SOC 25-2056.00

    Special Education Teachers, Elementary School

    Teach academic, social, and life skills to elementary school students with learning, emotional, or physical disabilities.

    Median pay
    $65,120
    Growth
    -0.4%
    Little or no change
    Openings a year
    16,400
    Typical education
    Bachelor's degree

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections · figures for the broader BLS group "Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school"

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $49,350
    Median
    $65,120
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $103,010
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    260,870 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Elementary school special education teachers instruct young students with physical, emotional, or learning disabilities. The career offers a median annual pay of $65,120, with jobs available across the nation.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What special education teachers, elementary school do

    Job Zone 4: Considerable preparation

    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.

    Most need a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience.

    What the work is like

    These educators teach academic, social, and life skills to elementary students with diverse needs, including those with visual or hearing impairments and intellectual disabilities. Day-to-day activities involve gathering information, planning and organizing lessons, and establishing strong interpersonal relationships. Teachers must analyze data and evaluate information to ensure their programs comply with educational standards.

    Success in this role requires strong skills in instructing, active listening, speaking, and social perceptiveness. Teachers utilize knowledge of education, training, psychology, therapy, and counseling to support their students. Because the work is highly social, it suits individuals who are cooperative, empathetic, and dependable. Maintaining self-control, optimism, and stress tolerance is essential when managing challenging classroom situations.

    How to get there

    Entering this field typically requires a bachelor's degree. Most professionals need several years of related experience alongside their degree to be fully prepared for the classroom. College students usually major in special education and teaching.

    Depending on where they plan to work, teachers may need to meet specific state requirements, as some states list a license for this career. Additionally, some educators obtain a DoDEA Certification through the Department of Defense Education Activity. Related roles in this field include teaching special education at the preschool, kindergarten, middle school, or secondary school levels.

    Pay and outlook explained

    In 2025, the median annual pay for this profession was $65,120, a figure calculated for the broader group of kindergarten and elementary school special education teachers. Earnings range from less than $49,350 for the lowest 10% of workers to more than $103,010 for the highest 10%.

    There are 260,870 people employed in this field. Between 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to experience little or no change, with a slight decline of -0.4%. Despite this flat growth, school districts are expected to have 16,400 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R)
    21 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    49 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    44 / 100
    Social (S) · strongest
    100 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    13 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    41 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code SIA. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Getting Information
    94
    Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
    93
    Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
    89
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    81
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    79
    Analyzing Data or Information
    76
    Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
    73
    Processing Information
    71
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    71
    Developing Objectives and Strategies
    71
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Active Listening
    • Instructing
    • Speaking
    • Learning Strategies
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Social Perceptiveness
    • Critical Thinking
    • Writing
    • Judgment and Decision Making
    • Monitoring

    Knowledge

    • Education and Training
    • English Language
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Mathematics
    • Administration and Management
    • Psychology
    • Public Safety and Security
    • Administrative
    • Therapy and Counseling

    Abilities

    • Oral Expression
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Speech Clarity
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Written Comprehension
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Fluency of Ideas
    • Near Vision
    • Category Flexibility

    Work styles

    • Empathy
    • Dependability
    • Cooperation
    • Sincerity
    • Self-Control
    • Optimism
    • Integrity
    • Social Orientation
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Attention to Detail

    Also called

    Academic Interventionist · APE Teacher (Adapted Physical Education Teacher) · Behavior Interventionist · Behavior Specialist · Blind Teacher · Braille Teacher · Cross-Categorical SPED Teacher (Cross-Categorical Special Education Teacher) · Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teacher (DHH Teacher) · Developmentally Delayed Special Education Teacher (DD Special Education Teacher) · Early Childhood Special Educator

    Career pathway

    From your interests to special education teachers, elementary school

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Special Education Teachers, Elementary School$65,120 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1
      Manhattan College

      Riverdale, NY · Special Education and Teaching · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $83,932
      Median debt
      Not reported
    2. 2Utah State University logo
      Utah State University

      Logan, UT · Special Education and Teaching · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $58,712
      4 yrs after
      $74,535
      Median debt
      $17,379
    3. 3SUNY Cortland logo
      SUNY Cortland

      Cortland, NY · Special Education and Teaching · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $74,079
      Median debt
      $24,250
    4. 4Seton Hall University-New Jersey logo
      Seton Hall University-New Jersey

      South Orange, NJ · Special Education and Teaching · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $72,067
      Median debt
      Not reported
    5. 5Molloy College logo
      Molloy College

      Rockville Centre, NY · Special Education and Teaching · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $49,948
      4 yrs after
      $71,781
      Median debt
      $27,000
    6. 6The College of New Jersey logo
      The College of New Jersey

      Ewing, NJ · Special Education and Teaching · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $66,767
      Median debt
      $26,000
    7. 7
      CUNY Medgar Evers College

      Brooklyn, NY · Special Education and Teaching · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $58,611
      4 yrs after
      $66,377
      Median debt
      Not reported
    8. 8Saint Joseph's University logo
      Saint Joseph's University

      Philadelphia, PA · Special Education and Teaching · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $54,709
      4 yrs after
      $64,827
      Median debt
      $26,261

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What special education teachers, elementary school may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work. Showing 12 of 13.

    • Education/Teaching of Individuals in Elementary Special Education Programs
    • Education/Teaching of Individuals Who are Developmentally Delayed
    • Education/Teaching of Individuals with Autism
    • Education/Teaching of Individuals with Emotional Disturbances
    • Education/Teaching of Individuals with Hearing Impairments Including Deafness
    • Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities
    • Education/Teaching of Individuals with Multiple Disabilities
    • Education/Teaching of Individuals with Orthopedic and Other Physical Health Impairments
    • Education/Teaching of Individuals with Specific Learning Disabilities
    • Education/Teaching of Individuals with Speech or Language Impairments
    • Education/Teaching of Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injuries
    • Education/Teaching of Individuals with Vision Impairments Including Blindness

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    48 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 6, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about special education teachers, elementary school

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What college majors are recommended for this career?

    Students preparing for this career typically major in special education and teaching. This coursework provides the necessary foundation in instruction, psychology, and learning strategies.

    Are there specific licenses or certifications required?

    Some states list a license for this work, so requirements vary by location. Additionally, teachers can pursue a DoDEA Certification from the Department of Defense Education Activity.

    What are some alternative job titles for this position?

    Professionals in this field are also called behavior specialists, academic interventionists, braille teachers, or deaf and hard of hearing teachers.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 6, 2026.

    Page data updated November 6, 2026.