Special Education Teachers (Preschool)
O*NET title: 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.
Also called: Autistic Teacher, Behavior Interventionist, Behavior Specialist, Behavioral Interventionist, Blind Teacher, Braille Teacher
Median pay
$64,830
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$45,620 – $130,040
People employed
29,510
Holland code
SAI
Social · Artistic · Investigative
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
- 2.Are you comfortable following clear instructions?
- 3.Do you prefer a steady pace without constant deadlines?
- 4.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
The hard parts
- Long hours on your feet
Special Education Teachers (Preschool) pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (45 states with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Special Education Teachers (Preschool) salary in every state →
What special education teachers (preschool) do
- 01Develop or implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of disabilities.
- 02Communicate nonverbally with children to provide them with comfort, encouragement, or positive reinforcement.
- 03Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, or administrative regulations.
- 04Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement.
- 05Attend to children's basic needs by feeding them, dressing them, or changing their diapers.
- 06Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, or social skills, to preschool students with special needs.
Skills that matter most
- Speaking
- Learning Strategies
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service
- Education and Training
- English Language
- Administration and Management
- Psychology
Work styles that stand out
- Integrity
- Cooperation
- Social Orientation
- Self-Control
- Stress Tolerance
Education and first steps
O*NET has no education survey data for this job.
How people get started
- Usually needs a bachelor's degree (O*NET Job Zone 4).
- Related work experience: none.
- On-the-job training: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from special education teachers (preschool)
- Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors89% · −5%
- Recreational Therapists82% · −4%
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers80% · −8%
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors80% · −1%
- Education Teachers, Postsecondary78% · +16%
Change into special education teachers (preschool)
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors86% · $61,540
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term83% · $41,670
- Recreational Therapists82% · $61,960
- Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists81% · $100,330
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers80% · $59,550
Majors that lead here
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Education/Teaching of Individuals with Hearing Impairments Including Deafness
- Education/Teaching of Individuals with Emotional Disturbances
- Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities
- Education/Teaching of Individuals with Multiple Disabilities
- Education/Teaching of Individuals with Orthopedic and Other Physical Health Impairments
- Education/Teaching of Individuals with Vision Impairments Including Blindness
- Education/Teaching of Individuals with Specific Learning Disabilities
- Education/Teaching of Individuals with Speech or Language Impairments
- Education/Teaching of Individuals with Autism
- Education/Teaching of Individuals Who are Developmentally Delayed
- Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.