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Special Education Teacher

$63,000
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

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 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$63,000
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~15,400
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
-2%
Declining
Working in the U.S.
230,200
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.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Bachelor's degree + license.

License or certification

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

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, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.