Special Education Teachers, Middle School Career, Salary and Skills
Special Education Teachers, Middle School have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $66,810 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 95,200. Wage data is published for 294 locations.
Occupation description
Teach academic, social, and life skills to middle 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.
O*NET code
25-2057.00
Job zone
4
Typical education
Bachelor's Degree
Experience
Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
National salary and employment
Median annual
$66,810
Hourly median
Not published
Employment
95,200
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Instructing | 4.12 | 4.12 |
| Learning Strategies | 4.12 | 4.25 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.00 | 4.12 |
| Active Listening | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Writing | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Active Learning | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Speaking | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Monitoring | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.00 | 4.00 |
Typical tasks
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.
- Develop and implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of handicapping conditions.
- Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
- Instruct students in daily living skills required for independent maintenance and self-sufficiency, such as hygiene, safety, and food preparation.
- Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification and positive reinforcement.
- Modify the general education curriculum for students with disabilities, based upon a variety of instructional techniques and instructional technology.
- Employ special educational strategies and techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, and memory.
- Develop or write Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students.
Technology
- Apple macOS
- Blackboard software
- Common Curriculum
- EasyCBM
- Email software
- Flipgrid
- Google Classroom
- Hand held spell checkers
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Microsoft Word
Special Education Teachers, Middle School salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Special Education Teachers, Middle School Salary in TXMedian $63,360 · Employment 12,580
- Special Education Teachers, Middle School Salary in New York, NYMedian $94,740 · Employment 8,330
- Special Education Teachers, Middle School Salary in NYMedian $93,820 · Employment 7,870
- Special Education Teachers, Middle School Salary in OHMedian $74,590 · Employment 7,540
- Special Education Teachers, Middle School Salary in NJMedian $79,110 · Employment 5,660
- Special Education Teachers, Middle School Salary in Dallas, TXMedian $65,870 · Employment 5,610
- Special Education Teachers, Middle School Salary in CAMedian $101,530 · Employment 4,860
- Special Education Teachers, Middle School Salary in ILMedian $74,730 · Employment 4,460
- Special Education Teachers, Middle School Salary in GAMedian $70,550 · Employment 3,740
- Special Education Teachers, Middle School Salary in PAMedian $77,040 · Employment 3,710
- Special Education Teachers, Middle School Salary in Chicago, ILMedian $77,840 · Employment 3,190
- Special Education Teachers, Middle School Salary in MAMedian $84,550 · Employment 3,110
Related careers
- Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryNational median $42,910
- School PsychologistsNational median $95,990
- Self-Enrichment TeachersNational median $46,800
- Adapted Physical Education SpecialistsNational median $76,580
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationNational median $38,140
- Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special EducationNational median not published
- Instructional CoordinatorsNational median $77,440
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle SchoolNational median $65,030
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.