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The differences between special educators and middle school teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a special educator has an average salary of $53,565, which is higher than the $53,363 average annual salary of a middle school teacher.
The top three skills for a special educator include autism, student learning and math. The most important skills for a middle school teacher are classroom management, professional development, and math.
| Special Educator | Middle School Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $53,565 | $53,363 |
| Hourly rate | $25.75 | $25.66 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 62,545 | 82,230 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
A special education teacher's role is to facilitate learning for students with disabilities. The responsibilities of a special education teacher typically revolve around identifying the needs of students, devising lesson plans and strategies to meet their needs, developing test structure to assess their learning, and assisting them in areas of difficulties. It is also essential to coordinate with families and guardians, reporting to them should there be any problems. Furthermore, as a special education teacher, it is necessary to monitor the students' progress and behavior, maintaining a safe and healthy learning environment for them.
A middle school teacher is responsible for teaching students in grades six to eight, following a curriculum that fits on their grade levels to prepare them for the next advancement. Middle school teachers strategize effective lesson plans, engaging activities, and assessments to test the students' knowledge and understanding of the learning materials. They also observe the personal and developmental behaviors of the students by conducting group activities and performance. A middle school teacher identifies the students' strengths and weaknesses, adjusting the learning approach as needed to cater to each student's needs and difficulties.
Special educators and middle school teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Special Educator | Middle School Teacher | |
| Average salary | $53,565 | $53,363 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $75,000 | Between $39,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oceanside, NY | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Washington |
| Best paying company | Capistrano Unified | Baltimore City Public Schools |
| Best paying industry | Government | Education |
There are a few differences between a special educator and a middle school teacher in terms of educational background:
| Special Educator | Middle School Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Special Education | Elementary Education |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between special educators' and middle school teachers' demographics:
| Special Educator | Middle School Teacher | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 21.3% Female, 78.7% | Male, 35.4% Female, 64.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 3.6% White, 71.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 3.7% White, 69.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 9% |