Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School Salary
Kindergarten and elementary school special education teachers in the U.S. earned a median of $65,120 a year and a mean of $72,650 in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The median is higher than 56% of the 825 occupations with a published median.
BLS publishes one figure for the whole occupation, not by specialty, experience or employer; Entry-Level vs. Experienced Pay explains how to read the percentile band.
- Median annual
- $65,120
- Median hourly
- not published
- Mean annual
- $72,650
- Jobs on record
- 260,870
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Confirm any figure on bls.gov/oes. Latest BLS release: May 2025, published May 15, 2026; checked November 10, 2026.
Which states pay kindergarten and elementary school special education teachers the most?
District of Columbia is highest at $97,910, +50% against the national median of $65,120.
Kindergarten and elementary school special education teachers are most concentrated in Texas, at 4.0 of every 1,000 jobs, a location quotient of 2.40, which means the occupation's share of jobs there is 2.40 times its national share. Among metro areas the highest location quotient is 6.11, in Sherman-Denison, TX.
- $50,380 to $58,260
- $58,760 to $61,520
- $61,880 to $65,990
- $67,620 to $76,660
- $77,700 to $97,910
Territories (Puerto Rico, Guam, Virgin Islands) are in the table below.
| State | Median | Against U.S. | Price-adjusted | Jobs | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $97,910 | +50% | $89,089 | 1,070 | 1.52 | 0.91 |
| California | $97,170 | +49% | $87,762 | 23,280 | 1.28 | 0.76 |
| Washington | $95,040 | +46% | $88,812 | 3,450 | 0.97 | 0.58 |
| Massachusetts | $91,350 | +40% | $86,377 | 7,220 | 1.98 | 1.18 |
| Rhode Island | $84,300 | +29% | $82,421 | 1,070 | 2.14 | 1.28 |
| Connecticut | $82,950 | +27% | $80,060 | 2,810 | 1.66 | 0.99 |
| New York | $81,260 | +25% | $75,296 | 21,130 | 2.18 | 1.30 |
| Alaska | $80,230 | +23% | $78,381 | 320 | 0.97 | 0.58 |
| Maryland | $78,850 | +21% | $75,125 | 2,760 | 1.00 | 0.60 |
| Illinois | $77,960 | +20% | $77,993 | 14,040 | 2.30 | 1.37 |
| Oregon | $77,700 | +19% | $75,173 | 1,520 | 0.77 | 0.46 |
| New Jersey | $76,660 | +18% | $70,456 | 11,610 | 2.71 | 1.61 |
| New Mexico | $76,420 | +17% | $82,874 | 880 | 1.01 | 0.60 |
| Michigan | $74,600 | +15% | $77,533 | 4,010 | 0.91 | 0.54 |
| Colorado | $74,290 | +14% | $72,090 | 4,010 | 1.39 | 0.83 |
| Vermont | $74,200 | +14% | $75,747 | 770 | 2.53 | 1.51 |
| Ohio | $73,970 | +14% | $79,731 | 9,550 | 1.72 | 1.03 |
| Georgia | $72,880 | +12% | $75,686 | 9,370 | 1.92 | 1.14 |
| Pennsylvania | $72,680 | +12% | $74,489 | 7,640 | 1.26 | 0.75 |
| Virginia | $67,740 | +4% | $67,000 | 7,440 | 1.81 | 1.08 |
| Minnesota | $67,620 | +4% | $68,566 | 3,960 | 1.34 | 0.80 |
| Delaware | $65,990 | +1% | $66,117 | 1,070 | 2.20 | 1.31 |
| New Hampshire | $65,160 | 0% | $62,555 | 1,110 | 1.62 | 0.97 |
| Nevada | $65,110 | 0% | $65,124 | 430 | 0.28 | 0.16 |
| Alabama | $64,520 | -1% | $72,639 | 870 | 0.41 | 0.24 |
| Idaho | $63,610 | -2% | $66,612 | 620 | 0.72 | 0.43 |
| Tennessee | $62,560 | -4% | $68,096 | 3,910 | 1.19 | 0.71 |
| Nebraska | $62,420 | -4% | $69,276 | 1,900 | 1.85 | 1.11 |
| South Carolina | $62,360 | -4% | $66,518 | 2,950 | 1.28 | 0.76 |
| Texas | $62,330 | -4% | $64,220 | 56,760 | 4.03 | 2.40 |
| Maine | $61,880 | -5% | $63,761 | 1,320 | 2.07 | 1.23 |
| Wisconsin | $61,520 | -6% | $65,381 | 4,280 | 1.45 | 0.87 |
| Utah | $61,290 | -6% | $61,994 | 1,890 | 1.09 | 0.65 |
| Hawaii | $60,940 | -6% | $55,425 | 1,270 | 2.02 | 1.20 |
| Wyoming | $60,930 | -6% | $65,735 | 650 | 2.31 | 1.38 |
| Iowa | $60,440 | -7% | $68,868 | 2,560 | 1.65 | 0.98 |
| Kentucky | $60,060 | -8% | $66,616 | 3,710 | 1.85 | 1.10 |
| Kansas | $59,970 | -8% | $66,583 | 1,610 | 1.12 | 0.67 |
| Florida | $58,850 | -10% | $56,907 | 8,740 | 0.88 | 0.52 |
| Louisiana | $58,800 | -10% | $66,661 | 4,000 | 2.06 | 1.23 |
| Indiana | $58,760 | -10% | $62,960 | 3,640 | 1.14 | 0.68 |
| North Carolina | $58,260 | -11% | $61,765 | 4,430 | 0.90 | 0.53 |
| Puerto Rico | $58,220 | -11% | 1,850 | 1.97 | 1.17 | |
| North Dakota | $57,950 | -11% | $65,142 | 590 | 1.39 | 0.83 |
| Montana | $57,630 | -12% | $60,891 | 560 | 1.09 | 0.65 |
| Missouri | $57,260 | -12% | $63,050 | 2,860 | 0.97 | 0.58 |
| Arizona | $56,030 | -14% | $55,653 | 2,450 | 0.76 | 0.45 |
| Arkansas | $54,290 | -17% | $62,448 | 1,430 | 1.10 | 0.65 |
| South Dakota | $51,090 | -22% | $57,673 | 790 | 1.74 | 1.04 |
| Oklahoma | $50,630 | -22% | $57,637 | 2,360 | 1.38 | 0.82 |
| Mississippi | $50,570 | -22% | $58,158 | 2,530 | 2.18 | 1.30 |
| West Virginia | $50,380 | -23% | $56,292 | 1,690 | 2.40 | 1.43 |
| Guam | BLS did not publish a figure | |||||
| Virgin Islands | BLS did not publish a figure |
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025; BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024. A location quotient above 1 means the job is a larger share of local employment than of U.S. employment. BLS does not publish a figure where the sample is too small.
Which state pays kindergarten and elementary school special education teachers the most after cost of living?
After cost of living, District of Columbia pays kindergarten and elementary school special education teachers the most: its $97,910 median is worth $89,089 a year at average U.S. prices (May 2025 BLS median adjusted by BEA price parities), ahead of Washington at $88,812 and California at $87,762.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025; BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024. The price-adjusted figure divides a state's median by its price level.
Highest-paying metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $105,290 | 3,440 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $104,810 | 490 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $100,150 | 1,740 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $99,840 | 60 |
| El Centro, CA | $99,020 | 180 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $98,940 | 300 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $98,640 | 790 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $98,330 | 1,700 |
| Vallejo, CA | $98,260 | 210 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $97,860 | 1,970 |
Source: BLS OEWS metropolitan file, May 2025.
Has pay for kindergarten and elementary school special education teachers kept up with prices?
No: the median for kindergarten and elementary school special education teachers fell 13.7% after inflation from 2015 to 2025, from $75,444 to $65,120 in May 2025 dollars (BLS OEWS, adjusted with CPI-U). Real pay was below its 2015 level in 2021 to 2024, with a low of $64,484 in 2024. Before inflation, the median went from $55,810 to $65,120.
| Year | Median as published | In May 2025 dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | $55,810 | $75,444 |
| 2016 | $57,040 | $76,329 |
| 2017 | $58,600 | $76,973 |
| 2018 | $59,390 | $75,885 |
| 2019 | $60,460 | $75,894 |
| 2020 | $60,620 | $76,005 |
| 2021 | $61,640 | $73,609 |
| 2022 | $62,390 | $68,616 |
| 2023 | $64,910 | $68,610 |
| 2024 | $63,000 | $64,484 |
| 2025 | $65,120 | $65,120 |
Source: BLS OEWS national files, 2015 to 2025; adjusted with CPI-U for May of each year (BLS, via FRED). Occupation definitions changed in 2018 and 2021, so a code's earliest years can cover a slightly different job.
Which industries employ kindergarten and elementary school special education teachers?
| Industry | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | $65,080 | 258,680 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $65,320 | 350 |
| Individual and Family Services | $62,460 | 340 |
| Educational Support Services | $64,540 | 310 |
| Employment Services | $83,870 | 300 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | $78,730 | 210 |
| Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities | $68,410 | 160 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $59,300 | 120 |
Highest-paying industries with at least 1,000 such jobs: Elementary and Secondary Schools ($65,080).
Source: BLS OEWS research estimates by 4-digit industry, May 2025.
What is the job outlook?
BLS projects little or no change in employment of kindergarten and elementary school special education teachers from 2025 to 2035 (-0.4%, about 900 fewer jobs), with about 16,400 openings a year from growth and from workers leaving; its 2025 base of 259,100 jobs is a different count from the 260,870 OEWS jobs above because the two BLS programs define employment differently. The typical entry-level education is bachelor's degree.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
What is the fatal injury rate for educational instruction and library occupations?
BLS publishes no rate for kindergarten and elementary school special education teachers alone; educational instruction and library occupations had a fatal injury rate of 0.4 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers in 2024 (margin of error 0.01), against 3.3 for all workers.
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, hours-based rates, 2024, published February 19, 2026. Every occupation's rate.
Sources used on this page
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: pay and jobs by occupation, state and metro area. bls.gov/oes
- Regional Price Parities, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis: the price-adjusted state column. bea.gov
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: the inflation adjustment of past pay. bls.gov/cpi
- Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: projected growth and openings. bls.gov/emp
- Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2024, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: the fatal injury rate. bls.gov/iif