Best degree programs for Special Education Teachers, Middle School, ranked by enrollment
13 college programs and 733 schools train Special Education Teachers, Middle School. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $66,810 median wage, 95,200 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
13 college programs at 733 schools train special education teachers, middle school, graduating 26,910 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Special Education and Teaching, General. The job pays a median of $66,810 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About special education teachers, middle school
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.
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 | 84.2% | 664 | $44,139 | $26,675 |
| 2 | CIP 13.1007 | 1,466 | 5.4% | 28 | $44,139 | $26,675 |
| 3 | CIP 13.1013 | 1,077 | 4.0% | 74 | $44,139 | $26,675 |
| 4 | CIP 13.1011 | 470 | 1.7% | 41 | $44,139 | $26,675 |
| 5 | CIP 13.1012 | 344 | 1.3% | 13 | $44,139 | $26,675 |
| 6 | CIP 13.1003 | 251 | 0.9% | 32 | $44,139 | $26,675 |
| 7 | CIP 13.1009 | 204 | 0.8% | 14 | $44,139 | $26,675 |
| 8 | CIP 13.1005 | 147 | 0.5% | 22 | $44,139 | $26,675 |
| 9 | CIP 13.1014 | 101 | 0.4% | 8 | $44,139 | $26,675 |
| 10 | CIP 13.1006 | 62 | 0.2% | 12 | $44,139 | $26,675 |
| 11 | CIP 13.1008 | 55 | 0.2% | 4 | $44,139 | $26,675 |
| 12 | CIP 13.1018 | 36 | 0.1% | 7 | $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, middle school 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 | $62,130 | 580 | 0.29× | 8 | 3,458 |
| Indiana | $58,900 | 1,070 | 0.54× | 19 | 2,624 |
| Utah | $78,920 | 690 | 0.65× | 8 | 1,482 |
| California | $101,530 | 4,860 | 0.44× | 41 | 1,399 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,040 | 3,710 | 1.00× | 55 | 1,295 |
| New York | $93,820 | 7,870 | 1.33× | 46 | 1,247 |
| Texas | $63,360 | 12,580 | 1.46× | 35 | 1,205 |
| Florida | $60,440 | 2,630 | 0.43× | 27 | 1,062 |
| Illinois | $74,730 | 4,460 | 1.19× | 33 | 945 |
| Massachusetts | $84,550 | 3,110 | 1.40× | 23 | 901 |
| Virginia | $63,820 | 3,000 | 1.19× | 19 | 885 |
| Georgia | $70,550 | 3,740 | 1.25× | 16 | 826 |
| Ohio | $74,590 | 7,540 | 2.22× | 36 | 720 |
| Kentucky | $60,200 | 1,530 | 1.25× | 15 | 692 |
| Minnesota | $63,630 | 1,930 | 1.07× | 21 | 651 |
| New Jersey | $79,110 | 5,660 | 2.16× | 17 | 604 |
| Michigan | $76,040 | 1,410 | 0.52× | 20 | 557 |
| Wisconsin | $65,840 | 2,650 | 1.47× | 15 | 467 |
| Kansas | $59,780 | 550 | 0.62× | 10 | 429 |
| Connecticut | $92,900 | 1,260 | 1.21× | 10 | 338 |
| Missouri | $50,370 | 1,050 | 0.58× | 21 | 337 |
| Nevada | $63,280 | 290 | 0.31× | 5 | 322 |
| Alabama | $62,850 | 460 | 0.36× | 11 | 315 |
| Oregon | $78,360 | 590 | 0.49× | 7 | 315 |
| Tennessee | $60,000 | 1,310 | 0.65× | 22 | 302 |
| New Mexico | $74,440 | 1,090 | 2.04× | 9 | 245 |
| North Carolina | $59,360 | 2,470 | 0.82× | 19 | 242 |
| Maryland | $76,410 | 1,540 | 0.91× | 9 | 233 |
| Colorado | $66,130 | 2,020 | 1.15× | 8 | 217 |
| Oklahoma | $50,450 | 930 | 0.89× | 7 | 216 |
| Arkansas | $56,830 | 750 | 0.94× | 8 | 212 |
| South Carolina | $62,310 | 980 | 0.70× | 17 | 211 |
| Washington | $99,520 | 1,550 | 0.71× | 10 | 193 |
| North Dakotamoderate | $57,680 | 200 | 0.74× | 4 | 179 |
| Iowa | $63,590 | 990 | 1.04× | 9 | 178 |
| Mississippi | $50,750 | 1,020 | 1.44× | 7 | 166 |
| Nebraska | $63,460 | 680 | 1.08× | 8 | 156 |
| Mainemoderate | $63,440 | 310 | 0.80× | 4 | 122 |
| Rhode Island | $93,970 | 380 | 1.24× | 5 | 113 |
| Hawaiimoderate | $61,750 | 380 | 1.00× | 3 | 112 |
| Delawarelimited | $77,420 | — | — | 2 | 81 |
| South Dakota | $51,360 | 310 | 1.10× | 5 | 76 |
| Idaho | $60,170 | 300 | 0.58× | 5 | 71 |
| Louisiana | $59,420 | 1,130 | 0.95× | 7 | 71 |
| Alaskamoderate | $81,000 | 200 | 0.99× | 3 | 48 |
| New Hampshire | $66,760 | 650 | 1.55× | 8 | 43 |
| West Virginiamoderate | $56,440 | 1,080 | 2.51× | 4 | 42 |
| District of Columbia | $79,170 | 520 | 1.21× | 6 | 40 |
| Montanamoderate | $63,960 | 190 | 0.60× | 3 | 32 |
| Vermontlimited | $73,110 | 470 | 2.54× | 2 | 15 |
| Wyominglimited | $62,770 | 330 | 1.90× | 1 | 1 |
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
- Develop or write Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students.
- 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.
- Confer with parents or guardians, other teachers, counselors, and administrators to resolve students' behavioral and academic problems.
- Coordinate placement of students with special needs into mainstream classes.
- Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, and professionals to develop individual educational plans (IEPs) for students' educational, physical, and social development.
Skills
- Speaking4.0
- Active Listening4.0
- Active Learning4.0
- Learning Strategies4.0
- Writing3.9
- Monitoring3.9
- Reading Comprehension3.9
- Critical Thinking3.8
Knowledge areas
- English Language4.5
- Education and Training4.4
- Mathematics4.0
- Administrative3.8
- Customer and Personal Service3.6
- Psychology3.5
Abilities
- Oral Comprehension4.0
- Oral Expression4.0
- Problem Sensitivity3.9
- Deductive Reasoning3.9
- Inductive Reasoning3.9
- Speech Clarity3.9
Core activities
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships4.2
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work4.0
- Working with Computers3.8
- Assisting and Caring for Others3.6
- Training and Teaching Others3.6
- Coaching and Developing Others3.6
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Special Education Teacher, Middle School
Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 13 majors mapped to Special Education Teachers, Middle School13 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
- 13.1018Education/Teaching of Individuals in Junior High/Middle School Special Education Programs
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, Middle School?+
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, 84.2% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Special Education Teacher, Middle School?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 13 programs to this occupation. The largest are Special Education and Teaching. Together they graduate about 26,910 people a year.
How much do special education teachers, middle school earn?+
The median is $66,810 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $49,420 at the 10th percentile to $102,510 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, middle school growing?+
BLS projects a -1.9% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, decline, with roughly 6,300 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
733 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, middle school work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Intervention Specialist, Special Education Teacher (SPED Teacher), Middle School Special Education Teacher (MS SPED Teacher), SPED Resource Teacher (Special Education Resource Teacher) among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 25-2057.
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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