242 metro areas
Special Education Teacher, Middle School Salary by City (2026)
Special education teachers earn the most in San Jose, CA, an average of $112,040 a year, against $73,780 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in San Jose, CA ($101,460 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.
- US average (mean)
- $73,780BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Highest-paying city
- $112,040San Jose, CA
- Best after cost of living
- $101,460San Jose, CA
- Metro areas
- 242With their own estimate
Top cities
Highest-paying cities for special education teachers
Top 10 metro areas
- San Jose, CA$112,040
- Bremerton, WA$104,860
- San Francisco, CA$104,470
- Seattle, WA$103,370
- Sacramento, CA$102,930
- Los Angeles, CA$102,110
- Riverside, CA$101,470
- Salinas, CA$99,280
- Bellingham, WA$98,140
- Olympia, WA$97,640
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $112,040 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $104,860 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $104,470 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $103,370 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $102,930 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $102,110 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $101,470 |
| Salinas, CA | $99,280 |
| Bellingham, WA | $98,140 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $97,640 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Mean wage ÷ BEA price level
- San Jose, CA$112,040 nominal$101,460
- Bremerton, WA$104,860 nominal$99,290
- Sacramento, CA$102,930 nominal$96,490
- Riverside, CA$101,470 nominal$95,330
- Bellingham, WA$98,140 nominal$94,970
- Yakima, WA$89,990 nominal$94,190
- Olympia, WA$97,640 nominal$94,180
- Kingston, NY$94,830 nominal$94,160
- Seattle, WA$103,370 nominal$93,010
- Brunswick, GA$80,950 nominal$92,290
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $101,460 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $99,290 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $96,490 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $95,330 |
| Bellingham, WA | $94,970 |
| Yakima, WA | $94,190 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $94,180 |
| Kingston, NY | $94,160 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $93,010 |
| Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | $92,290 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024
Every city
Special Education Teacher, Middle School salary in every metro area
Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.
| # | Metro area | Mean | Entry (Level I) | Experienced (Level IV) | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $112,040 | $81,380 | $127,150 | $101,460 |
| 2 | Bremerton, WA | $104,860 | $77,620 | $118,280 | $99,290 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $104,470 | $76,370 | $118,310 | $90,360 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $103,370 | $79,320 | $115,220 | $93,010 |
| 5 | Sacramento, CA | $102,930 | $77,690 | $115,360 | $96,490 |
| 6 | Los Angeles, CA | $102,110 | $78,260 | $113,850 | $89,910 |
| 7 | Riverside, CA | $101,470 | $76,800 | $113,630 | $95,330 |
| 8 | Salinas, CA | $99,280 | $70,970 | $113,220 | $91,050 |
| 9 | Bellingham, WA | $98,140 | $74,360 | $109,860 | $94,970 |
| 10 | Olympia, WA | $97,640 | $76,480 | $108,060 | $94,180 |
| 11 | Kiryas Joel, NY | $95,440 | $69,780 | $108,080 | $87,220 |
| 12 | Kingston, NY | $94,830 | $67,790 | $108,140 | $94,160 |
| 13 | New York, NY-NJ | $94,790 | $68,490 | $107,750 | $84,210 |
| 14 | Santa Rosa, CA | $93,770 | $76,660 | $102,200 | $87,000 |
| 15 | Bridgeport, CT | $93,340 | $68,890 | $105,390 | $87,340 |
| 16 | Modesto, CA | $93,070 | $74,530 | $102,210 | $89,400 |
| 17 | Fresno, CA | $92,160 | $65,840 | $105,120 | $90,210 |
| 18 | Salt Lake City, UT | $91,950 | $72,210 | $101,670 | $91,160 |
| 19 | Boulder, CO | $90,260 | $68,350 | $101,050 | $85,800 |
| 20 | Yakima, WA | $89,990 | $67,720 | $100,960 | $94,190 |
| 21 | Barnstable Town, MA | $89,140 | $70,080 | $98,540 | $90,630 |
| 22 | Portland, OR-WA | $88,220 | $64,520 | $99,890 | $83,680 |
| 23 | Kennewick, WA | $88,120 | $70,590 | $96,760 | $88,050 |
| 24 | Oxnard, CA | $88,070 | $69,400 | $97,260 | $79,680 |
| 25 | Spokane, WA | $86,690 | $63,970 | $97,890 | $86,390 |
| 26 | Worcester, MA | $86,370 | $63,490 | $97,640 | $84,240 |
| 27 | Waterbury, CT | $86,200 | $65,140 | $96,580 | $86,390 |
| 28 | Hartford, CT | $86,130 | $64,410 | $96,840 | $83,830 |
| 29 | San Diego, CA | $86,080 | $62,800 | $97,550 | $76,930 |
| 30 | Boston, MA-NH | $86,050 | $62,680 | $97,560 | $79,480 |
| 31 | Providence, RI-MA | $84,440 | $63,640 | $94,680 | $82,970 |
| 32 | Albany, NY | $84,070 | $63,640 | $94,130 | $84,440 |
| 33 | Trenton, NJ | $83,780 | $68,530 | $91,300 | $81,200 |
| 34 | Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $83,690 | $61,410 | $94,650 | $76,860 |
| 35 | Salisbury, MD | $83,460 | $58,370 | $95,820 | $87,290 |
| 36 | New Haven, CT | $83,420 | $61,830 | $94,050 | $79,780 |
| 37 | San Luis Obispo, CA | $82,790 | $65,700 | $91,210 | $76,240 |
| 38 | Pittsfield, MA | $82,540 | $62,580 | $92,370 | $86,790 |
| 39 | Norwich, CT | $82,390 | $61,040 | $92,900 | $82,020 |
| 40 | Anchorage, AK | $81,610 | $66,850 | $88,880 | $77,410 |
| 41 | Atlantic City, NJ | $81,100 | $62,780 | $90,120 | $82,040 |
| 42 | Springfield, MA | $81,080 | $61,560 | $90,690 | $84,400 |
| 43 | Brunswick, GA | $80,950 | $60,300 | $91,120 | $92,290 |
| 44 | Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $80,580 | $60,840 | $90,310 | $78,570 |
| 45 | Allentown, PA-NJ | $80,430 | $63,250 | $88,900 | $80,460 |
| 46 | Cleveland, OH | $79,890 | $58,340 | $90,510 | $85,060 |
| 47 | Chicago, IL-IN | $79,540 | $57,760 | $90,270 | $76,780 |
| 48 | Lancaster, PA | $79,520 | $67,020 | $85,680 | $80,930 |
| 49 | Madison, WI | $78,910 | $55,670 | $90,350 | $81,110 |
| 50 | Pittsburgh, PA | $78,890 | $52,520 | $91,880 | $83,330 |
| 51 | Utica, NY | $77,600 | $56,690 | $87,900 | $83,730 |
| 52 | Atlanta, GA | $77,310 | $61,510 | $85,090 | $77,270 |
| 53 | Ithaca, NY | $77,070 | $60,270 | $85,350 | $74,600 |
| 54 | Burlington, VT | $76,910 | $56,800 | $86,820 | $76,190 |
| 55 | Buffalo, NY | $76,810 | $55,030 | $87,540 | $80,140 |
| 56 | Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $76,730 | $57,270 | $86,310 | $78,340 |
| 57 | Eugene, OR | $76,050 | $56,350 | $85,750 | $74,880 |
| 58 | Vineland, NJ | $76,040 | $63,010 | $82,460 | $79,230 |
| 59 | Ann Arbor, MI | $75,880 | $49,980 | $88,640 | $75,220 |
| 60 | Amherst Town, MA | $75,760 | $56,870 | $85,070 | $75,580 |
| 61 | Denver, CO | $75,070 | $57,850 | $83,550 | $70,970 |
| 62 | Midland, TX | $75,010 | $52,050 | $86,320 | $78,310 |
| 63 | Dayton, OH | $74,970 | $53,960 | $85,320 | $80,880 |
| 64 | Syracuse, NY | $74,830 | $61,810 | $81,250 | $78,160 |
| 65 | Stockton, CA | $74,660 | $59,630 | $82,070 | $71,040 |
| 66 | Milwaukee, WI | $74,520 | $51,800 | $85,710 | $76,870 |
| 67 | Salem, OR | $74,510 | $54,810 | $84,220 | $71,890 |
| 68 | Rockford, IL | $74,270 | $51,030 | $85,710 | $80,590 |
| 69 | Albuquerque, NM | $73,590 | $61,600 | $79,490 | $77,020 |
| 70 | Detroit, MI | $73,420 | $53,150 | $83,410 | $73,200 |
| 71 | Bend, OR | $73,370 | $48,710 | $85,520 | $70,820 |
| 72 | Greenville, SC | $73,200 | $54,130 | $82,590 | $78,490 |
| 73 | Binghamton, NY | $72,760 | $58,060 | $80,000 | $78,350 |
| 74 | Glens Falls, NY | $72,610 | $57,330 | $80,130 | $76,540 |
| 75 | Columbus, OH | $72,150 | $53,860 | $81,170 | $75,570 |
| 76 | Staunton, VA | $72,120 | $51,490 | $82,270 | $79,140 |
| 77 | Springfield, IL | $71,980 | $52,440 | $81,600 | $77,610 |
| 78 | Saginaw, MI | $71,810 | $50,510 | $82,300 | $79,010 |
| 79 | Scranton, PA | $71,730 | $52,930 | $80,980 | $76,670 |
| 80 | Minneapolis, MN-WI | $71,670 | $54,870 | $79,950 | $68,370 |
| 81 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $71,120 | $53,260 | $79,910 | $79,940 |
| 82 | Grand Rapids, MI | $71,100 | $48,090 | $82,440 | $74,410 |
| 83 | Mansfield, OH | $70,730 | $48,680 | $81,580 | $79,590 |
| 84 | Duluth, MN-WI | $70,670 | $52,900 | $79,430 | $79,610 |
| 85 | Portland, ME | $70,550 | $53,180 | $79,110 | $69,260 |
| 86 | Provo, UT | $70,550 | $47,740 | $81,790 | $71,820 |
| 87 | Harrisburg, PA | $70,500 | $59,280 | $76,030 | $71,460 |
| 88 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $70,400 | $47,730 | $81,570 | $73,820 |
| 89 | Lansing, MI | $70,300 | $45,510 | $82,510 | $74,010 |
| 90 | Albany, OR | $70,140 | $51,590 | $79,270 | $68,700 |
| 91 | Battle Creek, MI | $70,110 | $47,520 | $81,230 | $77,430 |
| 92 | Chambersburg, PA | $70,090 | $53,730 | $78,150 | $74,060 |
| 93 | Flint, MI | $69,900 | $49,040 | $80,170 | $75,130 |
| 94 | Monroe, MI | $69,870 | $51,090 | $79,120 | $74,730 |
| 95 | Springfield, OH | $69,680 | $50,250 | $79,250 | $77,010 |
| 96 | Omaha, NE-IA | $69,600 | $54,720 | $76,920 | $75,730 |
| 97 | Pueblo, CO | $69,580 | $55,630 | $76,450 | $75,830 |
| 98 | St. Cloud, MN | $69,560 | $52,830 | $77,800 | $79,380 |
| 99 | Muskegon, MI | $69,370 | $48,600 | $79,600 | $74,980 |
| 100 | York, PA | $69,240 | $43,960 | $81,700 | $72,130 |
| 101 | Ogden, UT | $69,190 | $47,620 | $79,810 | $68,950 |
| 102 | Rochester, NY | $69,060 | $53,730 | $76,620 | $71,170 |
| 103 | Watertown, NY | $69,030 | $56,350 | $75,280 | $78,720 |
| 104 | Las Cruces, NM | $69,000 | $58,740 | $74,050 | $76,490 |
| 105 | Fort Collins, CO | $68,930 | $56,640 | $74,990 | $68,160 |
| 106 | Green Bay, WI | $68,710 | $53,310 | $76,300 | $73,810 |
| 107 | Toledo, OH | $68,320 | $48,630 | $78,020 | $74,700 |
| 108 | Gainesville, GA | $68,230 | $53,330 | $75,560 | $70,510 |
| 109 | Dallas, TX | $68,190 | $59,590 | $72,430 | $66,150 |
| 110 | Manchester, NH | $68,060 | $53,730 | $75,120 | $64,420 |
| 111 | El Paso, TX | $67,880 | $51,460 | $75,970 | $75,500 |
| 112 | Iowa City, IA | $67,560 | $49,520 | $76,440 | $73,830 |
| 113 | Racine, WI | $67,350 | $51,800 | $75,010 | $70,180 |
| 114 | Raleigh, NC | $67,200 | $52,980 | $74,200 | $68,460 |
| 115 | Eau Claire, WI | $66,990 | $53,320 | $73,720 | $72,190 |
| 116 | Janesville, WI | $66,980 | $48,550 | $76,060 | $71,480 |
| 117 | Lynchburg, VA | $66,890 | $48,260 | $76,060 | $74,850 |
| 118 | Sherman, TX | $66,750 | $60,920 | $69,620 | $71,180 |
| 119 | Baltimore, MD | $66,680 | $41,360 | $79,160 | $63,820 |
| 120 | Greeley, CO | $66,420 | $52,170 | $73,430 | $66,300 |
| 121 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $66,220 | $53,770 | $72,350 | $76,410 |
| 122 | Canton, OH | $66,110 | $47,350 | $75,350 | $73,940 |
| 123 | Davenport, IA-IL | $66,040 | $49,050 | $74,400 | $74,140 |
| 124 | Sheboygan, WI | $66,000 | $51,540 | $73,110 | $70,200 |
| 125 | Hilton Head Island, SC | $65,990 | $54,790 | $71,510 | $67,330 |
| 126 | Houston, TX | $65,950 | $55,150 | $71,280 | $66,870 |
| 127 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $65,660 | $46,990 | $74,850 | $75,950 |
| 128 | Kenosha, WI | $65,550 | $49,640 | $73,380 | $64,830 |
| 129 | North Port, FL | $65,420 | $55,560 | $70,280 | $63,880 |
| 130 | Lincoln, NE | $65,320 | $56,870 | $69,480 | $71,320 |
| 131 | Lexington, KY | $65,230 | $50,210 | $72,620 | $70,220 |
| 132 | Champaign, IL | $65,130 | $50,720 | $72,220 | $70,260 |
| 133 | Odessa, TX | $65,060 | $56,190 | $69,430 | $69,290 |
| 134 | Savannah, GA | $64,890 | $47,970 | $73,230 | $68,160 |
| 135 | Tucson, AZ | $64,830 | $50,980 | $71,640 | $66,910 |
| 136 | La Crosse, WI-MN | $64,730 | $50,280 | $71,850 | $70,540 |
| 137 | Nashville, TN | $64,600 | $51,830 | $70,880 | $67,060 |
| 138 | Charleston, SC | $64,570 | $51,920 | $70,800 | $63,950 |
| 139 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $64,570 | $50,020 | $71,730 | $69,770 |
| 140 | Phoenix, AZ | $64,390 | $53,780 | $69,620 | $62,320 |
| 141 | Youngstown, OH | $63,990 | $45,140 | $73,280 | $73,220 |
| 142 | New Orleans, LA | $63,980 | $55,520 | $68,150 | $69,100 |
| 143 | Billings, MT | $63,890 | $49,100 | $71,170 | $68,310 |
| 144 | Charlottesville, VA | $63,750 | $55,010 | $68,060 | $64,300 |
| 145 | Fond du Lac, WI | $63,570 | $48,050 | $71,220 | $69,370 |
| 146 | Peoria, IL | $63,430 | $49,560 | $70,250 | $69,530 |
| 147 | Boise City, ID | $63,380 | $51,360 | $69,300 | $64,420 |
| 148 | Augusta, GA-SC | $63,340 | $48,860 | $70,470 | $68,920 |
| 149 | Richmond, VA | $63,230 | $54,450 | $67,560 | $64,610 |
| 150 | Macon, GA | $63,130 | $44,130 | $72,490 | $71,310 |
| 151 | Reno, NV | $63,050 | $40,780 | $74,020 | $62,420 |
| 152 | Orlando, FL | $63,000 | $56,930 | $65,980 | $62,120 |
| 153 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $62,990 | $48,560 | $70,100 | $67,680 |
| 154 | Birmingham, AL | $62,930 | $56,000 | $66,350 | $68,670 |
| 155 | Akron, OH | $62,870 | $41,610 | $73,340 | $67,330 |
| 156 | Decatur, IL | $62,830 | $46,210 | $71,020 | $71,060 |
| 157 | Spartanburg, SC | $62,690 | $48,950 | $69,460 | $68,850 |
| 158 | Aguadilla, PR | $62,640 | $56,440 | $65,700 | N/A |
| 159 | Cheyenne, WY | $62,300 | $54,430 | $66,180 | $64,570 |
| 160 | Amarillo, TX | $62,290 | $56,860 | $64,960 | $67,840 |
| 161 | Roanoke, VA | $62,290 | $52,090 | $67,310 | $66,540 |
| 162 | Brownsville, TX | $62,270 | $53,770 | $66,460 | $72,430 |
| 163 | Bloomington, IL | $62,240 | $45,990 | $70,240 | $66,540 |
| 164 | Indianapolis, IN | $62,180 | $47,230 | $69,540 | $64,980 |
| 165 | Colorado Springs, CO | $62,080 | $49,860 | $68,090 | $61,640 |
| 166 | Fort Wayne, IN | $62,070 | $48,740 | $68,640 | $67,050 |
| 167 | McAllen, TX | $62,000 | $56,090 | $64,920 | $72,180 |
| 168 | Miami, FL | $61,890 | $55,810 | $64,880 | $54,220 |
| 169 | Beaumont, TX | $61,830 | $50,910 | $67,200 | $68,660 |
| 170 | Des Moines, IA | $61,820 | $48,830 | $68,220 | $67,410 |
| 171 | Evansville, IN | $61,720 | $46,090 | $69,420 | $67,430 |
| 172 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $61,390 | $48,940 | $67,520 | $69,510 |
| 173 | Oklahoma City, OK | $61,220 | $44,480 | $69,460 | $67,720 |
| 174 | Weirton, WV-OH | $60,950 | $48,070 | $67,300 | $68,460 |
| 175 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $60,930 | $47,600 | $67,490 | $64,080 |
| 176 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $60,920 | $45,990 | $68,280 | $66,610 |
| 177 | Topeka, KS | $60,850 | $55,220 | $63,630 | $68,510 |
| 178 | Fayetteville, AR | $60,580 | $53,200 | $64,210 | $66,310 |
| 179 | Austin, TX | $60,390 | $52,420 | $64,320 | $61,580 |
| 180 | Fargo, ND-MN | $60,310 | $47,020 | $66,860 | $66,370 |
| 181 | Knoxville, TN | $60,000 | $49,220 | $65,300 | $64,820 |
| 182 | Grand Junction, CO | $59,910 | $50,290 | $64,650 | $62,750 |
| 183 | Ponce, PR | $59,870 | $53,810 | $62,860 | N/A |
| 184 | Erie, PA | $59,710 | $48,170 | $65,390 | $65,650 |
| 185 | Tampa, FL | $59,490 | $50,970 | $63,690 | $58,970 |
| 186 | Corpus Christi, TX | $59,350 | $52,130 | $62,910 | $64,040 |
| 187 | Wichita, KS | $59,330 | $49,470 | $64,190 | $66,700 |
| 188 | Columbia, SC | $59,270 | $46,460 | $65,580 | $63,280 |
| 189 | San Antonio, TX | $59,240 | $48,730 | $64,420 | $62,540 |
| 190 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $59,170 | $52,570 | $62,420 | $64,190 |
| 191 | Owensboro, KY | $59,120 | $45,640 | $65,760 | $66,720 |
| 192 | Charlotte, NC-SC | $59,070 | $47,580 | $64,730 | $60,680 |
| 193 | Elizabethtown, KY | $59,060 | $47,000 | $65,010 | $65,210 |
| 194 | Shreveport, LA | $58,900 | $51,700 | $62,440 | $69,490 |
| 195 | Little Rock, AR | $58,790 | $49,700 | $63,260 | $65,790 |
| 196 | South Bend, IN-MI | $58,720 | $47,650 | $64,160 | $63,240 |
| 197 | Bowling Green, KY | $58,560 | $49,440 | $63,050 | $64,940 |
| 198 | College Station, TX | $58,480 | $49,160 | $63,070 | $64,300 |
| 199 | Wichita Falls, TX | $58,390 | $46,980 | $64,010 | $65,230 |
| 200 | Killeen, TX | $58,020 | $47,150 | $63,370 | $63,670 |
| 201 | Baton Rouge, LA | $57,800 | $49,790 | $61,740 | $63,670 |
| 202 | Durham, NC | $57,790 | $47,960 | $62,640 | $59,230 |
| 203 | Waco, TX | $57,720 | $48,840 | $62,100 | $62,370 |
| 204 | Jackson, TN | $57,510 | $50,300 | $61,060 | $67,250 |
| 205 | Huntington, WV-KY-OH | $57,390 | $45,130 | $63,430 | $64,900 |
| 206 | Mayaguez, PR | $57,300 | $51,040 | $60,380 | N/A |
| 207 | Las Vegas, NV | $57,190 | $36,980 | $67,150 | $57,070 |
| 208 | Manhattan, KS | $57,190 | $47,600 | $61,900 | $63,430 |
| 209 | Greensboro, NC | $57,160 | $43,520 | $63,880 | $61,550 |
| 210 | Paducah, KY-IL | $57,140 | $47,030 | $62,130 | $66,380 |
| 211 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $57,060 | $47,210 | $61,910 | $66,440 |
| 212 | Crestview, FL | $56,830 | $50,520 | $59,940 | $58,570 |
| 213 | Kankakee, IL | $56,700 | $44,890 | $62,520 | $58,820 |
| 214 | Lawton, OK | $56,690 | $48,430 | $60,750 | $65,960 |
| 215 | San Juan, PR | $56,540 | $50,650 | $59,440 | N/A |
| 216 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $56,300 | $49,570 | $59,610 | $56,170 |
| 217 | Burlington, NC | $56,190 | $46,650 | $60,880 | $60,290 |
| 218 | Mobile, AL | $55,740 | $36,280 | $65,320 | $63,270 |
| 219 | Asheville, NC | $55,720 | $44,340 | $61,320 | $57,740 |
| 220 | Tyler, TX | $55,700 | $43,800 | $61,570 | $60,440 |
| 221 | Kingsport, TN-VA | $55,690 | $46,930 | $60,010 | $64,420 |
| 222 | Montgomery, AL | $55,190 | $37,010 | $64,140 | $61,540 |
| 223 | Gulfport, MS | $54,660 | $47,650 | $58,120 | $60,730 |
| 224 | Springfield, MO | $54,620 | $45,030 | $59,340 | $61,660 |
| 225 | Abilene, TX | $54,490 | $44,160 | $59,580 | $60,300 |
| 226 | Hattiesburg, MS | $54,140 | $47,370 | $57,470 | $61,780 |
| 227 | Jonesboro, AR | $54,130 | $48,470 | $56,910 | $63,030 |
| 228 | Rapid City, SD | $54,060 | $47,430 | $57,320 | $60,630 |
| 229 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $53,950 | $47,310 | $57,220 | $64,220 |
| 230 | Jackson, MS | $53,470 | $46,450 | $56,930 | $60,050 |
| 231 | Lake Charles, LA | $53,130 | $48,200 | $55,570 | $61,890 |
| 232 | Longview, TX | $52,810 | $38,220 | $60,000 | $59,020 |
| 233 | Tulsa, OK | $52,690 | $43,490 | $57,220 | $59,060 |
| 234 | Winston, NC | $52,460 | $47,420 | $54,950 | $57,000 |
| 235 | Lafayette, LA | $52,180 | $46,220 | $55,110 | $59,830 |
| 236 | Hickory, NC | $51,890 | $42,600 | $56,460 | $58,640 |
| 237 | Wilmington, NC | $51,860 | $44,350 | $55,570 | $53,780 |
| 238 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $51,540 | $45,540 | $54,510 | $56,870 |
| 239 | Columbia, MO | $51,120 | $43,540 | $54,850 | $57,160 |
| 240 | Joplin, MO-KS | $50,580 | $44,520 | $53,570 | $59,010 |
| 241 | Lubbock, TX | $49,670 | $35,590 | $56,610 | $54,390 |
| 242 | Jefferson City, MO | $48,950 | $45,520 | $50,640 | $55,640 |
More
More on special education teachers
Method
About these numbers
- Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
- Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
- OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
- At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.
Questions
Special Education Teacher, Middle School salary by city: FAQ
Which city pays special education teachers the most?
San Jose, CA, where the average (mean) wage is $112,040 a year, followed by Bremerton, WA ($104,860), San Francisco, CA ($104,470), Seattle, WA ($103,370). The national mean is $73,780 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do special education teachers earn the most after cost of living?
Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in San Jose, CA ($101,460 at national prices, $112,040 nominal), Bremerton, WA ($99,290 at national prices, $104,860 nominal), Sacramento, CA ($96,490 at national prices, $102,930 nominal).
How much do special education teachers make in the biggest cities?
New York, NY-NJ: $94,790; Los Angeles, CA: $102,110; Chicago, IL-IN: $79,540; Dallas, TX: $68,190; Houston, TX: $65,950 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).
Where do special education teachers earn the least?
Of the 242 metro areas with their own estimate, Jefferson City, MO has the lowest mean wage, $48,950. At local prices that is worth $55,640.