Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
SOC 25-2058 • View wages by state
The median annual wage for Special Education Teachers, Secondary School is $66,620, based on BLS OEWS 2023 data. The mean annual wage is $74,670, and an estimated 158,150 workers are employed in this occupation nationally. Between 2020 and 2023, pay rose +6.9% while consumer prices rose 17.7% — a real change of -9.2% (pay did not keep up with inflation). BLS projects employment will shrink 1.6% between 2024 and 2034.
Wage Trend & Inflation Adjustment
How the national median wage for Special Education Teachers, Secondary School has moved across BLS OEWS release years, and what each year's wage is worth in 2023 dollars after adjusting for CPI inflation. "Real" change strips out inflation — the truest measure of whether pay is actually rising.
| Year | Median (nominal) | In 2023 $ (real) | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $66,620 | $66,620 | 158,150 |
| 2022 | $63,560 | $66,176 | 152,490 |
| 2021 | $62,120 | $69,853 | 145,690 |
| 2020 | $62,320 | $73,370 | 142,500 |
Nominal change
+6.9%
Inflation (CPI)
+17.7%
Real change
-9.2%
Job Outlook (2024–2034 BLS projection)
The BLS Employment Projections program estimates how each occupation's employment will change over the coming decade, and how many job openings to expect each year (from both growth and the need to replace workers who leave).
Projected Growth
-1.6%
Declining
Employment 2024
164,200
Projected 2034
161,500
Annual Openings
11,100
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Highest-Paying Areas (2023)
Where Special Education Teachers, Secondary School earn the most, and how each area's median compares to the national median of $66,620. A positive premium means the area pays above the national rate.
| Area | Median Annual | vs National | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $101,920 | +53% | 13,430 |
| Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $98,710 | +48.2% | 110 |
| Washington | $90,790 | +36.3% | 2,310 |
| Rhode Island | $88,630 | +33% | 860 |
| Connecticut | $86,100 | +29.2% | 1,580 |
| District of Columbia | $85,950 | +29% | 410 |
| New York | $84,170 | +26.3% | 15,050 |
| Massachusetts | $84,120 | +26.3% | 3,530 |
| Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area | $82,280 | +23.5% | 130 |
| New Jersey | $82,170 | +23.3% | 6,150 |
Wage Distribution (National, 2023)
10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages from BLS OEWS — the full spread, not just an average.
10th Pct
$47,950
25th Pct
$56,820
Median
$66,620
75th Pct
$84,400
90th Pct
$107,230
H-1B Employer Filings
Employer-certified wages from DOL H-1B LCA filings — competitive market benchmark, not approved visas.
| Employer | State | Filings | Median Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jasper County School District | SC | 5 | $45,000 |
| District of Columbia Public Schools | DC | 4 | $65,000 |
| Denver Public Schools District 1 | CO | 4 | $71,917 |
| EDU INFOTECH INTERNATIONAL RESOURCES INC | GA | 2 | $50,000 |
| Bering Strait School District | AK | 2 | $64,131 |
| Clarke County School District | GA | 2 | $57,960 |
| West Contra Costa Unified School District | CA | 2 | $90,494 |
| Zuni Public School District | NM | 2 | $50,556 |
| Boston Higashi School, Inc. | MA | 2 | $60,750 |
| New Horizon School | WA | 1 | $71,802 |
| Halifax County Schools | NC | 1 | $57,200 |
| Dexter Consolidated Schools | NM | 1 | $68,980 |
| Warren County Schools | NC | 1 | $55,720 |
| Hobbs Municipal Schools | NM | 1 | $51,000 |
| San Jose Unified School District | CA | 1 | $97,535 |
| Beeville Independent School District | TX | 1 | $51,500 |
| Deming Public Schools | NM | 1 | $79,447 |
| SAVANNAH CHATHAM COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM | GA | 1 | $87,883 |
| Bibb County School District | GA | 1 | $68,457 |
| Putnam City School | OK | 1 | $56,325 |
Source: DOL Office of Foreign Labor Certification, H-1B LCA data.
Related Occupations in Educational Instruction & Library
Other occupations in the same SOC major group, ranked by national median wage.