Special Education Teachers (Secondary School)
O*NET title: Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
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.
Also called: Blind Teacher, Braille Teacher, Cross-Categorical SPED Teacher (Cross-Categorical Special Education Teacher), Deaf Teacher, Education Specialist, Emotional Disability Special Education Teacher (ED SPED Teacher)
Median pay
$74,260
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$49,800 – $109,100
People employed
163,930
Holland code
SIA
Social · Investigative · Artistic
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 happy talking and working with people most of the day?
- 3.Do you want the same hours every week?
- 4.Do you want variety, with new tasks often?
- 5.Do you want a lot of freedom to make your own decisions?
- 6.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
The hard parts
- Dealing with conflict is part of the job
- Tight deadlines are common
Special Education Teachers (Secondary School) pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Special Education Teachers (Secondary School) salary in every state →
What special education teachers (secondary school) do
- 01Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.
- 02Maintain accurate and complete student records, and prepare reports on children and activities, as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
- 03Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, or other professionals to develop individual educational plans (IEPs) for students' educational, physical, and social development.
- 04Employ special educational strategies and techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, and memory.
- 05Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects, and communicate those objectives to students.
- 06Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
Skills that matter most
- Learning Strategies
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Monitoring
Knowledge
- Education and Training
- English Language
- Psychology
- Customer and Personal Service
- Therapy and Counseling
Work styles that stand out
- Integrity
- Cooperation
- Social Orientation
- Self-Control
- Stress Tolerance
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a bachelor's degree (O*NET Job Zone 4).
- Related work experience: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
- On-the-job training: anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month.
- 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 (secondary school)
- Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors87% · −17%
- Education Teachers, Postsecondary82% · +1%
- Instructional Coordinators80% · +4%
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors80% · −13%
- Training and Development Specialists79% · −7%
Change into special education teachers (secondary school)
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term92% · $41,670
- Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors91% · $61,540
- Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary85% · $75,870
- Instructional Coordinators85% · $77,440
- Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary85% · $77,570
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 with Traumatic Brain Injuries
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.