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The differences between special needs teachers and elementary school teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an elementary school teacher has an average salary of $52,161, which is higher than the $47,334 average annual salary of a special needs teacher.
The top three skills for a special needs teacher include autism, behavioral issues and mathematics. The most important skills for an elementary school teacher are classroom management, math, and professional development.
| Special Needs Teacher | Elementary School Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $47,334 | $52,161 |
| Hourly rate | $22.76 | $25.08 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 74,039 | 84,607 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 2 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A Special Needs Teacher works with children and young people who need support with their learning because they find it difficult. They evaluate students skills to determine their needs, develop teaching plans, and adapt lessons to meet the needs of students.
Elementary school teachers are trained to provide education to children from kindergarten through fifth grade. The teachers are responsible for children's emotional and educational growth in the classroom. They manage the resources and materials to be used for their education. It is part of their duties to evaluate the students' performance, social development, physical health, and behavior. Also, they adapt to teaching methods and instructions to meet the interests and needs of the children.
Special needs teachers and elementary school teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Special Needs Teacher | Elementary School Teacher | |
| Average salary | $47,334 | $52,161 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $65,000 | Between $37,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | Berkeley, CA | Baltimore, MD |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Maryland |
| Best paying company | San Mateo County Office Of Education | German International School New York |
| Best paying industry | Education | Government |
There are a few differences between a special needs teacher and an elementary school teacher in terms of educational background:
| Special Needs Teacher | Elementary School Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Special Education | Elementary Education |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between special needs teachers' and elementary school teachers' demographics:
| Special Needs Teacher | Elementary School Teacher | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 20.8% Female, 79.2% | Male, 19.5% Female, 80.5% |
| 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, 9.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 3.7% White, 69.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 9% |