Special Education Teachers, Preschool
Special Education Teachers, Preschool (SOC 25-2051) earn a median $64,830 a year in the United States, with 29,510 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Massachusetts.
What special education teachers, preschool do
Special education teachers at the preschool level teach academic, social, and life skills to preschool-aged children with learning, emotional, or physical disabilities, including children who are blind or have visual impairments, deaf or have hearing impairments, or have intellectual disabilities. They teach basics such as colors, shapes, numbers, letters, personal hygiene, and social skills, applying special educational strategies to improve development. They teach socially acceptable behavior through behavior modification or positive reinforcement, communicate nonverbally to give comfort and encouragement, and teach personal development skills such as goal setting and independence. They develop individual educational plans (IEPs) and confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, and other professionals. General preschool teachers and short-term substitutes are counted elsewhere. Alternate titles include early childhood special education teacher, behavior interventionist, and deaf education teacher.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported level of education for this occupation is a bachelor's degree.
Also called: Autistic Teacher, Behavior Interventionist, Behavioral Interventionist, Blind Teacher, Braille Teacher.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 29,510 |
| Annual | $45,620 | $52,210 | $64,830 | $91,660 | $130,040 | $76,380 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where special education teachers, preschool earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 710 | 0.20 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $62,400 | $78,540 | $99,070 | $109,510 | $126,340 | $94,860 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,720 | 0.40 | 2.12 |
| Annual | $61,880 | $69,390 | $92,060 | $134,710 | $138,050 | $96,730 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 380 | 0.23 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $58,140 | $63,180 | $87,960 | $97,720 | $116,380 | $86,680 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 820 | 0.23 | 1.22 |
| Annual | $65,240 | $76,760 | $86,580 | $104,970 | $125,040 | $91,660 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 70 | 0.03 | 0.14 |
| Annual | $70,730 | $74,150 | $85,010 | $103,130 | $106,080 | $89,650 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 6,220 | 0.64 | 3.38 |
| Annual | $45,760 | $54,770 | $68,180 | $149,560 | $170,200 | $95,570 | ||||
| California | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2,510 | 0.14 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $38,050 | $48,400 | $59,550 | $83,370 | $117,700 | $69,930 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2,010 | 0.14 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $39,090 | $58,600 | $65,680 | $82,420 | $94,410 | $68,700 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,720 | 0.40 | 2.12 |
| Annual | $61,880 | $69,390 | $92,060 | $134,710 | $138,050 | $96,730 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,370 | 0.14 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $50,100 | $51,330 | $58,240 | $68,980 | $78,340 | $61,580 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Kansas City, MO-KS | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 380 | 0.35 | 1.83 |
| Annual | $47,200 | $61,250 | $119,560 | $119,570 | $119,570 | $94,590 | ||||
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 240 | 0.16 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $54,530 | $59,710 | $117,200 | $117,200 | $117,200 | $95,070 | ||||
| Akron, OH | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 60 | 0.17 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $51,380 | $56,520 | $100,650 | $136,130 | $136,140 | $97,520 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 610 | 0.23 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $62,940 | $79,700 | $99,440 | $119,270 | $126,340 | $97,020 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 470 | 0.23 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $68,470 | $80,350 | $94,240 | $109,260 | $127,980 | $94,820 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 6,110 | 0.64 | 3.39 |
| Annual | $45,760 | $56,640 | $81,210 | $149,560 | $170,200 | $101,880 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 900 | 0.20 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $42,320 | $49,680 | $61,950 | $80,170 | $100,330 | $67,180 | ||||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 760 | 0.39 | 2.06 |
| Annual | $47,990 | $62,870 | $80,700 | $101,100 | $101,110 | $77,370 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 750 | 0.19 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $49,570 | $64,860 | $74,110 | $93,590 | $95,960 | $76,240 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 610 | 0.23 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $62,940 | $79,700 | $99,440 | $119,270 | $126,340 | $97,020 | ||||
Top industries employing special education teachers, preschool
Elementary and Secondary Schools employ 65.0% of special education teachers, preschool nationally (19,180 jobs) at a median $65,680 a year, followed by Child Care Services (15.1%) and Individual and Family Services (7.2%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary and Secondary Schools NAICS 611100 | 19,180 | 65.0% | $65,680 | * |
| Child Care Services NAICS 624400 | 4,450 | 15.1% | $61,180 | * |
| Individual and Family Services NAICS 624100 | 2,130 | 7.2% | $56,640 | * |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners NAICS 621300 | 2,030 | 6.9% | $126,580 | * |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 740 | 2.5% | $73,060 | * |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (29,510). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $62,420 for special education teachers, preschool in May 2021 and $64,830 in May 2025, with employment of 21,130 and 29,510.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $62,420 | * | 21,130 |
| May 2022 | $62,240 | * | 22,970 |
| May 2023 | $65,270 | * | 24,850 |
| May 2024 | $62,190 | * | 28,200 |
| May 2025 | $64,830 | * | 29,510 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
45 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts profile | * | $99,070 | $62,400 | $126,340 | 710 | 0.20 | 1.03 |
| 2 | New Jersey profile | * | $92,060 | $61,880 | $138,050 | 1,720 | 0.40 | 2.12 |
| 3 | Connecticut profile | * | $87,960 | $58,140 | $116,380 | 380 | 0.23 | 1.19 |
| 4 | Washington profile | * | $86,580 | $65,240 | $125,040 | 820 | 0.23 | 1.22 |
| 5 | Maryland profile | * | $85,010 | $70,730 | $106,080 | 70 | 0.03 | 0.14 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania profile | * | $83,510 | $49,510 | $121,750 | 490 | 0.08 | 0.43 |
| 7 | Alaska profile | * | $80,390 | $51,760 | $98,240 | 110 | 0.34 | 1.80 |
| 8 | Vermont profile | * | $79,000 | $66,350 | $89,860 | 70 | 0.23 | 1.21 |
| 9 | Colorado profile | * | $78,040 | $54,200 | $102,630 | 810 | 0.28 | 1.49 |
| 10 | Virginia profile | * | $77,570 | $50,350 | $122,530 | 650 | 0.16 | 0.84 |
| 11 | Oregon profile | * | $77,490 | $61,830 | $95,460 | 400 | 0.20 | 1.07 |
| 12 | Minnesota profile | * | $75,880 | $43,020 | $101,100 | 1,250 | 0.43 | 2.24 |
| 13 | Michigan profile | * | $75,860 | $47,050 | $103,290 | 430 | 0.10 | 0.52 |
| 14 | Hawaii profile | * | $75,120 | $58,170 | $95,300 | 230 | 0.37 | 1.93 |
| 15 | Georgia profile | * | $72,310 | $49,650 | $98,450 | 380 | 0.08 | 0.41 |
| 16 | New York profile | * | $68,180 | $45,760 | $170,200 | 6,220 | 0.64 | 3.38 |
| 17 | New Mexico profile | * | $66,010 | $35,560 | $82,520 | 270 | 0.31 | 1.61 |
| 18 | Texas profile | * | $65,680 | $39,090 | $94,410 | 2,010 | 0.14 | 0.75 |
| 19 | Iowa profile | * | $63,540 | $36,250 | $72,980 | ** | ** | ** |
| 20 | Nebraska profile | * | $62,760 | $36,690 | $82,010 | 80 | 0.07 | 0.39 |
| 21 | Illinois profile | * | $62,580 | $42,320 | $100,460 | 1,080 | 0.18 | 0.93 |
| 22 | Missouri profile | * | $62,250 | $35,960 | $119,570 | 940 | 0.32 | 1.68 |
| 23 | New Hampshire profile | * | $61,720 | $49,430 | $84,270 | 80 | 0.12 | 0.63 |
| 24 | Wisconsin profile | * | $60,870 | $46,580 | $82,200 | 240 | 0.08 | 0.44 |
| 25 | Ohio profile | * | $60,700 | $45,630 | $101,580 | 1,150 | 0.21 | 1.10 |
| 26 | Maine profile | * | $60,680 | $48,050 | $74,870 | 40 | 0.06 | 0.31 |
| 27 | North Carolina profile | * | $60,180 | $42,300 | $73,780 | 640 | 0.13 | 0.68 |
| 28 | Arizona profile | * | $60,130 | $45,920 | $80,680 | 330 | 0.10 | 0.53 |
| 29 | North Dakota profile | * | $60,060 | $50,160 | $81,240 | 50 | 0.13 | 0.67 |
| 30 | South Carolina profile | * | $59,800 | $30,580 | $79,190 | 170 | 0.07 | 0.39 |
| 31 | California profile | * | $59,550 | $38,050 | $117,700 | 2,510 | 0.14 | 0.73 |
| 32 | Tennessee profile | * | $59,550 | $44,210 | $77,900 | 330 | 0.10 | 0.52 |
| 33 | Rhode Island profile | * | $59,310 | $34,750 | $97,740 | 120 | 0.24 | 1.24 |
| 34 | Delaware profile | * | $59,250 | $46,600 | $63,430 | 100 | 0.21 | 1.13 |
| 35 | Kansas profile | * | $59,220 | $47,510 | $75,380 | 350 | 0.24 | 1.29 |
| 36 | Florida profile | * | $58,240 | $50,100 | $78,340 | 1,370 | 0.14 | 0.73 |
| 37 | Utah profile | * | $58,230 | $50,630 | $93,410 | 110 | 0.06 | 0.33 |
| 38 | Louisiana profile | * | $56,890 | $37,750 | $61,200 | 960 | 0.50 | 2.61 |
| 39 | Kentucky profile | * | $54,220 | $35,690 | $64,000 | ** | ** | ** |
| 40 | Mississippi profile | * | $52,420 | $48,660 | $62,710 | 110 | 0.09 | 0.50 |
| 41 | Wyoming profile | * | $52,100 | $45,300 | $61,980 | 80 | 0.27 | 1.43 |
| 42 | Oklahoma profile | * | $49,720 | $40,000 | $58,020 | 60 | 0.03 | 0.17 |
| 43 | Idaho profile | * | $49,610 | $31,720 | $89,540 | 180 | 0.21 | 1.09 |
| 44 | Indiana profile | * | $48,680 | $35,620 | $76,530 | 380 | 0.12 | 0.62 |
| 45 | Arkansas profile | * | $35,580 | $27,800 | $53,990 | 510 | 0.40 | 2.08 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (25-2050), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Educational Instruction and Library Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 25-2051 Special Education Teachers, Preschool.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked. A withheld or top-coded median in that table shows the marker explained above.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them. A withheld or top-coded cell in that table shows the marker explained above.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 25-2051, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 25-2051.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.