Special Education Teachers, Preschool pay in the U.S.
$76,380avg. a year
Annual salary · 29,510 employed
Special Education Teachers, Preschool in the U.S. earn an average of $76,380 a year and a median of $64,830. Pay is highest in New Jersey ($96,730) and lowest in Arkansas ($38,340).
$64,830Median pay
$76,380Average yearly
+12%Avg. pay since 2020
29,510Jobs in the U.S.
Top-paying states for special education teachers, preschool
Average pay by state. Swipe to see the top 10.
11,720 jobs
New Jersey
$96,730
a year
26,220 jobs
New York
$95,570
a year
3710 jobs
Massachusetts
$94,860
a year
4820 jobs
Washington
$91,660
a year
570 jobs
Maryland
$89,650
a year
6380 jobs
Connecticut
$86,680
a year
7490 jobs
Pennsylvania
$84,680
a year
8400 jobs
Oregon
$81,540
a year
9650 jobs
Virginia
$79,490
a year
10110 jobs
Alaska
$78,420
a year
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Special Education Teachers, Preschool pay, charted
Pay over time
United States, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where the jobs are
Employment by state, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · tap a state
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Under $59k$59k–$66k$66k–$77k$77k+
Top-paying metro areas
Average pay, May 2025 (areas with 100+ jobs)
| Metro area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $101,880 | – |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $97,020 | – |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $95,070 | – |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $94,820 | – |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $94,590 | – |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $91,800 | – |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $89,050 | – |
| Fresno, CA | $84,830 | – |
Related jobs
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$72,650
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$76,320
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$72,030
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$43,030
- Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$72,650
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$77,260
Average U.S. pay, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Special Education Teachers, Preschool pay in every state
States without a figure had too few jobs or too little survey data for BLS to publish.
| State | Avg. pay | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $78,420 | $80,390 | 110 |
| Arizona | $61,160 | $60,130 | 330 |
| Arkansas | $38,340 | $35,580 | 510 |
| California | $69,930 | $59,550 | 2,510 |
| Colorado | $77,160 | $78,040 | 810 |
| Connecticut | $86,680 | $87,960 | 380 |
| Delaware | $57,660 | $59,250 | 100 |
| Florida | $61,580 | $58,240 | 1,370 |
| Georgia | $73,350 | $72,310 | 380 |
| Hawaii | $72,660 | $75,120 | 230 |
| Idaho | $54,790 | $49,610 | 180 |
| Illinois | $67,490 | $62,580 | 1,080 |
| Indiana | $54,120 | $48,680 | 380 |
| Iowa | $61,470 | $63,540 | – |
| Kansas | $58,350 | $59,220 | 350 |
| Kentucky | $51,050 | $54,220 | – |
| Louisiana | $55,140 | $56,890 | 960 |
| Maine | $60,130 | $60,680 | 40 |
| Maryland | $89,650 | $85,010 | 70 |
| Massachusetts | $94,860 | $99,070 | 710 |
| Michigan | $75,760 | $75,860 | 430 |
| Minnesota | $72,260 | $75,880 | 1,250 |
| Mississippi | $54,350 | $52,420 | 110 |
| Missouri | $73,630 | $62,250 | 940 |
| Nebraska | $61,320 | $62,760 | 80 |
| New Hampshire | $63,950 | $61,720 | 80 |
| New Jersey | $96,730 | $92,060 | 1,720 |
| New Mexico | $65,620 | $66,010 | 270 |
| New York | $95,570 | $68,180 | 6,220 |
| North Carolina | $59,310 | $60,180 | 640 |
| North Dakota | $63,130 | $60,060 | 50 |
| Ohio | $68,960 | $60,700 | 1,150 |
| Oklahoma | $48,780 | $49,720 | 60 |
| Oregon | $81,540 | $77,490 | 400 |
| Pennsylvania | $84,680 | $83,510 | 490 |
| Rhode Island | $65,620 | $59,310 | 120 |
| South Carolina | $55,440 | $59,800 | 170 |
| Tennessee | $59,100 | $59,550 | 330 |
| Texas | $68,700 | $65,680 | 2,010 |
| Utah | $66,570 | $58,230 | 110 |
| Vermont | $77,290 | $79,000 | 70 |
| Virginia | $79,490 | $77,570 | 650 |
| Washington | $91,660 | $86,580 | 820 |
| Wisconsin | $62,540 | $60,870 | 240 |
| Wyoming | $53,400 | $52,100 | 80 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
$101,880
6,110 jobsChicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
$67,180
900 jobsMinneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
$77,370
760 jobsDallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
$76,240
750 jobsBoston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
$97,020
610 jobsPhiladelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
$83,780
510 jobsSeattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
$94,820
470 jobsWashington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$89,050
440 jobsQuestions and answers
How much do special education teachers, preschool make?
The average is $76,380 a year across the U.S. Half earn more than $64,830 and half earn less (the median).
Which state pays special education teachers, preschool the most?
New Jersey, with an average of $96,730 a year. The best-paying metro area is New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ at $101,880.
What is the pay range?
The lowest-paid 10% earn under $45,620 a year, and the top 10% earn over $130,040.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 25-2051. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.