Occupations · Educational Instruction and Library

Special Education Teachers, Preschool

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.

O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 25-2051.00

$62,190median annual wage, May 2024

28,200people employed, United States

▲ 1.4%projected change, 2024→2034

2,100openings a year, incl. replacements

What it pays

A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage

Pay over time

Median up 19% between 2012 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.

BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.

Where the jobs are

Metro area	Median wage	Employed
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	$132,930	4,420
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI	$58,440	840
St. Louis, MO-IL	$49,480	680
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$68,740	670
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$78,630	530
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$82,760	500
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$82,370	500
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$80,720	490
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$63,070	460
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$79,420	390
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$52,040	380
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO	$77,630	370

BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation

Typical education to enter: Bachelor's degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34

What people in this job actually do

Ordered by how important the work is rated.

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.
Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment or materials to prevent injuries and damage.
Administer tests to help determine children's developmental levels, needs, or potential.
Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.

O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale

Skills that matter most

Importance, rated 1 to 5.

Speaking4.1

Active Listening4.0

Reading Comprehension3.9

Critical Thinking3.9

Writing3.8

Learning Strategies3.8

Monitoring3.8

Active Learning3.6

Mathematics2.2

Science2.0

O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale

Software and tools

A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.

Microsoft Excel●Microsoft Office software●Microsoft Outlook●Microsoft PowerPoint●Microsoft Word●American Sign Language BrowserChildren's educational softwareDrawing softwareEmail softwareScreen magnification softwareScreen reader softwareWeb browser software

O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag

What this work is actually like

Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.

5 / 5Extensive preparation — graduate school, and often a licence on top.

O*NET 30.3 Job Zones

Working conditions that stand out

Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling+1.5 above average

Exposed to Disease or Infections+1.3 above average

Exposed to Hazardous Equipment−1.2 below average

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets−1.1 below average

Physical Proximity+1.1 above average

Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled−1.0 below average

Importance of Being Exact or Accurate−1.0 below average

O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2019-08

How people actually get in

Share of workers by the education they hold.

Bachelor's Degree32%

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.32%

Master's Degree24%

First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.8%

O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2019-08

What kind of person the work suits

Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.

Social7.0

Artistic4.0

Investigative3.5

O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)

What you take with you

Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.

Social Perceptiveness3.9

Service Orientation3.6

Instructing3.6

Judgment and Decision Making3.4

Complex Problem Solving3.2

Coordination3.2

Systems Analysis3.1

Time Management3.1

O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale

Knowledge the work draws on

English LanguageEducation and TrainingPsychologyPublic Safety and SecurityTherapy and CounselingComputers and Electronics

Abilities it leans on

Oral ExpressionSpeech ClarityProblem SensitivityWritten ComprehensionOral ComprehensionDeductive Reasoning

O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale

How this job is advertised

The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.

TeacherDeaf TeacherBlind TeacherBraille TeacherInterventionistResource TeacherOutdoor EducatorAutistic TeacherLip Reading TeacherResource SpecialistHandicapped TeacherHome Therapy TeacherSpecial Needs TeacherSign Language Teacher

O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation

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What changed since 2015

Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning.

Now listed 5

+Microsoft Word+Microsoft Outlook+Microsoft Office software+Microsoft Excel+Microsoft PowerPoint

Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.

O*NET 30.3 related occupations

Also called

TeacherDeaf TeacherBlind TeacherInterventionistBraille TeacherSpecial EducatorAutistic TeacherResource TeacherOutdoor EducatorParaprofessionalAssistant TeacherLip Reading Teacher

O*NET 30.3 alternative titles

The same work in Europe

ESCO occupation	ISCO	Match
special educational needs teacher primary school	2352.1.5	close
special educational needs assistant	5312.4	close
special educational needs itinerant teacher	2352.1.4	close
early years special educational needs teacher	2352.1.2	broader
special educational needs teacher	2352.1	broader

Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)

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