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Special Education Teacher

$65,120
median / year
$49,350 – $103,010
what most earn per year (10th–90th percentile)

What the job actually is

Adapt lessons and support students with disabilities, and write individualized education plans.

Where you work

Public and private schools.

The hours

Weekday schedule following the school calendar

By the numbers

May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$65,120
per year
What most earn
$49,350–$103,010
yearly, 10th to 90th percentile
Openings a year
~15,400
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
-1.8%
Declining
Working in the U.S.
260,870
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

BLS estimates 0.3% of workers in this occupation are self-employed.

What it pays in your state

Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.

BLS state wage tables

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Bachelor's degree + license.

Related work experience: None.

On-the-job training: None.

License or certification

Special education teachers need a state license, often with a special education endorsement.

Check the path where you live

Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.

What it takes

Individualized planningPatienceBehavior supportCollaboration

The honest take

Persistent shortages mean steady hiring, even as overall numbers dip — and the work is demanding.

Standard Occupational Classification 25-2052. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook. See something off? Tell us.