The median pay for Special Education Teachers, Elementary School is $67,170 a year, according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to fall 0.1% through 2035, with about 37,100 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed.
- SOC 25-2056
- Educational Instruction and Library
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Special Education Teacher, Elementary School in four numbers
- Median pay
- $67,170a yearBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $49KTop 10% $105K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -0.1%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−0.1%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −0.1% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 37,100584,100 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025584.1K
- Projected 2035583.8K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 584.1K Projected 2035 583.8K - Typical education
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Neededneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school10.3%
- Associate's0.3%
- Bachelor's51.4%
- Post-bacc certificate0.2%
- Master's37.7%
- Post-master’s certificate0.1%
Highest education held by special education teachers, elementary school Segment Value High school 10.3% Associate's 0.3% Bachelor's 51.4% Post-bacc certificate 0.2% Master's 37.7% Post-master’s certificate 0.1%
Also advertised as: Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teacher (DHH Teacher), Emotional Disabilities Teacher, Hearing Impaired Itinerant Teacher (HI Itinerant Teacher), Learning Support Teacher, Resource Program Teacher, Severe Emotional Disorders Elementary Teacher (SED Elementary Teacher).
Pay
How much do Special Education Teachers, Elementary School make?
Every special education teacher, elementary school in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$67,170
Middle half earn $59,770 to $83,980
- 10th
- $49,230
- 25th
- $59,770
- 75th
- $83,980
- 90th
- $105,020
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $49,230 |
| 25th | $59,770 |
| Median | $67,170 |
| 75th | $83,980 |
| 90th | $105,020 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $67,170
- Median hourly wage
- N/A
- Mean annual wage
- $74,730
- People employed
- 583,430
Versus all US occupations
At $67,170, Special Education Teachers, Elementary School earn 32% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $16,190 a year.
Versus educational instruction and library occupations
The median is typical for the Educational Instruction and Library group, where the middle occupation pays $68,270.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $105,020 or more while the bottom 10% earn $49,230, a gap of 2.1×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 41% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Job outlook
Is Special Education Teacher, Elementary School a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -0.1% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Special Education Teachers, Elementary School | −0.1% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Special Education Teachers, Elementary School to change -0.1% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 300 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 37,100 openings are projected each year, 6.4% of the 584,100 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Special Education Teacher, Elementary School
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
N/A
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
N/A
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as special education teachers, elementary school.
- Bachelor's Degree51.4%
- Master's Degree37.7%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)10.3%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree0.3%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate0.2%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 51.4% |
| Master's Degree | 37.7% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 10.3% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 0.3% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 0.2% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Special Education Teacher, Elementary School do?
Teach academic, social, and life skills to elementary school students with learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. Includes teachers who specialize and work with students who are blind or have visual impairments; students who are deaf or have hearing impairments; and students with intellectual disabilities.
Day-to-day tasks
- Develop or implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of disabilities.
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.
- Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
- Encourage students to explore learning opportunities or persevere with challenging tasks to prepare them for later grades.
- Establish and communicate clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects to students.
- Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, or teacher training workshops to maintain or improve professional competence.
- Instruct students with disabilities in academic subjects, using a variety of techniques, such as phonetics, multisensory learning, or repetition to reinforce learning and meet students' varying needs.
- Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, or administrative regulations.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening4.3
- Speaking4.3
- Reading Comprehension4.1
- Learning Strategies4.1
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Writing3.8
- Monitoring3.6
- Active Learning3.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.3 |
| Speaking | 4.3 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.1 |
| Learning Strategies | 4.1 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Writing | 3.8 |
| Monitoring | 3.6 |
| Active Learning | 3.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Instructing4.3
- Social Perceptiveness4.1
- Service Orientation3.6
- Judgment and Decision Making3.6
- Complex Problem Solving3.5
- Coordination3.4
- Persuasion3.1
- Time Management3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Instructing | 4.3 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.1 |
| Service Orientation | 3.6 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.6 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.5 |
| Coordination | 3.4 |
| Persuasion | 3.1 |
| Time Management | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Computer based training software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Device drivers or system software
- Graphics or photo imaging software
- Internet browser software
- Voice recognition software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Special Education Teacher, Elementary School?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Special Education Teacher, Elementary School |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 2 |
| Investigative | 4 |
| Artistic | 4 |
| Social | 7 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Social7.0
- Investigative3.9
- Artistic3.6
- Conventional3.5
- Realistic2.3
- Enterprising1.8
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Special Education Teacher, Elementary School
O*NET related occupations
- Educational Instruction and Library
Special Education Teacher, Kindergarten
$67,170median a year
Most earn $49K to $105K
−0.1%Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed - Educational Instruction and Library
Special Education Teacher, Secondary School
$74,260median a year
Most earn $50K to $109K
−0.2%Bachelor's - Educational Instruction and Library
- Educational Instruction and Library
- Educational Instruction and Library
- Educational Instruction and Library
Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructor
$61,540median a year
Most earn $42K to $98K
−13.9%Bachelor's
More educational instruction and library careers
Median annual pay, with special education teachers, elementary school highlighted
- Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary$80,250
- Special Education Teacher, Secondary School$74,260
- Librarian$68,270
- Special Education Teacher, Elementary School$67,170
- Career/Technical Education Teacher, Secondary School$66,270
- Kindergarten Teacher$62,680
- Library Technician$44,580
- Tutor$43,350
- Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education$38,140
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary | $80,250 |
| Special Education Teacher, Secondary School | $74,260 |
| Librarian | $68,270 |
| Special Education Teacher, Elementary School | $67,170 |
| Career/Technical Education Teacher, Secondary School | $66,270 |
| Kindergarten Teacher | $62,680 |
| Library Technician | $44,580 |
| Tutor | $43,350 |
| Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education | $38,140 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Specialty careers within special education teacher, elementary school
Distinct careers BLS counts inside this occupation, each with its own profile.
Lists Special Education Teacher, Elementary School appears on
Questions
Special Education Teacher, Elementary School: frequently asked questions
How much do Special Education Teachers, Elementary School make?
Special Education Teachers, Elementary School earn a median of $67,170 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 32% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. The middle half earn between $59,770 and $83,980. The top 10% earn $105,020 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Special Education Teacher, Elementary School?
Yes. BLS reports a job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed as the typical entry-level education for Special Education Teachers, Elementary School, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 51.4% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Special Education Teacher, Elementary School a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 0.1% over 2025–2035, a loss of 300 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 37,100 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Special Education Teacher, Elementary School do?
Teach academic, social, and life skills to elementary school students with learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. A core O*NET task: develop or implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of disabilities. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Presentation software.
What personality type suits a Special Education Teacher, Elementary School?
O*NET scores Special Education Teachers, Elementary School highest on the Social, Investigative and Artistic interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are INFJ, ENFJ, ENFP. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.