Special Education Teachers, Middle School Salary
Special Education Teachers, Middle School earn a median $66,810 a year nationally. Educational Instruction and Library Occupations
U.S. median
$66,810
$32.12 per hour
Range
$49,420 – $102,510
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
95,200
across the U.S.
▲3.0%
Pay trend: The median for special education teachers, middle school in the U.S. rose from $64,880 (May 2024) to $66,810 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 0.6%.
What special education teachers, middle school do
Teach academic, social, and life skills to middle school students with learning, emotional, or physical disabilities.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -0.4% (slower than average)
- Openings per year
- 6,000
Employment of special education teachers, middle school is projected to shrink 0.4% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 6,000 openings are expected each year, on average, including jobs left by workers who retire or switch careers.
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Special Education Teachers, Middle School take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$55,831
per year · effective tax rate 16.4%
$4,653Monthly
$2,326Twice a month
$2,147Every 2 weeks
$26.84Hourly
- Federal income tax$5,868
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,142
- Medicare (1.45%)$969
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$55,831
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $49,420 | $23.76 | $41,889 |
| 25th percentile | $60,000 | $28.85 | $50,390 |
| Median (50th) | $66,810 | $32.12 | $55,831 |
| 75th percentile | $82,800 | $39.81 | $67,080 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $102,510 | $49.28 | $80,946 |
Best cities for special education teachers, middle school (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cleveland, OH | $79,890 | $63,618 | $67,734 | 2,490 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $94,740 | $70,930 | $63,014 | 8,330 |
| 3 | Philadelphia, PA | $78,860 | $61,887 | $60,346 | 2,780 |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | $77,840 | $59,882 | $57,804 | 3,190 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $77,050 | $59,454 | $54,603 | 2,540 |
| 6 | Dallas, TX | $65,870 | $55,107 | $53,455 | 5,610 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- New York, NY — $94,740
- Cleveland, OH — $79,890
- Philadelphia, PA — $78,860
- Chicago, IL — $77,840
- Washington, DC — $77,050
- Dallas, TX — $65,870
Special Education Teachers, Middle School salary by state
| State | Median | 1-yr change | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $101,530 | +2.3% | $73,724 | $68,110 – $127,720 | 4,860 |
| Washington | $99,520 | +4.3% | $78,842 | $67,650 – $127,390 | 1,550 |
| Rhode Island | $93,970 | +4.6% | $72,031 | $48,830 – $97,450 | 380 |
| New York | $93,820 | +2.8% | $70,337 | $59,720 – $132,490 | 7,870 |
| Connecticut | $92,900 | +11.9% | $70,651 | $61,370 – $107,660 | 1,260 |
| Massachusetts | $84,550 | −0.6% | $64,303 | $60,080 – $108,440 | 3,110 |
| Alaska | $81,000 | +3.8% | $65,814 | $61,620 – $98,380 | 200 |
| District of Columbia | $79,170 | +1.8% | $60,765 | $66,840 – $127,280 | 520 |
| New Jersey | $79,110 | +2.1% | $61,635 | $63,570 – $103,520 | 5,660 |
| Utah | $78,920 | +7.2% | $61,765 | $48,410 – $113,830 | 690 |
| Oregon | $78,360 | +0.0% | $57,929 | $51,470 – $98,090 | 590 |
| Delaware | $77,420 | +3.6% | $59,526 | $52,240 – $95,410 | — |
| Pennsylvania | $77,040 | −0.7% | $60,663 | $52,300 – $106,140 | 3,710 |
| Maryland | $76,410 | −0.2% | $59,319 | $51,100 – $122,710 | 1,540 |
| Michigan | $76,040 | +23.1% | $59,343 | $46,790 – $93,350 | 1,410 |
| Illinois | $74,730 | +4.1% | $57,848 | $49,660 – $102,200 | 4,460 |
| Ohio | $74,590 | +4.6% | $60,035 | $47,630 – $98,120 | 7,540 |
| New Mexico | $74,440 | −2.0% | $58,866 | $60,070 – $89,760 | 1,090 |
| Vermont | $73,110 | +22.6% | $57,898 | $49,040 – $99,320 | 470 |
| Georgia | $70,550 | +4.2% | $55,423 | $48,170 – $95,970 | 3,740 |
| New Hampshire | $66,760 | +8.1% | $55,796 | $48,290 – $81,260 | 650 |
| Colorado | $66,130 | +5.5% | $53,114 | $50,750 – $98,620 | 2,020 |
| Wisconsin | $65,840 | +6.2% | $52,967 | $47,480 – $94,660 | 2,650 |
| Montana | $63,960 | −0.0% | $51,319 | $42,050 – $80,690 | 190 |
| Virginia | $63,820 | +0.1% | $50,604 | $51,360 – $100,010 | 3,000 |
| Minnesota | $63,630 | +4.4% | $50,503 | $49,100 – $93,820 | 1,930 |
| Iowa | $63,590 | +6.9% | $51,510 | $46,490 – $90,460 | 990 |
| Nebraska | $63,460 | +0.7% | $51,162 | $46,640 – $78,990 | 680 |
| Maine | $63,440 | −7.9% | $50,054 | $47,560 – $81,550 | 310 |
| Texas | $63,360 | +2.3% | $53,090 | $50,530 – $77,720 | 12,580 |
| Nevada | $63,280 | +23.0% | $53,025 | $36,210 – $80,240 | 290 |
| Alabama | $62,850 | +3.4% | $49,802 | $34,360 – $76,730 | 460 |
| Wyoming | $62,770 | +1.6% | $52,616 | $52,190 – $79,060 | 330 |
| South Carolina | $62,310 | +2.3% | $49,665 | $48,900 – $81,280 | 980 |
| Arizona | $62,130 | +4.2% | $50,757 | $47,010 – $77,520 | 580 |
| Hawaii | $61,750 | +6.7% | $48,633 | $59,120 – $80,570 | 380 |
| Florida | $60,440 | +1.7% | $50,744 | $50,160 – $73,210 | 2,630 |
| Kentucky | $60,200 | +10.6% | $48,561 | $44,070 – $75,970 | 1,530 |
| Idaho | $60,170 | +4.5% | $48,446 | $50,190 – $76,200 | 300 |
| Tennessee | $60,000 | +8.1% | $50,390 | $48,640 – $75,490 | 1,310 |
| Kansas | $59,780 | +3.7% | $47,677 | $48,620 – $75,480 | 550 |
| Louisiana | $59,420 | +9.9% | $48,528 | $48,210 – $64,080 | 1,130 |
| North Carolina | $59,360 | +2.3% | $48,016 | $44,580 – $73,670 | 2,470 |
| Indiana | $58,900 | +3.8% | $47,798 | $46,500 – $78,160 | 1,070 |
| North Dakota | $57,680 | −2.8% | $48,526 | $47,350 – $82,930 | 200 |
| Arkansas | $56,830 | +5.9% | $45,839 | $48,840 – $66,560 | 750 |
| West Virginia | $56,440 | +20.0% | $45,723 | $45,380 – $63,710 | 1,080 |
| South Dakota | $51,360 | +4.1% | $43,448 | $46,680 – $60,120 | 310 |
| Mississippi | $50,750 | +2.0% | $41,660 | $45,830 – $62,120 | 1,020 |
| Oklahoma | $50,450 | +1.0% | $40,992 | $45,400 – $73,160 | 930 |
| Missouri | $50,370 | −5.7% | $41,222 | $39,990 – $81,110 | 1,050 |
Related jobs
| Job | Median salary | Education | Growth 2025–35 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School | $65,120 | Bachelor's degree | -0.4% |
| Special Education Teachers, Preschool | $64,830 | Bachelor's degree | +2.4% |
| Special Education Teachers, Secondary School | $74,260 | Bachelor's degree | -0.2% |
| Special Education Teachers, All Other | $76,580 | Bachelor's degree | +1.9% |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School | $66,270 | Bachelor's degree | -0.4% |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School | $65,030 | Bachelor's degree | -0.5% |
| Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $64,370 | Bachelor's degree | -0.4% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,970 | Bachelor's degree | -0.4% |
| Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,680 | Bachelor's degree | -0.3% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $72,040 | Bachelor's degree | -0.2% |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a special education teachers, middle school make?
The national median salary for special education teachers, middle school is $66,810 a year ($32.12 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $49,420 and the top 10% earn over $102,510. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays special education teachers, middle school the most?
California has the highest median pay at $101,530. After taxes and local prices, Cleveland, OH offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many special education teachers, middle school are there in the U.S.?
About 95,200 people work as special education teachers, middle school nationwide.