Special Education Teacher salary
Updated Updated for 2026 tax law
A special education teacher earns a median of $65,120 a year in the US, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The average is $72,650. About 260,870 people work in this job.
Take-home pay on $65,120
- Gross pay
- $2,504.62
- Federal income tax
- −$216.71
- Social Security (6.2%)
- −$155.29
- Medicare (1.45%)
- −$36.32
- Texas income tax
- $0.00No state income tax on wages
- Take-home pay
- $2,096.30
Annual breakdown
- Gross
- $65,120
- Federal
- $5,634
- FICA
- $4,982
- State + local
- $0
- Net
- $54,504
- Marginal federal rate
- 12.0%
- Marginal state rate
- 0.0%
2026 federal brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32) and 2026 state rules. Estimates assume wages are your only income and use annual liability, so your actual withholding can differ slightly.
Special Education Teacher salary by state
| State | Median salary | Average | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $97,910 | $94,970 | 1,070 |
| California | $97,170 | $93,510 | 23,280 |
| Washington | $95,040 | $93,970 | 3,450 |
| Massachusetts | $91,350 | $89,550 | 7,220 |
| Rhode Island | $84,300 | $80,910 | 1,070 |
| Connecticut | $82,950 | $84,040 | 2,810 |
| New York | $81,260 | $91,610 | 21,130 |
| Alaska | $80,230 | $80,110 | 320 |
| Maryland | $78,850 | $83,370 | 2,760 |
| Illinois | $77,960 | $77,170 | 14,040 |
| Oregon | $77,700 | $78,310 | 1,520 |
| New Jersey | $76,660 | $80,520 | 11,610 |
| New Mexico | $76,420 | $74,740 | 880 |
| Michigan | $74,600 | $75,380 | 4,010 |
| Colorado | $74,290 | $73,510 | 4,010 |
| Vermont | $74,200 | $72,160 | 770 |
| Ohio | $73,970 | $71,630 | 9,550 |
| Georgia | $72,880 | $72,090 | 9,370 |
| Pennsylvania | $72,680 | $72,340 | 7,640 |
| Virginia | $67,740 | $72,890 | 7,440 |
| Minnesota | $67,620 | $70,350 | 3,960 |
| Delaware | $65,990 | $70,000 | 1,070 |
| New Hampshire | $65,160 | $66,620 | 1,110 |
| Nevada | $65,110 | $67,760 | 430 |
| Alabama | $64,520 | $65,270 | 870 |
| Idaho | $63,610 | $66,070 | 620 |
| Tennessee | $62,560 | $63,380 | 3,910 |
| Nebraska | $62,420 | $65,160 | 1,900 |
| South Carolina | $62,360 | $64,750 | 2,950 |
| Texas | $62,330 | $63,310 | 56,760 |
| Maine | $61,880 | $64,220 | 1,320 |
| Wisconsin | $61,520 | $64,400 | 4,280 |
| Utah | $61,290 | $65,210 | 1,890 |
| Hawaii | $60,940 | $68,060 | 1,270 |
| Wyoming | $60,930 | $64,310 | 650 |
| Iowa | $60,440 | $59,940 | 2,560 |
| Kentucky | $60,060 | $58,580 | 3,710 |
| Kansas | $59,970 | $60,550 | 1,610 |
| Florida | $58,850 | $60,600 | 8,740 |
| Louisiana | $58,800 | $58,260 | 4,000 |
| Indiana | $58,760 | $59,860 | 3,640 |
| North Carolina | $58,260 | $57,160 | 4,430 |
| North Dakota | $57,950 | $57,450 | 590 |
| Montana | $57,630 | $59,320 | 560 |
| Missouri | $57,260 | $59,660 | 2,860 |
| Arizona | $56,030 | $57,470 | 2,450 |
| Arkansas | $54,290 | $56,160 | 1,430 |
| South Dakota | $51,090 | $53,530 | 790 |
| Oklahoma | $50,630 | $55,380 | 2,360 |
| Mississippi | $50,570 | $53,290 | 2,530 |
| West Virginia | $50,380 | $52,870 | 1,690 |
Similar jobs
- Career/Technical Education Teacher: $65,030
- Special Education Teacher: $64,830
- Archivist: $64,550
- Middle School Teacher: $64,370
- Teacher and Instructor: $66,140
- Elementary Teacher: $63,970
- Career/Technical Education Teacher: $66,270
- Career/Technical Education Teacher: $63,820
BLS occupation: Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (SOC 25-2052). Excludes the self-employed. BLS publishes annual pay only for this occupation.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a special education teacher make an hour?
BLS reports annual pay only for this job: a median of $65,120 a year.
Which state pays special education teachers the most?
District of Columbia ($97,910 median), followed by California and Washington.
What is the salary range for a special education teacher?
The bottom 10% earn under $49,350 and the top 10% earn over $103,010 a year.
How much is $65,120 after taxes?
About $54,504 a year in Texas (no state income tax) or $51,673 in California for a single filer in 2026.
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Estimates for information only — not tax, legal or financial advice.