Best degree programs for Special Education Teachers, All Other, ranked by enrollment
13 college programs and 759 schools train Special Education Teachers, All Other. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $76,580 median wage, 33,930 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
13 college programs at 759 schools train special education teachers, all other, graduating 28,239 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Special Education and Teaching, General. The job pays a median of $76,580 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About special education teachers, all other
All special education teachers not listed separately.
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
13 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 13.1001 | 22,668 | 80.3% | 664 | $44,139 | $26,675 |
| 2 | CIP 13.1007 | 1,466 | 5.2% | 28 | $44,139 | $26,675 |
| 3 | CIP 13.1099 | 1,365 | 4.8% | 82 | $44,139 | $26,675 |
| 4 | CIP 13.1013 | 1,077 | 3.8% | 74 | $44,139 | $26,675 |
| 5 | CIP 13.1011 | 470 | 1.7% | 41 | $44,139 | $26,675 |
| 6 | CIP 13.1012 | 344 | 1.2% | 13 | $44,139 | $26,675 |
| 7 | CIP 13.1003 | 251 | 0.9% | 32 | $44,139 | $26,675 |
| 8 | CIP 13.1009 | 204 | 0.7% | 14 | $44,139 | $26,675 |
| 9 | CIP 13.1005 | 147 | 0.5% | 22 | $44,139 | $26,675 |
| 10 | CIP 13.1014 | 101 | 0.4% | 8 | $44,139 | $26,675 |
| 11 | CIP 13.1006 | 62 | 0.2% | 12 | $44,139 | $26,675 |
| 12 | CIP 13.1008 | 55 | 0.2% | 4 | $44,139 | $26,675 |
| 13 | CIP 13.1016 | 29 | 0.1% | 2 | $44,139 | $26,675 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
What special education teachers, all other earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $59,500 | — | — | 9 | 3,520 |
| Indiana | $60,920 | 80 | 0.11× | 22 | 2,663 |
| New York | $65,970 | 2,170 | 1.03× | 52 | 1,625 |
| Utah | $67,860 | 100 | 0.27× | 8 | 1,482 |
| California | $103,050 | 8,920 | 2.24× | 41 | 1,437 |
| Pennsylvania | $76,530 | 450 | 0.34× | 54 | 1,353 |
| Texas | $65,710 | 880 | 0.29× | 35 | 1,205 |
| Florida | $68,690 | 900 | 0.42× | 28 | 1,084 |
| Massachusetts | $78,440 | 300 | 0.37× | 25 | 961 |
| Illinois | $64,850 | 2,560 | 1.92× | 33 | 953 |
| Virginia | $77,280 | 540 | 0.60× | 18 | 893 |
| Georgia | $76,130 | 980 | 0.92× | 16 | 870 |
| Minnesota | $69,470 | 180 | 0.28× | 22 | 751 |
| Ohio | $51,230 | 580 | 0.48× | 35 | 741 |
| Kentucky | $63,140 | 290 | 0.66× | 15 | 695 |
| New Jersey | $71,110 | 610 | 0.65× | 18 | 645 |
| Michigan | $78,540 | 3,320 | 3.45× | 20 | 567 |
| Wisconsin | $66,910 | 160 | 0.24× | 17 | 517 |
| Connecticut | $61,480 | 1,400 | 3.77× | 10 | 381 |
| Alabama | $49,520 | 110 | 0.24× | 12 | 376 |
| Missouri | $49,610 | 210 | 0.33× | 22 | 349 |
| Oregon | $82,240 | 820 | 1.90× | 8 | 329 |
| Nevada | $64,410 | 1,230 | 3.64× | 5 | 322 |
| Tennessee | $63,300 | 180 | 0.26× | 22 | 302 |
| Maryland | $76,100 | 3,020 | 5.02× | 12 | 276 |
| North Carolina | $65,170 | — | — | 20 | 264 |
| Arkansas | $61,690 | 70 | 0.25× | 8 | 251 |
| New Mexico | $86,520 | 100 | 0.51× | 9 | 245 |
| Colorado | $79,290 | 180 | 0.28× | 8 | 218 |
| Nebraska | $59,760 | 60 | 0.28× | 9 | 206 |
| Iowa | $71,050 | 340 | 0.99× | 9 | 200 |
| Washington | $76,790 | 170 | 0.21× | 10 | 193 |
| North Dakotamoderate | $61,500 | 90 | 0.92× | 4 | 185 |
| Mississippi | $46,700 | 60 | 0.24× | 7 | 166 |
| Mainemoderate | $56,780 | — | — | 4 | 122 |
| Rhode Island | $80,080 | 110 | 1.05× | 5 | 115 |
| Delawarelimited | $85,040 | 50 | 0.43× | 2 | 81 |
| Louisiana | $61,170 | 610 | 1.45× | 7 | 71 |
| New Hampshire | $66,670 | 160 | 1.05× | 8 | 43 |
| West Virginiamoderate | $39,920 | 530 | 3.44× | 4 | 42 |
| District of Columbia | $71,130 | 130 | 0.87× | 6 | 40 |
| Vermontlimited | $46,980 | 70 | 1.13× | 2 | 15 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Adapt instructional techniques to the age and skill levels of students.
- Instruct students, using adapted physical education techniques, to improve physical fitness, gross motor skills, perceptual motor skills, or sports and game achievement.
- Provide individual or small groups of students with adapted physical education instruction that meets desired physical needs or goals.
- Provide students positive feedback to encourage them and help them develop an appreciation for physical education.
- Establish and maintain standards of behavior to create safe, orderly, and effective environments for learning.
- Provide adapted physical education services to students with intellectual disabilities, autism, traumatic brain injury, orthopedic impairments, or other disabling condition.
- Assess students' physical progress or needs.
- Assist in screening or placement of students in adapted physical education programs.
Skills
- Active Listening4.0
- Active Learning4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Monitoring3.9
- Reading Comprehension3.9
- Writing3.9
- Critical Thinking3.9
- Learning Strategies3.9
Knowledge areas
- Education and Training4.5
- Psychology3.9
- English Language3.5
- Therapy and Counseling3.1
- Customer and Personal Service3.1
- Administrative2.8
Abilities
- Oral Expression4.1
- Oral Comprehension4.0
- Problem Sensitivity3.9
- Deductive Reasoning3.9
- Near Vision3.9
- Written Comprehension3.9
Core activities
- Performing General Physical Activities4.5
- Assisting and Caring for Others4.4
- Getting Information4.1
- Developing Objectives and Strategies4.0
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.0
- Thinking Creatively4.0
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Special Education Teacher, All Other
Job zone 5 of 5 · SVP 8.0 and above- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 13 majors mapped to Special Education Teachers, All Other13 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 13.1001Special Education and Teaching, General
- 13.1003Education/Teaching of Individuals with Hearing Impairments Including Deafness
- 13.1005Education/Teaching of Individuals with Emotional Disturbances
- 13.1006Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities
- 13.1007Education/Teaching of Individuals with Multiple Disabilities
- 13.1008Education/Teaching of Individuals with Orthopedic and Other Physical Health Impairments
- 13.1009Education/Teaching of Individuals with Vision Impairments Including Blindness
- 13.1011Education/Teaching of Individuals with Specific Learning Disabilities
- 13.1012Education/Teaching of Individuals with Speech or Language Impairments
- 13.1013Education/Teaching of Individuals with Autism
- 13.1014Education/Teaching of Individuals Who are Developmentally Delayed
- 13.1016Education/Teaching of Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injuries
- 13.1099Special Education and Teaching, Other
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a Special Education Teacher, All Other?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Special Education and Teaching, General, which awarded 22,668 degrees in 2024-25, 80.3% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Special Education Teacher, All Other?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 13 programs to this occupation. The largest are Special Education and Teaching. Together they graduate about 28,239 people a year.
How much do special education teachers, all other earn?+
The median is $76,580 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $48,440 at the 10th percentile to $120,080 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for special education teachers, all other growing?+
BLS projects a +1.1% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, little or no change, with roughly 2,900 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
759 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 13 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do special education teachers, all other work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Adapted Physical Educator, Adapted Physical Education Specialist (APE Specialist), Adapted Physical Education Teacher (Adapted PE Teacher), DAPE Specialist (Developmental Adapted Physical Education Specialist) among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 25-2059.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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