Special Education Teachers, Secondary School Salary in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Secondary school special education teachers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN earned a median of $82,350 a year and a mean of $91,740 in May 2025. The median is 10.9% above the U.S. median ($74,260), ranking 47th of 446 areas, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Median annual
- $82,350
- Median hourly
- not published
- Mean annual
- $91,740
- Jobs on record
- 7,360
Grey needle: U.S. median, $74,260 a year.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare on pay for secondary school special education teachers?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN ranks 47th of the 446 metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas with a published median.
| Area | Rank | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | 45 | $82,460 | 110 |
| Monroe, MI | 46 | $82,450 | 50 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 47 | $82,350 | 7,360 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 48 | $82,220 | 740 |
| Boulder, CO | 49 | $82,140 | 210 |
Source: BLS OEWS metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area file, May 2025. Rank 1 is the highest median among 446 areas with a published figure.
How does pay here compare with Illinois and the U.S.?
The $82,350 median is 3.1% above the Illinois median ($79,890), and 10.9% above the U.S. median ($74,260). This area crosses state lines; Illinois is the first state named in its BLS title.
| Area | Median | 10th percentile | 90th percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $82,350 | $60,540 | $131,530 | 7,360 |
| Illinois | $79,890 | $49,920 | $129,260 | 9,490 |
| United States | $74,260 | $49,800 | $109,100 | 163,930 |
Source: BLS OEWS metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area file, May 2025; BLS OEWS state and national files, May 2025.
How does this job compare with all jobs in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
The $82,350 median is $27,630 above the $54,720 median for all occupations in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, a pay ratio of 1.50 to 1.
Secondary school special education teachers hold 0.16% of the jobs in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, against 0.11% of jobs across the U.S., a location quotient of 1.55.
Source: BLS OEWS metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area file, May 2025; BLS OEWS metropolitan totals and national file, May 2025.
How many secondary school special education teachers work in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
BLS counts 7,360 jobs in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 4.5% of the 163,930 in the U.S. That is 1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, a location quotient of 1.55: the occupation's share of local jobs is 1.55 times its national share, so it is more concentrated here than in the U.S. as a whole.
Source: BLS OEWS metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area file, May 2025 and national file.
Related jobs in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Related occupations from O*NET; pay from BLS OEWS metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area file, May 2025.