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Best states for a special needs teacher
Quoted expert
Dr. Mark Williams Ph.D.
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We decided to bring you a list of the best states for jobs for special needs teachers in the United States. Special needs teacher positions are available in every state, but not all states are the same. Some states do not offer the same wages, benefits, time off, etc for special needs teachers.Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for special needs teachers. We found that Connecticut is the best state in the nation for special needs teachers, and people in Anchorage earn the most in the field.
In order to get you the best states for special needs teachers, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.Connecticut is the best state, and Anchorage is the city with the highest pay for special needs teachers.
10 best states for special needs teachers in 2025
1. Connecticut
Total special needs teacher jobs: 626 Average annual salary: $66,516 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000 Location Quotient: 1.53
2. Maryland
Total special needs teacher jobs: 1,008 Average annual salary: $65,729 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $93,000 Location Quotient: 1.29
3. Pennsylvania
Total special needs teacher jobs: 1,649 Average annual salary: $55,583 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 1.15
4. Wyoming
Total special needs teacher jobs: 95 Average annual salary: $53,133 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Location Quotient: 1.29
5. New Jersey
Total special needs teacher jobs: 1,281 Average annual salary: $56,097 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location Quotient: 1.31
6. New York
Total special needs teacher jobs: 1,504 Average annual salary: $62,605 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Location Quotient: 0.95
7. Alaska
Total special needs teacher jobs: 82 Average annual salary: $67,522 Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 0.8
8. California
Total special needs teacher jobs: 2,936 Average annual salary: $65,369 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000 Location Quotient: 0.82
9. Massachusetts
Total special needs teacher jobs: 884 Average annual salary: $62,170 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Location Quotient: 0.78
10. District of Columbia
Total special needs teacher jobs: 172 Average annual salary: $63,878 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location Quotient: 0.83
Special needs teacher jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a special needs teacher
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a special needs teacher
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $66,516 | $47,000 | 3,588,184 | 626 |
| 2 | Maryland | $65,729 | $46,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,008 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $55,583 | $39,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,649 |
| 4 | Wyoming | $53,133 | $39,000 | 579,315 | 95 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $56,097 | $39,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,281 |
| 6 | New York | $62,605 | $44,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,504 |
| 7 | Alaska | $67,522 | $56,000 | 739,795 | 82 |
| 8 | California | $65,369 | $46,000 | 39,536,653 | 2,936 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $62,170 | $45,000 | 6,859,819 | 884 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $63,878 | $45,000 | 693,972 | 172 |
| 11 | Oregon | $53,452 | $38,000 | 4,142,776 | 493 |
| 12 | Washington | $54,091 | $39,000 | 7,405,743 | 811 |
| 13 | Illinois | $49,234 | $35,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,957 |
| 14 | Colorado | $49,428 | $36,000 | 5,607,154 | 961 |
| 15 | Nevada | $45,648 | $32,000 | 2,998,039 | 456 |
| 16 | Michigan | $46,099 | $32,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,296 |
| 17 | Ohio | $46,893 | $33,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,415 |
| 18 | Vermont | $49,415 | $36,000 | 623,657 | 93 |
| 19 | Nebraska | $45,537 | $33,000 | 1,920,076 | 404 |
| 20 | Delaware | $49,807 | $35,000 | 961,939 | 158 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $52,683 | $38,000 | 1,059,639 | 99 |
| 22 | Texas | $48,915 | $35,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,115 |
| 23 | Kentucky | $43,903 | $31,000 | 4,454,189 | 690 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $46,271 | $34,000 | 1,342,795 | 289 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $50,101 | $37,000 | 755,393 | 71 |
| 26 | Missouri | $45,193 | $32,000 | 6,113,532 | 932 |
| 27 | Minnesota | $44,842 | $33,000 | 5,576,606 | 984 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $45,306 | $32,000 | 1,815,857 | 101 |
| 29 | Iowa | $43,711 | $31,000 | 3,145,711 | 373 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $41,969 | $30,000 | 5,795,483 | 670 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $40,755 | $29,000 | 2,088,070 | 353 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $42,517 | $31,000 | 6,715,984 | 550 |
| 33 | Kansas | $41,301 | $30,000 | 2,913,123 | 361 |
| 34 | Florida | $43,405 | $31,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,598 |
| 35 | Georgia | $43,851 | $32,000 | 10,429,379 | 894 |
| 36 | Virginia | $44,306 | $31,000 | 8,470,020 | 902 |
| 37 | Arizona | $38,508 | $28,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,177 |
| 38 | Maine | $42,385 | $31,000 | 1,335,907 | 99 |
| 39 | Idaho | $42,005 | $30,000 | 1,716,943 | 157 |
| 40 | Alabama | $41,779 | $30,000 | 4,874,747 | 310 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $40,237 | $29,000 | 5,024,369 | 478 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $44,963 | $36,000 | 1,427,538 | 53 |
| 43 | Montana | $36,540 | $27,000 | 1,050,493 | 214 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $37,837 | $27,000 | 3,004,279 | 343 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $39,972 | $28,000 | 10,273,419 | 939 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $40,705 | $30,000 | 869,666 | 66 |
| 47 | Indiana | $38,492 | $27,000 | 6,666,818 | 719 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $36,730 | $27,000 | 3,930,864 | 479 |
| 49 | Utah | $38,944 | $28,000 | 3,101,833 | 335 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $39,454 | $28,000 | 4,684,333 | 319 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $37,058 | $27,000 | 2,984,100 | 212 |
Highest paying states for special needs teachers
| Rank | State | Avg. Special Needs Teacher Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $66,516 |
| 2 | Maryland | $65,729 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $55,583 |
| 4 | Wyoming | $53,133 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $56,097 |
| 6 | New York | $62,605 |
| 7 | Alaska | $67,522 |
| 8 | California | $65,369 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $62,170 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $63,878 |
| 11 | Oregon | $53,452 |
| 12 | Washington | $54,091 |
| 13 | Illinois | $49,234 |
| 14 | Colorado | $49,428 |
| 15 | Nevada | $45,648 |
| 16 | Michigan | $46,099 |
| 17 | Ohio | $46,893 |
| 18 | Vermont | $49,415 |
| 19 | Nebraska | $45,537 |
| 20 | Delaware | $49,807 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $52,683 |
| 22 | Texas | $48,915 |
| 23 | Kentucky | $43,903 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $46,271 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $50,101 |
| 26 | Missouri | $45,193 |
| 27 | Minnesota | $44,842 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $45,306 |
| 29 | Iowa | $43,711 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $41,969 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $40,755 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $42,517 |
| 33 | Kansas | $41,301 |
| 34 | Florida | $43,405 |
| 35 | Georgia | $43,851 |
| 36 | Virginia | $44,306 |
| 37 | Arizona | $38,508 |
| 38 | Maine | $42,385 |
| 39 | Idaho | $42,005 |
| 40 | Alabama | $41,779 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $40,237 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $44,963 |
| 43 | Montana | $36,540 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $37,837 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $39,972 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $40,705 |
| 47 | Indiana | $38,492 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $36,730 |
| 49 | Utah | $38,944 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $39,454 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $37,058 |
Expert opinions on the best states for special needs teachers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for special needs teachers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Mark Williams Ph.D.
Professor, Calvin University
If you mean in the field(s) of classics, some private schools and academies are hiring (still) Latin and Greek teachers, especially in the South and Southwest. In the upper Midwest and Northeast, not so much.
Special needs teacher best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025