How Much Do Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School Make?
$65,120 median per year · $72,650 average · 261,000 jobs
The median annual wage for Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School was $65,120 in May 2025 — the midpoint of the pay distribution, not an average pulled up by a handful of top earners.
That is 28% above the $50,980 median for all US workers — roughly 1.3× the national figure. It ranks 356th of the 825 occupations with a published median.
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School salary by percentile
A single median hides the shape of the pay distribution. The table below shows what workers earn at each fifth of the distribution, from the lowest-paid 10% to the highest-paid 10%, in both annual and hourly terms.
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $49,350 | not published |
| 25th percentile | $59,710 | not published |
| Median | $65,120 | not published |
| 75th percentile | $80,280 | not published |
| 90th percentile | $103,010 | not published |
| Average (mean) | $72,650 | not published |
What the pay range means
The distance between the 10th and 90th percentiles is the clearest signal of how much pay varies inside an occupation. Here the top decile earns 2.1× what the bottom decile earns, a spread of $53,660 a year. Occupations with a wide spread usually reward experience, certifications, location or specialty. Occupations with a narrow spread tend to pay close to a common rate.
The BLS does not publish a separate hourly median for this occupation.
How this occupation compares
Within educational instruction and library, the BLS group median is $60,570. This occupation sits 8% above that mark.
About 261,000 jobs are in the occupation, or 0.2% of the 155.5 million jobs covered by the survey. That scale matters: a very large occupation moves slowly, so its median is a stable benchmark rather than a snapshot of a few hires.
Where these numbers come from
Every figure on this page comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for May 2025. The survey covers wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments and excludes self-employed workers, owners of unincorporated businesses, and some government roles.
Figures are national estimates. They describe what an occupation pays across the country as a whole, not what a particular employer, city or experience level offers. Percentiles are rounded, but no wage in the May 2025 release is top-coded: every published median and percentile is an exact figure.
Similar occupations
Roles with closely comparable median pay, mostly within educational instruction and library.
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School$65,030 median
- Special Education Teachers, Preschool$64,830 median
- Archivists$64,550 median
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$64,370 median
- Teachers and Instructors, All Other$66,140 median
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$66,270 median
Common questions
How much do Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School make?
The median was $65,120 a year in May 2025. The average was $72,650, above the median — the two diverge when pay is unevenly distributed across the occupation.
What do the top 10% of Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School earn?
The 90th percentile is $103,010 a year, or not published an hour. Only 10% of workers in the occupation earn more than this.
What do entry-level Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School earn?
The 10th percentile is $49,350 a year, or not published an hour. One in ten workers in the occupation earns less than this. The BLS does not publish a separate starting-salary series.
How many jobs are there for Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School?
The BLS counts 260,870 jobs in the occupation, about 0.2% of the 155.5 million jobs covered by the survey.
Do these figures include self-employed workers?
No. The OEWS survey covers wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments. Self-employed workers, owners of unincorporated businesses, and some government and household workers are outside the survey.
Is that above the national median?
Yes. The median of $65,120 is 28% above the $50,980 median for all US workers.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 national estimates. Read the methodology.