Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between special needs teachers and special education teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a special education teacher has an average salary of $54,290, 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 a special education teacher are classroom management, autism, and behavior management.
| Special Needs Teacher | Special Education Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $47,334 | $54,290 |
| Hourly rate | $22.76 | $26.10 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 74,039 | 67,699 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| 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.
A special education teacher is responsible for teaching students with disabilities. Special education teachers are trained professionals to provide distinct learning instructions for children with special cases for them to achieve their potentials and improve their self-confidence. A special education teacher must have excellent communication and organizational skills to assist the students with their learning areas. Special education teachers should be able to come up with engaging activities to support the students' behavioral and intellectual development.
Special needs teachers and special education teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Special Needs Teacher | Special Education Teacher | |
| Average salary | $47,334 | $54,290 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $65,000 | Between $39,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | Berkeley, CA | Baltimore, MD |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Maryland |
| Best paying company | San Mateo County Office Of Education | Baltimore City Public Schools |
| Best paying industry | Education | Government |
There are a few differences between a special needs teacher and a special education teacher in terms of educational background:
| Special Needs Teacher | Special Education Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Special Education | Special Education |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between special needs teachers' and special education teachers' demographics:
| Special Needs Teacher | Special Education Teacher | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 20.8% Female, 79.2% | Male, 24.6% Female, 75.4% |
| 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, 9.4% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 3.6% White, 71.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |