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How Much Does a Special Education Teacher, Kindergarten and Elementary School Make?
A special education teacher, kindergarten and elementary school in the US earns a median salary of $65,120 a year (BLS, May 2025). The average is $72,650, and the middle half earn between $59,710 and $80,280.
Special education teacher, kindergarten and elementary school pay range
What special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.
| Percentile | A year | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (lowest 10%) | $49,350 | – | |
| 25th | $59,710 | – | |
| Median (50th) | $65,120 | – | |
| 75th | $80,280 | – | |
| 90th (top 10%) | $103,010 | – |
The median is 28% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 260,870 people work as special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school in the US.
After tax and by period
- A week
- $1,252
- Every two weeks
- $2,505
- Twice a month
- $2,713
- A month
- $5,427
At the median salary, before tax.
Special education teacher, kindergarten and elementary school salary by state
Sorted by average pay. District of Columbia pays special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school the most, at $94,970 a year on average.
| State | Average | Median | Jobs | After tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $94,970 | $97,910 | 1,070 | After tax |
| Washington | $93,970 | $95,040 | 3,450 | After tax |
| California | $93,510 | $97,170 | 23,280 | After tax |
| New York | $91,610 | $81,260 | 21,130 | After tax |
| Massachusetts | $89,550 | $91,350 | 7,220 | After tax |
| Connecticut | $84,040 | $82,950 | 2,810 | After tax |
| Maryland | $83,370 | $78,850 | 2,760 | After tax |
| Rhode Island | $80,910 | $84,300 | 1,070 | After tax |
| New Jersey | $80,520 | $76,660 | 11,610 | After tax |
| Alaska | $80,110 | $80,230 | 320 | After tax |
| Oregon | $78,310 | $77,700 | 1,520 | After tax |
| Illinois | $77,170 | $77,960 | 14,040 | After tax |
| Michigan | $75,380 | $74,600 | 4,010 | After tax |
| New Mexico | $74,740 | $76,420 | 880 | After tax |
| Colorado | $73,510 | $74,290 | 4,010 | After tax |
| Virginia | $72,890 | $67,740 | 7,440 | After tax |
| Pennsylvania | $72,340 | $72,680 | 7,640 | After tax |
| Vermont | $72,160 | $74,200 | 770 | After tax |
| Georgia | $72,090 | $72,880 | 9,370 | After tax |
| Ohio | $71,630 | $73,970 | 9,550 | After tax |
| Minnesota | $70,350 | $67,620 | 3,960 | After tax |
| Delaware | $70,000 | $65,990 | 1,070 | After tax |
| Hawaii | $68,060 | $60,940 | 1,270 | After tax |
| Nevada | $67,760 | $65,110 | 430 | After tax |
| New Hampshire | $66,620 | $65,160 | 1,110 | After tax |
| Idaho | $66,070 | $63,610 | 620 | After tax |
| Alabama | $65,270 | $64,520 | 870 | After tax |
| Utah | $65,210 | $61,290 | 1,890 | After tax |
| Nebraska | $65,160 | $62,420 | 1,900 | After tax |
| South Carolina | $64,750 | $62,360 | 2,950 | After tax |
| Wisconsin | $64,400 | $61,520 | 4,280 | After tax |
| Wyoming | $64,310 | $60,930 | 650 | After tax |
| Maine | $64,220 | $61,880 | 1,320 | After tax |
| Tennessee | $63,380 | $62,560 | 3,910 | After tax |
| Texas | $63,310 | $62,330 | 56,760 | After tax |
| Florida | $60,600 | $58,850 | 8,740 | After tax |
| Kansas | $60,550 | $59,970 | 1,610 | After tax |
| Iowa | $59,940 | $60,440 | 2,560 | After tax |
| Indiana | $59,860 | $58,760 | 3,640 | After tax |
| Missouri | $59,660 | $57,260 | 2,860 | After tax |
| Montana | $59,320 | $57,630 | 560 | After tax |
| Kentucky | $58,580 | $60,060 | 3,710 | After tax |
| Louisiana | $58,260 | $58,800 | 4,000 | After tax |
| Arizona | $57,470 | $56,030 | 2,450 | After tax |
| North Dakota | $57,450 | $57,950 | 590 | After tax |
| Puerto Rico | $57,200 | $58,220 | 1,850 | |
| North Carolina | $57,160 | $58,260 | 4,430 | After tax |
| Arkansas | $56,160 | $54,290 | 1,430 | After tax |
| Oklahoma | $55,380 | $50,630 | 2,360 | After tax |
| South Dakota | $53,530 | $51,090 | 790 | After tax |
| Mississippi | $53,290 | $50,570 | 2,530 | After tax |
| West Virginia | $52,870 | $50,380 | 1,690 | After tax |
A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.
Other education and library jobs
- Teaching assistant $36,780 median
- Elementary school teacher $63,970 median
- High school teacher $72,040 median
- Middle school teacher $64,370 median
- Substitute teacher, short-term $41,670 median
- Preschool teacher $38,140 median
- Self-enrichment teacher $46,800 median
- Instructional coordinator $77,440 median
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School” (SOC 25-2052). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries
About the Job Salaries
Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.
How to use it
- 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
- 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
- 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
- 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a special education teacher, kindergarten and elementary school make a month?
At the median salary of $65,120, a special education teacher, kindergarten and elementary school earns about $5,427 a month before tax, or $2,505 every two weeks.
Which state pays special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school the most?
District of Columbia has the highest average pay for a special education teacher, kindergarten and elementary school, at $94,970 a year. Next are Washington and California. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.
What is the starting salary for a special education teacher, kindergarten and elementary school?
The lowest-paid 10% of special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school earn less than $49,350 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $59,710. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.
How much do the highest-paid special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school make?
The top 10% earn more than $103,010 a year, and the top 25% more than $80,280.
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