Pay by state · 52 states
Special Education Teacher, Middle School Salary by State (2026)
Special Education Teachers, Middle School earn the most in California at $101,530 a year and the least in Missouri at $50,370 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $66,810. All 52 states and territories with reported data are ranked below, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $101,530California
- National median
- $66,810BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Lowest median
- $50,370Missouri
- States reporting
- 52of 54 OEWS areas
All states
Special Education Teacher, Middle School salary in every state
Sort by any column. Employment is the number of special education teachers, middle school OEWS estimates in that state; blank cells are estimates BLS suppressed because the sample was too small.
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CACalifornia | $101,530 | $80,550 | $120,550 | 4,860 | $91,700 |
| 2 | WAWashington | $99,520 | $80,570 | $111,320 | 1,550 | $92,998 |
| 3 | RIRhode Island | $93,970 | $76,710 | $95,500 | 380 | $91,875 |
| 4 | NYNew York | $93,820 | $67,930 | $115,810 | 7,870 | $86,934 |
| 5 | CTConnecticut | $92,900 | $72,450 | $100,610 | 1,260 | $89,663 |
| 6 | MAMassachusetts | $84,550 | $74,470 | $99,780 | 3,110 | $79,947 |
| 7 | AKAlaska | $81,000 | $78,730 | $96,830 | 200 | $79,133 |
| 8 | DCDistrict of Columbia | $79,170 | $76,190 | $101,130 | 520 | $72,038 |
| 9 | NJNew Jersey | $79,110 | $67,690 | $96,930 | 5,660 | $72,708 |
| 10 | UTUtah | $78,920 | $59,900 | $93,180 | 690 | $79,827 |
| 11 | OROregon | $78,360 | $58,730 | $92,170 | 590 | $75,812 |
| 12 | DEDelaware | $77,420 | $60,150 | $87,760 | N/A | $77,569 |
| 13 | PAPennsylvania | $77,040 | $61,590 | $93,480 | 3,710 | $78,957 |
| 14 | MDMaryland | $76,410 | $63,460 | $101,240 | 1,540 | $72,800 |
| 15 | MIMichigan | $76,040 | $55,790 | $83,900 | 1,410 | $79,030 |
| 16 | ILIllinois | $74,730 | $60,600 | $86,700 | 4,460 | $74,761 |
| 17 | OHOhio | $74,590 | $60,080 | $86,150 | 7,540 | $80,400 |
| 18 | NMNew Mexico | $74,440 | $62,000 | $77,140 | 1,090 | $80,727 |
| 19 | VTVermont | $73,110 | $60,580 | $81,000 | 470 | $74,634 |
| 20 | GAGeorgia | $70,550 | $60,760 | $79,550 | 3,740 | $73,266 |
| 21 | NHNew Hampshire | $66,760 | $59,620 | $78,690 | 650 | $64,091 |
| 22 | COColorado | $66,130 | $60,870 | $80,530 | 2,020 | $64,171 |
| 23 | WIWisconsin | $65,840 | $57,440 | $80,340 | 2,650 | $69,972 |
| 24 | MTMontana | $63,960 | $51,230 | $76,840 | 190 | $67,579 |
| 25 | VAVirginia | $63,820 | $59,650 | $81,810 | 3,000 | $63,123 |
| 26 | MNMinnesota | $63,630 | $59,950 | $81,450 | 1,930 | $64,520 |
| 27 | IAIowa | $63,590 | $59,550 | $76,580 | 990 | $72,457 |
| 28 | NENebraska | $63,460 | $59,800 | $76,300 | 680 | $70,431 |
| 29 | MEMaine | $63,440 | $60,660 | $77,150 | 310 | $65,368 |
| 30 | TXTexas | $63,360 | $61,070 | $71,030 | 12,580 | $65,281 |
| 31 | NVNevada | $63,280 | $48,300 | $74,420 | 290 | $63,293 |
| 32 | ALAlabama | $62,850 | $52,970 | $69,810 | 460 | $70,759 |
| 33 | WYWyoming | $62,770 | $60,830 | $72,480 | 330 | $67,720 |
| 34 | SCSouth Carolina | $62,310 | $52,140 | $74,450 | 980 | $66,465 |
| 35 | AZArizona | $62,130 | $52,040 | $66,290 | 580 | $61,712 |
| 36 | HIHawaii | $61,750 | $60,200 | $76,880 | 380 | $56,161 |
| 37 | FLFlorida | $60,440 | $55,710 | $62,660 | 2,630 | $58,445 |
| 38 | KYKentucky | $60,200 | $48,490 | $63,580 | 1,530 | $66,771 |
| 39 | IDIdaho | $60,170 | $52,510 | $66,930 | 300 | $63,009 |
| 40 | TNTennessee | $60,000 | $51,440 | $66,560 | 1,310 | $65,310 |
| 41 | KSKansas | $59,780 | $50,980 | $62,100 | 550 | $66,372 |
| 42 | LALouisiana | $59,420 | $50,510 | $61,140 | 1,130 | $67,364 |
| 43 | NCNorth Carolina | $59,360 | $48,510 | $61,830 | 2,470 | $62,931 |
| 44 | INIndiana | $58,900 | $49,260 | $69,100 | 1,070 | $63,110 |
| 45 | PRPuerto Rico | $58,270 | $51,290 | $60,560 | 950 | N/A |
| 46 | NDNorth Dakota | $57,680 | $48,080 | $66,340 | 200 | $64,839 |
| 47 | ARArkansas | $56,830 | $51,130 | $60,480 | 750 | $65,369 |
| 48 | WVWest Virginia | $56,440 | $47,970 | $59,570 | 1,080 | $63,064 |
| 49 | SDSouth Dakota | $51,360 | $48,370 | $58,080 | 310 | $57,978 |
| 50 | MSMississippi | $50,750 | $47,920 | $59,350 | 1,020 | $58,365 |
| 51 | OKOklahoma | $50,450 | $47,850 | $59,510 | 930 | $57,432 |
| 52 | MOMissouri | $50,370 | $46,390 | $59,920 | 1,050 | $55,463 |
Method
How the cost-of-living adjustment works
The adjusted column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity (RPP) and multiplies by 100. RPPs measure how much a fixed basket of goods, services and rents costs in one state relative to the national average, so the result restates local pay in national-average dollars.
For Special Education Teachers, Middle School, that changes the ranking: California leads on raw pay at $101,530, while Washington leads once prices are taken into account at $92,998.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (public domain). The adjustment is NueCareer's calculation, not a BLS or BEA published statistic.
Questions
Special Education Teacher, Middle School pay by state: FAQ
Which state pays Special Education Teachers, Middle School the most?
California reports the highest median wage for Special Education Teachers, Middle School at $101,530 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), followed by Washington ($99,520) and Rhode Island ($93,970).
Which state pays Special Education Teachers, Middle School the least?
Missouri reports the lowest median for Special Education Teachers, Middle School at $50,370 a year, $51,160 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do Special Education Teachers, Middle School earn the most after cost of living?
Dividing each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity puts Washington first at $92,998 in national-average dollars, from a raw median of $99,520. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.