$Who Earns What

How much does a special ed teacher make?

US Special Education Teachers, Secondary School

Answer: A typical special ed teacher in the United States makes $74,260 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Yearly pay of a typical person doing this job in the US
$74,260

Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 164,000 people work in this job. Well above the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).

Lower earner
$49,800
10th from the bottom of 100
Typical person
$74,260
Right in the middle (median)
Higher earner
$109,100
10th from the top of 100

If 100 people had this job

Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-right

Hover over a person to see their yearly pay

49 of 100
not many

Special ed teacher pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)

Special ed teacher pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread) — Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lower earner (10th from bottom)Typical person (median)Higher earner (10th from top)People in this job
$49,800$74,260$109,100about 164,000
States where special ed teachers earn the most (median, May 2025)
StateTypical person (median)People in this job
Washington$101,120about 3,000
California$101,060about 12,000
Maryland$93,530about 2,000
Rhode Island$92,990about 830
New York$89,310about 15,000

Why does pay differ?

In the US, pay can differ with experience, extra education, or a state license or certification employers value. It also varies by location and employer, since public-school districts and private schools may pay differently.

What if you lived in a different state?

Pay varies a lot by state in the US
Whole US$74,260
Washington$101,120
California$101,060
Maryland$93,530
Rhode Island$92,990
New York$89,310
West Virginia$55,390
South Dakota$54,810
Mississippi$51,970

Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.

What does a special ed teacher do?

Teach academic, social, and life skills to secondary school students with learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. Includes teachers who specialize and work with students who are blind or have visual impairments; students who are deaf or have hearing impairments; and students with intellectual disabilities. Excludes “Substitute Teachers, Short-Term” (25-3031).

What's a typical day like?

They teach adapted lessons in small groups or inclusive classes, helping students build academic, social, or everyday skills. They also plan lessons, track progress, update student records, and meet with families and other teachers.

How to get this job

In the US, earn a bachelor’s degree and complete a teacher-preparation program that includes supervised student teaching. Then meet your state’s special-education certification or licensing rules; exact requirements vary by state.

Usually a bachelor's degree (preparation level 4 of 5)

Good for people who like helping and teaching and figuring things out.

Did you know?

In the US, when an IEP meeting discusses a student's goals after school and the services to reach them, the school must invite that student.

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Sources 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

Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY