Special Education Teachers, Elementary School
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.
- O*NET-SOC code
25-2056.00 - Preparation Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Wages
BLS doesn't publish wages for Special Education Teachers, Elementary School separately. These are the figures for Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School (25-2052), a combined BLS occupation that includes it.
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $49,350 | $59,710 | $65,120 | $80,280 | $103,010 |
By state (51)
| State | Employment | Median annual | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 870 | $64,520 | 0.24 |
| Alaska | 320 | $80,230 | 0.58 |
| Arizona | 2,450 | $56,030 | 0.45 |
| Arkansas | 1,430 | $54,290 | 0.65 |
| California | 23,280 | $97,170 | 0.76 |
| Colorado | 4,010 | $74,290 | 0.83 |
| Connecticut | 2,810 | $82,950 | 0.99 |
| Delaware | 1,070 | $65,990 | 1.31 |
| District of Columbia | 1,070 | $97,910 | 0.91 |
| Florida | 8,740 | $58,850 | 0.52 |
| Georgia | 9,370 | $72,880 | 1.14 |
| Hawaii | 1,270 | $60,940 | 1.20 |
| Idaho | 620 | $63,610 | 0.43 |
| Illinois | 14,040 | $77,960 | 1.37 |
| Indiana | 3,640 | $58,760 | 0.68 |
| Iowa | 2,560 | $60,440 | 0.98 |
| Kansas | 1,610 | $59,970 | 0.67 |
| Kentucky | 3,710 | $60,060 | 1.10 |
| Louisiana | 4,000 | $58,800 | 1.23 |
| Maine | 1,320 | $61,880 | 1.23 |
| Maryland | 2,760 | $78,850 | 0.60 |
| Massachusetts | 7,220 | $91,350 | 1.18 |
| Michigan | 4,010 | $74,600 | 0.54 |
| Minnesota | 3,960 | $67,620 | 0.80 |
| Mississippi | 2,530 | $50,570 | 1.30 |
| Missouri | 2,860 | $57,260 | 0.58 |
| Montana | 560 | $57,630 | 0.65 |
| Nebraska | 1,900 | $62,420 | 1.11 |
| Nevada | 430 | $65,110 | 0.16 |
| New Hampshire | 1,110 | $65,160 | 0.97 |
| New Jersey | 11,610 | $76,660 | 1.61 |
| New Mexico | 880 | $76,420 | 0.60 |
| New York | 21,130 | $81,260 | 1.30 |
| North Carolina | 4,430 | $58,260 | 0.53 |
| North Dakota | 590 | $57,950 | 0.83 |
| Ohio | 9,550 | $73,970 | 1.03 |
| Oklahoma | 2,360 | $50,630 | 0.82 |
| Oregon | 1,520 | $77,700 | 0.46 |
| Pennsylvania | 7,640 | $72,680 | 0.75 |
| Rhode Island | 1,070 | $84,300 | 1.28 |
| South Carolina | 2,950 | $62,360 | 0.76 |
| South Dakota | 790 | $51,090 | 1.04 |
| Tennessee | 3,910 | $62,560 | 0.71 |
| Texas | 56,760 | $62,330 | 2.40 |
| Utah | 1,890 | $61,290 | 0.65 |
| Vermont | 770 | $74,200 | 1.51 |
| Virginia | 7,440 | $67,740 | 1.08 |
| Washington | 3,450 | $95,040 | 0.58 |
| West Virginia | 1,690 | $50,380 | 1.43 |
| Wisconsin | 4,280 | $61,520 | 0.87 |
| Wyoming | 650 | $60,930 | 1.38 |
Similar occupations
Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.
Circles are the 20 most similar occupations, coloured by Job Zone. Lines join pairs where one is among the other's 10 most similar; darker lines are pairs O*NET also lists as related. Drag a circle to move it out of the way; select one to open it.
One skill away
Among the 50 occupations most similar to Special Education Teachers, Elementary School, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.
| Occupation | Skill to build | Level gap | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Special Education Teachers, Middle School | Time Management | 0.88 | 0.973 |
| Special Education Teachers, Preschool | Systems Evaluation | 0.76 | 0.972 |
| Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling | Management of Financial Resources | 2.12 | 0.952 |
| Health Education Specialists | Operations Analysis | 2.00 | 0.951 |
| Recreation Workers | Management of Personnel Resources | 0.76 | 0.948 |
| Directors, Religious Activities and Education | Management of Personnel Resources | 0.88 | 0.942 |
| Fitness and Wellness Coordinators | Management of Personnel Resources | 0.76 | 0.942 |
Software to learn next
Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Special Education Teachers, Elementary School, excluding software Special Education Teachers, Elementary School already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.
| Software | Similar jobs using it | Lift |
|---|---|---|
| Google Classroom | 12 of 20 | 25.2x |
| Schoology | 11 of 20 | 26.7x |
| Seesaw | 9 of 20 | 29.7x |
| Common Curriculum | 8 of 20 | 26.4x |
| Flipgrid | 9 of 20 | 18.1x |
| Padlet | 8 of 20 | 21.7x |
| Blackboard software | 10 of 20 | 8.1x |
| Kahoot! | 6 of 20 | 30.8x |
| Edmodo | 6 of 20 | 27.7x |
| Nearpod | 7 of 20 | 16.2x |
Skills
From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.
| Skill | Type | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | Essential skill | 4.25 | 3.88 |
| Speaking | Essential skill | 4.25 | 3.88 |
| Instructing | Transferable skill | 4.25 | 3.62 |
| Learning Strategies | Essential skill | 4.12 | 4.62 |
| Social Perceptiveness | Transferable skill | 4.12 | 4.25 |
| Reading Comprehension | Essential skill | 4.12 | 4.00 |
| Critical Thinking | Essential skill | 4.00 | 3.75 |
| Writing | Essential skill | 3.75 | 3.88 |
| Monitoring | Essential skill | 3.62 | 3.88 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | Transferable skill | 3.62 | 3.25 |
| Service Orientation | Transferable skill | 3.62 | 3.25 |
| Active Learning | Essential skill | 3.50 | 3.62 |
| Complex Problem Solving | Transferable skill | 3.50 | 3.38 |
| Coordination | Transferable skill | 3.38 | 3.25 |
| Persuasion | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Time Management | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Systems Evaluation | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 2.62 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.62 |
| Negotiation | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.50 |
| Systems Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.38 |
| Mathematics | Essential skill | 2.62 | 2.62 |
| Quality Control Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.38 | 2.12 |
| Management of Material Resources | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 1.38 |
| Technology Design | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.25 |
| Science | Essential skill | 1.88 | 1.00 |
| Operations Analysis | Transferable skill | 1.75 | 1.00 |
| Operations Monitoring | Transferable skill | 1.75 | 1.00 |
| Management of Financial Resources | Transferable skill | 1.62 | 0.88 |
| Programming | Transferable skill | 1.62 | 0.75 |
| Troubleshooting | Transferable skill | 1.62 | 0.62 |
| Operation and Control | Transferable skill | 1.50 | 0.75 |
| Equipment Selection | Transferable skill | 1.25 | not rated |
| Equipment Maintenance | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Installation | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Repairing | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Education and Training | 4.78 | 5.51 |
| English Language | 4.58 | 4.84 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 4.21 | 4.42 |
| Computers and Electronics | 3.96 | 4.14 |
| Mathematics | 3.84 | 3.56 |
| Administration and Management | 3.59 | 2.88 |
| Psychology | 3.51 | 3.65 |
| Public Safety and Security | 3.46 | 2.56 |
| Administrative | 3.42 | 3.85 |
| Therapy and Counseling | 3.23 | 3.72 |
| Personnel and Human Resources | 2.72 | 2.27 |
| Geography | 2.62 | 4.09 |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 2.55 | 2.69 |
| Law and Government | 2.43 | 2.22 |
| Communications and Media | 2.29 | 2.09 |
| Telecommunications | 2.09 | 0.84 |
| Biology | 2.01 | 1.77 |
| History and Archeology | 1.98 | 1.98 |
| Philosophy and Theology | 1.96 | 2.20 |
| Foreign Language | 1.87 | 1.67 |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 1.73 | 1.23 |
| Transportation | 1.67 | 0.75 |
| Chemistry | 1.57 | 0.95 |
| Fine Arts | 1.50 | not rated |
| Physics | 1.50 | not rated |
| Engineering and Technology | 1.40 | not rated |
| Production and Processing | 1.40 | not rated |
| Economics and Accounting | 1.33 | not rated |
| Design | 1.28 | not rated |
| Mechanical | 1.20 | not rated |
| Sales and Marketing | 1.08 | not rated |
| Food Production | 1.02 | not rated |
| Building and Construction | 1.01 | not rated |
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Oral Expression | 4.38 | 4.25 |
| Oral Comprehension | 4.25 | 4.12 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 4.12 | 4.00 |
| Speech Clarity | 4.12 | 3.88 |
| Deductive Reasoning | 4.00 | 4.12 |
| Written Comprehension | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.88 | 3.88 |
| Fluency of Ideas | 3.75 | 4.12 |
| Near Vision | 3.75 | 3.88 |
| Speech Recognition | 3.62 | 3.88 |
| Written Expression | 3.62 | 3.88 |
| Category Flexibility | 3.62 | 3.38 |
| Information Ordering | 3.62 | 3.38 |
| Originality | 3.50 | 3.75 |
| Selective Attention | 3.50 | 3.12 |
| Far Vision | 3.25 | 3.38 |
| Flexibility of Closure | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Perceptual Speed | 2.88 | 2.62 |
| Time Sharing | 2.88 | 2.62 |
| Visualization | 2.88 | 2.62 |
| Auditory Attention | 2.88 | 2.38 |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 2.75 | 2.50 |
| Memorization | 2.75 | 2.50 |
| Speed of Closure | 2.62 | 2.88 |
| Number Facility | 2.62 | 2.38 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | 2.50 | 1.75 |
| Trunk Strength | 2.38 | 2.50 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 2.38 | 2.12 |
| Wrist-Finger Speed | 2.12 | 1.38 |
| Static Strength | 2.12 | 1.12 |
| Extent Flexibility | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Gross Body Coordination | 2.00 | 1.25 |
| Depth Perception | 2.00 | 1.12 |
| Stamina | 2.00 | 1.12 |
| Multilimb Coordination | 1.88 | 1.25 |
| Dynamic Strength | 1.88 | 0.88 |
| Gross Body Equilibrium | 1.75 | 0.88 |
| Explosive Strength | 1.75 | 0.75 |
| Finger Dexterity | 1.38 | 0.62 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 1.25 | not rated |
| Manual Dexterity | 1.25 | not rated |
| Spatial Orientation | 1.25 | not rated |
| Control Precision | 1.12 | not rated |
| Dynamic Flexibility | 1.12 | not rated |
| Glare Sensitivity | 1.12 | not rated |
| Peripheral Vision | 1.12 | not rated |
| Reaction Time | 1.12 | not rated |
| Response Orientation | 1.12 | not rated |
| Sound Localization | 1.12 | not rated |
| Night Vision | 1.00 | not rated |
| Rate Control | 1.00 | not rated |
| Speed of Limb Movement | 1.00 | not rated |
Software used
Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.
- Microsoft Excel hot
- Microsoft Office software hot
- Microsoft Outlook hot
- Microsoft PowerPoint hot
- Microsoft Word hot
- American Sign Language Browser
- Children's educational software
- Drawing software
- EasyCBM
- Email software
- Individualized Educational Program IEP software
- Nuance Dragon NaturallySpeaking
- Rethink Ed
- Scientific Learning Fast ForWord
- Screen magnification software
- Screen reader software
- Synapse outSPOKEN
- The vOICe Learning Edition
- Voice activated software
- Web browser software
- goQ WordQ
Where it concentrates
BLS doesn't publish wages for Special Education Teachers, Elementary School separately. These are the figures for Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School (25-2052), a combined BLS occupation that includes it.
Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.
| Metro area | Employment | Location quotient | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sherman-Denison, TX | 540 | 6.11 | $60,390 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | 510 | 5.51 | $59,790 |
| El Paso, TX | 2,380 | 4.19 | $64,000 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | 1,060 | 4.01 | $61,440 |
| Longview, TX | 690 | 3.46 | $58,650 |
| Amarillo, TX | 670 | 3.24 | $60,340 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | 1,530 | 3.07 | $62,600 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 6,190 | 2.85 | $60,750 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | 700 | 2.75 | $62,190 |
| Victoria, TX | 180 | 2.74 | $57,720 |