Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
Job Zone 4 - Considerable preparation needed
Teach academic, social, and life skills to secondary 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.
Median pay: $74,260/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: -1.6% projected growth, 2024–2034 — declining.
About 11,100 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.
• Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.
• Maintain accurate and complete student records, and prepare reports on children and activities, as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
• Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, or other professionals to develop individual educational plans (IEPs) for students' educational, physical, and social development.
• Employ special educational strategies and techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, and memory.
• Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects, and communicate those objectives to students.
• Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
• Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification and positive reinforcement.
• Confer with parents or guardians, other teachers, counselors, and administrators to resolve students' behavioral and academic problems.
What's the median pay for Special Education Teachers, Secondary School?
The median pay for Special Education Teachers, Secondary School is $74,260 per year, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What's the job outlook for Special Education Teachers, Secondary School?
Employment for Special Education Teachers, Secondary School is projected to change -1.6% from 2024 to 2034 - declining.
What education is typically required for Special Education Teachers, Secondary School?
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
How many job openings are there each year for Special Education Teachers, Secondary School?
About 11,100 openings per year, on average, over the decade.