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The differences between special needs teachers and special educators 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 $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 educator are autism, student learning, and math.
| Special Needs Teacher | Special Educator | |
| Yearly salary | $47,334 | $53,565 |
| Hourly rate | $22.76 | $25.75 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 74,039 | 62,545 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| 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'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.
Special needs teachers and special educators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Special Needs Teacher | Special Educator | |
| Average salary | $47,334 | $53,565 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $65,000 | Between $38,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | Berkeley, CA | Oceanside, NY |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | New York |
| Best paying company | San Mateo County Office Of Education | Capistrano Unified |
| Best paying industry | Education | Government |
There are a few differences between a special needs teacher and a special educator in terms of educational background:
| Special Needs Teacher | Special Educator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Special Education | Special Education |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between special needs teachers' and special educators' demographics:
| Special Needs Teacher | Special Educator | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 20.8% Female, 79.2% | Male, 21.3% Female, 78.7% |
| 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, 9.2% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 3.6% White, 71.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |