How much does a special education teacher make?
Median yearly pay in the United States: half earn more and half earn less. That is $35.70 an hour or $6,188 a month.
- Hourly
- $35.70
- Average (mean)
- $77,260
- Jobs
- 163,930
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $49,800 | $23.94 | |
| 25th | $60,180 | $28.93 | |
| Median | $74,260 | $35.70 | |
| 75th | $93,730 | $45.06 | |
| 90th | $109,100 | $52.45 |
By state
Median yearly pay.
| Washington | $101,100 |
| California | $101,100 |
| District of Columbia | $99,670 |
| Maryland | $93,530 |
| Rhode Island | $92,990 |
| New York | $89,310 |
| Massachusetts | $83,890 |
| New Jersey | $83,770 |
| Connecticut | $81,710 |
| Alaska | $80,580 |
| Illinois | $79,890 |
| Vermont | $79,360 |
| Delaware | $78,490 |
| Michigan | $78,050 |
| Oregon | $77,400 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,000 |
| New Mexico | $76,940 |
| Minnesota | $76,600 |
| Ohio | $76,180 |
| Georgia | $74,150 |
| New Hampshire | $69,560 |
| Virginia | $68,400 |
| Colorado | $67,240 |
| Hawaii | $65,980 |
| Texas | $64,830 |
| Arizona | $64,300 |
| Utah | $64,210 |
| Wisconsin | $63,520 |
| Nebraska | $63,460 |
| Wyoming | $62,750 |
| Montana | $62,310 |
| Alabama | $62,210 |
| South Carolina | $62,150 |
| Maine | $61,710 |
| Florida | $61,510 |
| Tennessee | $61,360 |
| North Dakota | $61,210 |
| Indiana | $61,130 |
| Nevada | $60,810 |
| Iowa | $60,780 |
| Kentucky | $60,730 |
| Idaho | $60,700 |
| Kansas | $60,700 |
| Oklahoma | $59,660 |
| Louisiana | $59,100 |
| Arkansas | $57,000 |
| North Carolina | $56,770 |
| Missouri | $55,920 |
| West Virginia | $55,390 |
| South Dakota | $54,810 |
| Mississippi | $51,970 |
Highest paying cities
Metro areas, median yearly pay.
| San Jose, CA | $117,600 |
| San Diego, CA | $115,200 |
| San Francisco, CA | $105,200 |
| Oxnard, CA | $104,100 |
| Riverside, CA | $103,700 |
| Mount Vernon, WA | $103,400 |
| Bremerton, WA | $102,900 |
| Seattle, WA | $102,300 |
| Baltimore, MD | $101,700 |
| Olympia, WA | $101,100 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $101,100 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $100,900 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $100,900 |
| Salinas, CA | $100,500 |
| New York, NY | $100,400 |
In other countries
Special Education Teacher belongs to the international group "Special needs teachers".
Compare pay in 140 countriesSimilar jobs
- Preschool Teacher$38,140
- Kindergarten Teacher$62,680
- Elementary School Teacher$63,970
- Middle School Teacher$64,370
- Career/Technical Education Teacher$65,030
- Secondary School Teacher$72,040
- Career/Technical Education Teacher$66,270
- Special Education Teacher$64,830
- Special Education Teacher$65,120
- Special Education Teacher$66,810
Frequently asked questions
How much does a special education teacher make an hour?
The median hourly pay is $35.70 ($74,260 a year).
How much does a special education teacher make a month?
About $6,188 a month before tax, based on a median of $74,260 a year.
How much does a special education teacher make starting out?
The lowest-paid 10% make $49,800 or less a year ($23.94 an hour); the top 10% make $109,100 or more.
Which state pays special education teachers the most?
Washington, with a median of $101,100 a year, followed by California ($101,100) and District of Columbia ($99,670).
Which city pays special education teachers the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, with a median of $117,600 a year.
How many special education teachers are there in the United States?
About 163,930 people work as special education teachers.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.