28.57 | 3 |
| 4 | AdventHealth | $57,545 | $27.67 | 27 |
| 5 | St. Mary's Health Inc. | $54,889 | $26.39 | 2 |
| 6 | Renaissance Learning | $54,857 | $26.37 | 19 |
| 7 | California State University | $54,243 | $26.08 | |
| 8 | The Wonderful Company | $53,719 | $25.83 | 5 |
| 9 | Prince George's Community College | $53,465 | $25.70 | |
| 10 | Wellpath | $53,451 | $25.70 | 7 |
| 11 | Alliance College-Ready Public Schools | $53,261 | $25.61 | |
| 12 | Acadia Healthcare | $52,533 | $25.26 | 15 |
| 13 | Santa Barbara Unified School District | $52,056 | $25.03 | 9 |
| 14 | SunnyvaleSD | $51,990 | $25.00 | 43 |
| 15 | Woodburn High School | $51,955 | $24.98 | |
| 16 | Piedmont Unified School District | $51,815 | $24.91 | 10 |
| 17 | Linden Public Schools | $51,538 | $24.78 | 15 |
| 18 | Torrance Unified School District | $51,530 | $24.77 | 22 |
| 19 | American Medical Association | $51,318 | $24.67 | 3 |
| 20 | Simi Valley Unified School District | $51,314 | $24.67 | 6 |
Special Education Teacher Salary Trends
Average Special Education Teacher Salary Over Time
Compare salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Special Education Teacher Salary By Year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $48,000 | $23.06 | +0.3% |
| 2021 | $47,800 | $23.00 | +1.8% |
| 2020 | $47,000 | $22.59 | +1.3% |
| 2019 | $46,400 | $22.29 | +2.7% |
| 2018 | $45,100 | $21.69 | +2.2% |
Recently Added Special Education Teacher Salaries
Special Education Teacher Salaries FAQs
What state pays Special Education Teachers the most?
Maryland pays Special Education Teachers the most in the United States, with an average salary of $67,969 per year, or $32.68 per hour.
How do I know if I'm being paid fairly as a Special Education Teacher?
You know if you are being paid fairly as a Special Education Teacher if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in Alaska you should be paid close to $67,669 per year.
What type of Special Education Teacher gets paid the most?
Science Teacher gets paid the most. Science Teacher made a median salary of $60,064. The best-paid 10 percent make $72,000, while the lowest-paid 10 percent make $49,000.
What is a good starting salary for a Special Education Teacher?
A good starting salary for a special education teacher is $36,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a special education teacher in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for special education teachers is $47,958, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a special education teacher can vary by state.
How much do first-year special education teachers make?
First-year special education teachers make an average of $45,300.
The starting salary usually depends on the state, district, and placement of special education teachers. Some have reported having lower first-year salaries of around $35,000, depending on the state.
Where do special ed teachers get paid the most?
Special ed teachers get paid most in Washington D.C., New York, and Pennsylvania, with runners up in Texas and Illinois. Special ed teachers may also find their skillset useful in areas such as public schools, private care centers, and private tutoring companies.
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