Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school in the U.S. is $65,120, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $65,120
- Mean annual wage
- $72,650
- Median hourly wage
- —
- Employment
- 260,870
260,870 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $49,350 | — |
| 25th percentile | $59,710 | — |
| Median (50th) | $65,120 | — |
| 75th percentile | $80,280 | — |
| 90th percentile | $103,010 | — |
Highest-paying states for special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $97,910 | 1,070 |
| California | $97,170 | 23,280 |
| Washington | $95,040 | 3,450 |
| Massachusetts | $91,350 | 7,220 |
| Rhode Island | $84,300 | 1,070 |
| Connecticut | $82,950 | 2,810 |
| New York | $81,260 | 21,130 |
| Alaska | $80,230 | 320 |
| Maryland | $78,850 | 2,760 |
| Illinois | $77,960 | 14,040 |
Lowest-paying states
- West Virginia: $50,380 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $50,570 median annual wage
- Oklahoma: $50,630 median annual wage
- South Dakota: $51,090 median annual wage
- Arkansas: $54,290 median annual wage
Related occupations
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$36,780
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$63,970
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$72,040
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$64,370
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$41,670
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$38,140
- Self-Enrichment Teachers$46,800
- Instructional Coordinators$77,440
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.