SOC 25-2052 · Educational Instruction and Library Occupations
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School wages by metro
National median annual wage
$65,120
- 10th percentile
- $49,350
- 25th percentile
- $59,710
- Median
- $65,120
- 75th percentile
- $80,280
- 90th percentile
- $103,010
- Mean
- $72,650
Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates. BLS reports this occupation on an annual basis. Hourly wages are not published.
National employment in May 2025: 260,870.
That median is 27.7% higher than the all-occupations national median of $50,980.
The metro and state figures below are the same May 2025 release. A blank wage means BLS did not publish it. See when a wage is not published.
Highest published medians
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 3,440 | $74,560 | $105,290 | $123,590 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 490 | $65,750 | $104,810 | $130,020 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 1,740 | $76,640 | $100,150 | $130,050 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 60 | $77,210 | $99,840 | $129,980 |
| El Centro, CA | 180 | $62,290 | $99,020 | $178,860 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 300 | $69,850 | $98,940 | $120,530 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 790 | $68,220 | $98,640 | $132,290 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 1,700 | $62,010 | $98,330 | $113,630 |
| Vallejo, CA | 210 | $63,910 | $98,260 | $124,730 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 1,970 | $60,130 | $97,860 | $121,140 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 4,980 | $62,150 | $97,410 | $127,210 |
| Merced, CA | 160 | $61,600 | $97,340 | $123,710 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 130 | $61,640 | $97,260 | $117,650 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 6,410 | $62,800 | $96,970 | $123,430 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | 770 | $62,530 | $96,290 | $123,730 |
| Fresno, CA | 700 | $63,840 | $95,950 | $140,260 |
| Bellingham, WA | 110 | $66,490 | $95,610 | $125,090 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | 130 | $67,300 | $95,040 | $128,420 |
| Yuba City, CA | 130 | $60,490 | $94,260 | $118,110 |
| Napa, CA | 60 | $62,040 | $92,970 | $124,200 |
Where employment is largest
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 22,270 | $63,420 | $91,610 | $133,270 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 15,810 | $61,040 | $64,830 | $74,240 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 12,680 | $51,230 | $65,080 | $75,120 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 11,210 | $53,010 | $79,690 | $104,490 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 6,410 | $62,800 | $96,970 | $123,430 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 6,190 | $50,030 | $60,750 | $64,230 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 5,860 | $59,760 | $77,960 | $99,160 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 5,660 | $58,430 | $74,290 | $99,270 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 5,110 | $61,770 | $79,880 | $122,620 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 4,980 | $62,150 | $97,410 | $127,210 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 4,240 | $53,250 | $53,250 | $74,290 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 3,670 | $52,240 | $62,230 | $71,130 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 3,440 | $74,560 | $105,290 | $123,590 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 3,140 | $63,390 | $91,840 | $123,370 |
| El Paso, TX | 2,380 | $50,340 | $64,000 | $100,860 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 2,340 | $50,250 | $76,320 | $98,740 |
| Columbus, OH | 2,330 | $49,380 | $75,710 | $103,570 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 2,110 | $57,480 | $79,310 | $98,910 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 2,020 | $47,180 | $64,430 | $95,940 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 1,970 | $60,130 | $97,860 | $121,140 |
States and territories
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 1,070 | $65,450 | $97,910 | $128,370 |
| California | 23,280 | $63,180 | $97,170 | $123,590 |
| Washington | 3,450 | $65,950 | $95,040 | $126,570 |
| Massachusetts | 7,220 | $61,200 | $91,350 | $127,210 |
| Rhode Island | 1,070 | $60,420 | $84,300 | $98,170 |
| Connecticut | 2,810 | $58,560 | $82,950 | $107,040 |
| New York | 21,130 | $59,460 | $81,260 | $133,280 |
| Alaska | 320 | $58,690 | $80,230 | $97,820 |
| Maryland | 2,760 | $60,720 | $78,850 | $121,310 |
| Illinois | 14,040 | $49,790 | $77,960 | $104,490 |
| Oregon | 1,520 | $58,620 | $77,700 | $105,820 |
| New Jersey | 11,610 | $61,710 | $76,660 | $103,680 |
| New Mexico | 880 | $58,110 | $76,420 | $100,460 |
| Michigan | 4,010 | $48,720 | $74,600 | $100,370 |
| Colorado | 4,010 | $50,700 | $74,290 | $98,480 |
| Vermont | 770 | $49,730 | $74,200 | $97,620 |
| Ohio | 9,550 | $46,870 | $73,970 | $99,490 |
| Georgia | 9,370 | $49,510 | $72,880 | $98,750 |
| Pennsylvania | 7,640 | $51,730 | $72,680 | $98,170 |
| Virginia | 7,440 | $50,830 | $67,740 | $101,120 |
| Minnesota | 3,960 | $49,050 | $67,620 | $96,240 |
| Delaware | 1,070 | $51,350 | $65,990 | $95,500 |
| New Hampshire | 1,110 | $44,620 | $65,160 | $89,080 |
| Nevada | 430 | $47,810 | $65,110 | $93,550 |
| Alabama | 870 | $50,510 | $64,520 | $77,150 |
| Idaho | 620 | $48,670 | $63,610 | $86,370 |
| Tennessee | 3,910 | $49,860 | $62,560 | $79,360 |
| Nebraska | 1,900 | $47,430 | $62,420 | $79,470 |
| South Carolina | 2,950 | $49,540 | $62,360 | $79,150 |
| Texas | 56,760 | $50,030 | $62,330 | $74,240 |
| Maine | 1,320 | $45,620 | $61,880 | $79,390 |
| Wisconsin | 4,280 | $47,940 | $61,520 | $79,210 |
| Utah | 1,890 | $37,970 | $61,290 | $100,280 |
| Hawaii | 1,270 | $58,730 | $60,940 | $78,760 |
| Wyoming | 650 | $52,200 | $60,930 | $77,070 |
| Iowa | 2,560 | $47,490 | $60,440 | $77,260 |
| Kentucky | 3,710 | $46,070 | $60,060 | $75,560 |
| Kansas | 1,610 | $48,830 | $59,970 | $75,940 |
| Florida | 8,740 | $51,730 | $58,850 | $74,160 |
| Louisiana | 4,000 | $46,690 | $58,800 | $71,620 |
| Indiana | 3,640 | $46,730 | $58,760 | $78,490 |
| North Carolina | 4,430 | $44,720 | $58,260 | $73,990 |
| Puerto Rico | 1,850 | $50,700 | $58,220 | $62,780 |
| North Dakota | 590 | $47,060 | $57,950 | $77,150 |
| Montana | 560 | $42,890 | $57,630 | $78,930 |
| Missouri | 2,860 | $43,880 | $57,260 | $83,330 |
| Arizona | 2,450 | $46,400 | $56,030 | $75,420 |
| Arkansas | 1,430 | $49,890 | $54,290 | $63,630 |
| South Dakota | 790 | $47,300 | $51,090 | $61,740 |
| Oklahoma | 2,360 | $43,870 | $50,630 | $73,990 |
| Mississippi | 2,530 | $46,600 | $50,570 | $60,900 |
| West Virginia | 1,690 | $42,890 | $50,380 | $63,460 |
Other educational instruction and library occupations
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
- Self-Enrichment Teachers
- Instructional Coordinators
Questions this page answers
What is the national median wage for Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School?
In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, the national median annual wage for Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School is $65,120. Employment is 260,870.
How does Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School pay compare with all occupations?
The national median for Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School is 27.7% higher than the all-occupations median of $50,980.
Which metro has the highest published median for Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School?
Among metros with a published annual median in the May 2025 tables, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA is highest on this page's list at $105,290.