Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between special needs teachers and teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a teacher has an average salary of $47,989, 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 teacher are ESL, handle scheduling, and kids.
| Special Needs Teacher | Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $47,334 | $47,989 |
| Hourly rate | $22.76 | $23.07 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 74,039 | 71,918 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.14 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| 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.
Being a teacher is one of the most passionate professions, among others. Teachers educate, motivate, and guide every generation of learners to prepare them for the real world. Every teacher is unique and has their own teaching styles and methods depending on the subject they teach and the age of their students. Oftentimes they also function as a parent, counselor, coach, friend, and even a lawmaker. There is essentially no limit to the roles a teacher portrays.
Special needs teachers and teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Special Needs Teacher | Teacher | |
| Average salary | $47,334 | $47,989 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $65,000 | Between $32,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | Berkeley, CA | Baltimore, MD |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Maryland |
| Best paying company | San Mateo County Office Of Education | King Low Heywood Thomas |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between a special needs teacher and a teacher in terms of educational background:
| Special Needs Teacher | Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Special Education | Elementary Education |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between special needs teachers' and teachers' demographics:
| Special Needs Teacher | Teacher | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 20.8% Female, 79.2% | Male, 25.7% Female, 74.3% |
| 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, 10.1% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 3.7% White, 68.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 9% |