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Best states for a special educator
Quoted expert
Dr. Michelle Powers
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
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- 41 - 51
Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for special educators? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for special educator jobs.Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of special educators in America is $75,000.
Connecticut is the best state for jobs for special educators, and Utah is the worst. The most common pay in Connecticut is $75,396, while the median pay in Utah is $41,748.We found that Connecticut is the best state for special educator jobs, whereas Utah is the worst.
10 best states for special educators in 2025
1. Connecticut
Total special educator jobs: 652 Average annual salary: $75,396 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $108,000 Location Quotient: 1.65
2. Alaska
Total special educator jobs: 140 Average annual salary: $71,541 Lowest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Location Quotient: 1.41
3. Maryland
Total special educator jobs: 845 Average annual salary: $74,301 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $108,000 Location Quotient: 1.12
4. Vermont
Total special educator jobs: 179 Average annual salary: $57,007 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Location Quotient: 1.96
5. New York
Total special educator jobs: 1,469 Average annual salary: $76,018 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $110,000 Location Quotient: 0.96
6. Wyoming
Total special educator jobs: 113 Average annual salary: $56,111 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 1.59
7. New Jersey
Total special educator jobs: 1,103 Average annual salary: $66,934 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Location Quotient: 1.17
8. Rhode Island
Total special educator jobs: 156 Average annual salary: $60,296 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
9. New Hampshire
Total special educator jobs: 356 Average annual salary: $53,427 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location Quotient: 1.71
10. Pennsylvania
Total special educator jobs: 1,625 Average annual salary: $55,366 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 1.17
Special educator jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a special educator
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a special educator
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $75,396 | $52,000 | 3,588,184 | 652 |
| 2 | Alaska | $71,541 | $57,000 | 739,795 | 140 |
| 3 | Maryland | $74,301 | $50,000 | 6,052,177 | 845 |
| 4 | Vermont | $57,007 | $39,000 | 623,657 | 179 |
| 5 | New York | $76,018 | $52,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,469 |
| 6 | Wyoming | $56,111 | $39,000 | 579,315 | 113 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $66,934 | $46,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,103 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $60,296 | $41,000 | 1,059,639 | 156 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $53,427 | $37,000 | 1,342,795 | 356 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $55,366 | $38,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,625 |
| 11 | Delaware | $56,179 | $38,000 | 961,939 | 209 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $72,366 | $50,000 | 6,859,819 | 801 |
| 13 | District of Columbia | $72,131 | $49,000 | 693,972 | 152 |
| 14 | Nevada | $50,637 | $33,000 | 2,998,039 | 629 |
| 15 | Oregon | $56,285 | $37,000 | 4,142,776 | 520 |
| 16 | Michigan | $50,717 | $34,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,255 |
| 17 | Ohio | $51,817 | $35,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,361 |
| 18 | Kentucky | $48,986 | $34,000 | 4,454,189 | 744 |
| 19 | Illinois | $53,042 | $36,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,725 |
| 20 | California | $61,687 | $40,000 | 39,536,653 | 2,746 |
| 21 | Nebraska | $48,730 | $34,000 | 1,920,076 | 441 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $50,724 | $35,000 | 755,393 | 118 |
| 23 | Washington | $55,163 | $37,000 | 7,405,743 | 811 |
| 24 | Georgia | $55,467 | $39,000 | 10,429,379 | 742 |
| 25 | Missouri | $50,107 | $35,000 | 6,113,532 | 874 |
| 26 | Maine | $49,468 | $34,000 | 1,335,907 | 215 |
| 27 | Texas | $52,306 | $36,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,800 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $50,653 | $34,000 | 1,815,857 | 132 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $48,685 | $34,000 | 6,715,984 | 535 |
| 30 | Alabama | $48,346 | $34,000 | 4,874,747 | 305 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $45,219 | $31,000 | 2,088,070 | 299 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $47,367 | $33,000 | 5,024,369 | 458 |
| 33 | Virginia | $50,330 | $34,000 | 8,470,020 | 751 |
| 34 | Kansas | $45,546 | $32,000 | 2,913,123 | 358 |
| 35 | Arizona | $43,125 | $29,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,201 |
| 36 | Iowa | $46,468 | $32,000 | 3,145,711 | 376 |
| 37 | Idaho | $43,490 | $29,000 | 1,716,943 | 275 |
| 38 | Minnesota | $47,122 | $32,000 | 5,576,606 | 710 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $49,778 | $33,000 | 1,427,538 | 80 |
| 40 | Wisconsin | $44,895 | $30,000 | 5,795,483 | 627 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $42,700 | $30,000 | 3,004,279 | 347 |
| 42 | South Dakota | $42,125 | $29,000 | 869,666 | 146 |
| 43 | Florida | $46,696 | $33,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,497 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $46,048 | $31,000 | 10,273,419 | 850 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $41,058 | $29,000 | 3,930,864 | 497 |
| 46 | Montana | $40,696 | $28,000 | 1,050,493 | 224 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $44,964 | $31,000 | 4,684,333 | 317 |
| 48 | Colorado | $41,578 | $29,000 | 5,607,154 | 831 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $42,354 | $30,000 | 2,984,100 | 238 |
| 50 | Indiana | $41,987 | $28,000 | 6,666,818 | 771 |
| 51 | Utah | $41,748 | $28,000 | 3,101,833 | 382 |
Highest paying states for special educators
| Rank | State | Avg. Special Educator Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $75,396 |
| 2 | Alaska | $71,541 |
| 3 | Maryland | $74,301 |
| 4 | Vermont | $57,007 |
| 5 | New York | $76,018 |
| 6 | Wyoming | $56,111 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $66,934 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $60,296 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $53,427 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $55,366 |
| 11 | Delaware | $56,179 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $72,366 |
| 13 | District of Columbia | $72,131 |
| 14 | Nevada | $50,637 |
| 15 | Oregon | $56,285 |
| 16 | Michigan | $50,717 |
| 17 | Ohio | $51,817 |
| 18 | Kentucky | $48,986 |
| 19 | Illinois | $53,042 |
| 20 | California | $61,687 |
| 21 | Nebraska | $48,730 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $50,724 |
| 23 | Washington | $55,163 |
| 24 | Georgia | $55,467 |
| 25 | Missouri | $50,107 |
| 26 | Maine | $49,468 |
| 27 | Texas | $52,306 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $50,653 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $48,685 |
| 30 | Alabama | $48,346 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $45,219 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $47,367 |
| 33 | Virginia | $50,330 |
| 34 | Kansas | $45,546 |
| 35 | Arizona | $43,125 |
| 36 | Iowa | $46,468 |
| 37 | Idaho | $43,490 |
| 38 | Minnesota | $47,122 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $49,778 |
| 40 | Wisconsin | $44,895 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $42,700 |
| 42 | South Dakota | $42,125 |
| 43 | Florida | $46,696 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $46,048 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $41,058 |
| 46 | Montana | $40,696 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $44,964 |
| 48 | Colorado | $41,578 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $42,354 |
| 50 | Indiana | $41,987 |
| 51 | Utah | $41,748 |
Expert opinions on the best states for special educators
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for special educators 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