How much does a special ed teacher make?
Answer: A typical special ed teacher in the United States makes $65,120 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 261,000 people work in this job. About the same as the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
Special ed teacher pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $49,350 | $65,120 | $103,010 | about 261,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $97,910 | about 1,000 |
| California | $97,170 | about 23,000 |
| Washington | $95,040 | about 3,000 |
| Massachusetts | $91,350 | about 7,000 |
| Rhode Island | $84,300 | about 1,000 |
Why does pay differ?
In the United States, many public-school pay scales rise with years of experience and added education. Pay also differs by state or district and by employer, such as local public versus private schools.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a special ed teacher do?
What's a typical day like?
They adapt and teach lessons for each student's needs, then check progress toward goals in the student's IEP. They also work with classroom teachers, specialists, and families to create or update IEPs and record what is working.
How to get this job
In the United States, earn a bachelor’s degree in special education or another allowed teaching major and complete supervised student teaching. For public schools, pass the state’s required teaching exams and get a state license for special education.
Did you know?
Some US special ed teachers travel to teach students in hospitals, residential facilities, or their own homes—not only in school classrooms.
Earn more in the same field
Educational Instruction and Library jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/special-education-teachers.htm
- sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/b/300.156
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/25-2056.00
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/May/oes252052.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.nea.org/sites/default/files/2026-04/2024-2025-teacher-salary-benchmark-repor
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY