Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School Salary in Kentucky
Kindergarten and elementary school special education teachers in Kentucky earned a median of $60,060 a year and a mean of $58,580 in May 2025. The median is 7.8% below the U.S. median of $65,120, ranking 37th of 52 states and territories, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Median annual
- $60,060
- Median hourly
- not published
- Mean annual
- $58,580
- Jobs on record
- 3,710
Grey needle: U.S. median, $65,120 a year.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state 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.
How does Kentucky compare on pay for kindergarten and elementary school special education teachers?
Kentucky ranks 37th of 52 states and territories. District of Columbia is highest at $97,910, $37,850 more than the Kentucky median.
| State | Rank | Median | Against U.S. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | 35 | $60,930 | -6% | 650 |
| Iowa | 36 | $60,440 | -7% | 2,560 |
| Kentucky | 37 | $60,060 | -8% | 3,710 |
| Kansas | 38 | $59,970 | -8% | 1,610 |
| Florida | 39 | $58,850 | -10% | 8,740 |
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025. Rank 1 is the highest median among 52 states and territories with a published figure. See every state.
Does Kentucky pay go further after prices?
Prices in Kentucky run 9.8% below the U.S. average, so the $60,060 median buys about what $66,616 buys at average U.S. prices, above the $65,120 U.S. median. On this measure Kentucky ranks 27th of 51, up from 37th before the adjustment.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025; BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024. The adjustment divides pay by the state's price level.
Which areas in Kentucky pay kindergarten and elementary school special education teachers the most?
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN is highest at $62,340, 3.8% above the Kentucky median.
| Area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $62,340 | 790 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $61,500 | 130 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $61,450 | 480 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $60,910 | 110 |
| Owensboro, KY | $60,760 | 90 |
| South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $58,580 | 460 |
| East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $58,360 | 430 |
| Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $57,760 | 420 |
| West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $51,130 | 330 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $49,110 | 60 |
Source: BLS OEWS metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area file, May 2025. Every area BLS lists for this job in Kentucky is shown; an area that crosses state lines is listed under the first state in its BLS title.
How many kindergarten and elementary school special education teachers work in Kentucky?
BLS counts 3,710 jobs in Kentucky, 1.4% of the 260,870 in the U.S. That is the 19th largest count among the 52 states and territories with a published figure. That is 1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in Kentucky, a location quotient of 1.10: the occupation's share of local jobs is 1.10 times its national share, so it is more concentrated here than in the U.S. as a whole.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025 and national file.
Related jobs in Kentucky
Related occupations from O*NET; pay from BLS OEWS state file, May 2025.