Special Education Teachers, Preschool
Job Zone 5 - Extensive preparation needed
Teach academic, social, and life skills to preschool-aged 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.
Median pay: $64,830/yr (U.S. national, May 2025)
Typical range nationwide (10th–90th percentile). This is a population snapshot, not a personal prediction - actual pay varies by location, employer, and experience.
Job outlook: +1.4% projected growth, 2024–2034 — about as fast as average.
About 2,100 openings per year, on average, over the decade.
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS and Employment Projections.
• Employ special educational strategies or techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, or memory.
• Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement.
• Communicate nonverbally with children to provide them with comfort, encouragement, or positive reinforcement.
• Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, or social skills, to preschool students with special needs.
• Develop individual educational plans (IEPs) designed to promote students' educational, physical, or social development.
• Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, or other professionals to develop individual education plans (IEPs).
• Teach students personal development skills, such as goal setting, independence, or self-advocacy.
• Develop or implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of disabilities.
What's the median pay for Special Education Teachers, Preschool?
The median pay for Special Education Teachers, Preschool is $64,830 per year, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What's the job outlook for Special Education Teachers, Preschool?
Employment for Special Education Teachers, Preschool is projected to change +1.4% from 2024 to 2034 - about as fast as average.
What education is typically required for Special Education Teachers, Preschool?
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
How many job openings are there each year for Special Education Teachers, Preschool?
About 2,100 openings per year, on average, over the decade.