SOC 25-2051 · Educational Instruction and Library Occupations
Special Education Teachers, Preschool
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries
U.S. median annual wage$64,830
U.S. median hourly wageNot published
U.S. employment29,510
Nationally, special education teachers, preschool earned a median of $64,830 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 29,510 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.
National pay distribution
Pay by state
Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.
| State | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $99,070 | Not published | 710 | 0.2 |
| New Jersey | $92,060 | Not published | 1,720 | 0.4 |
| Connecticut | $87,960 | Not published | 380 | 0.2 |
| Washington | $86,580 | Not published | 820 | 0.2 |
| Maryland | $85,010 | Not published | 70 | 0.0 |
| Pennsylvania | $83,510 | Not published | 490 | 0.1 |
| Alaska | $80,390 | Not published | 110 | 0.3 |
| Vermont | $79,000 | Not published | 70 | 0.2 |
| Colorado | $78,040 | Not published | 810 | 0.3 |
| Virginia | $77,570 | Not published | 650 | 0.2 |
| Oregon | $77,490 | Not published | 400 | 0.2 |
| Minnesota | $75,880 | Not published | 1,250 | 0.4 |
| Michigan | $75,860 | Not published | 430 | 0.1 |
| Hawaii | $75,120 | Not published | 230 | 0.4 |
| Georgia | $72,310 | Not published | 380 | 0.1 |
| New York | $68,180 | Not published | 6,220 | 0.6 |
| New Mexico | $66,010 | Not published | 270 | 0.3 |
| Texas | $65,680 | Not published | 2,010 | 0.1 |
| Iowa | $63,540 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Nebraska | $62,760 | Not published | 80 | 0.1 |
| Illinois | $62,580 | Not published | 1,080 | 0.2 |
| Missouri | $62,250 | Not published | 940 | 0.3 |
| New Hampshire | $61,720 | Not published | 80 | 0.1 |
| Wisconsin | $60,870 | Not published | 240 | 0.1 |
| Ohio | $60,700 | Not published | 1,150 | 0.2 |
| Maine | $60,680 | Not published | 40 | 0.1 |
| North Carolina | $60,180 | Not published | 640 | 0.1 |
| Arizona | $60,130 | Not published | 330 | 0.1 |
| North Dakota | $60,060 | Not published | 50 | 0.1 |
| South Carolina | $59,800 | Not published | 170 | 0.1 |
| California | $59,550 | Not published | 2,510 | 0.1 |
| Tennessee | $59,550 | Not published | 330 | 0.1 |
| Rhode Island | $59,310 | Not published | 120 | 0.2 |
| Delaware | $59,250 | Not published | 100 | 0.2 |
| Kansas | $59,220 | Not published | 350 | 0.2 |
| Florida | $58,240 | Not published | 1,370 | 0.1 |
| Utah | $58,230 | Not published | 110 | 0.1 |
| Louisiana | $56,890 | Not published | 960 | 0.5 |
| Kentucky | $54,220 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Mississippi | $52,420 | Not published | 110 | 0.1 |
| Wyoming | $52,100 | Not published | 80 | 0.3 |
| Oklahoma | $49,720 | Not published | 60 | 0.0 |
| Idaho | $49,610 | Not published | 180 | 0.2 |
| Indiana | $48,680 | Not published | 380 | 0.1 |
| Arkansas | $35,580 | Not published | 510 | 0.4 |
Pay by metro area
All 98 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.
Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.
| Metro area | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $119,560 | Not published | 380 | 0.3 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $117,200 | Not published | 240 | 0.2 |
| Akron, OH | $100,650 | Not published | 60 | 0.2 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $99,440 | Not published | 610 | 0.2 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $94,240 | Not published | 470 | 0.2 |
| Fresno, CA | $93,800 | Not published | 120 | 0.3 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $92,660 | Not published | 80 | 0.2 |
| New Haven, CT | $90,440 | Not published | 50 | 0.2 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $89,180 | Not published | 130 | 0.2 |
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | $86,120 | Not published | 40 | 0.3 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $85,200 | Not published | 60 | 0.2 |
| Worcester, MA | $84,040 | Not published | 50 | 0.1 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $82,760 | Not published | 440 | 0.1 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $82,600 | Not published | 50 | 0.4 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $82,390 | Not published | 40 | 0.2 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $82,280 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $81,210 | Not published | 6,110 | 0.6 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $80,950 | Not published | 350 | 0.2 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $80,700 | Not published | 760 | 0.4 |
| Anchorage, AK | $80,390 | Not published | 90 | 0.5 |
| Boulder, CO | $80,230 | Not published | 90 | 0.5 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $79,940 | Not published | 50 | 0.3 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $79,840 | Not published | 40 | 0.3 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $79,650 | Not published | 80 | 0.1 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $79,560 | Not published | 510 | 0.2 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $79,370 | Not published | 80 | 0.2 |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $78,860 | Not published | 30 | 0.5 |
| Rockford, IL | $78,600 | Not published | 30 | 0.2 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $78,090 | Not published | 140 | 0.0 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $77,540 | Not published | 270 | 0.2 |
| Mankato, MN | $77,310 | Not published | 30 | 0.6 |
| Rochester, MN | $76,710 | Not published | 70 | 0.5 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $75,420 | Not published | 50 | 0.2 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $75,330 | Not published | 50 | 0.4 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $75,160 | Not published | 40 | 0.2 |
| Vallejo, CA | $75,140 | Not published | 50 | 0.3 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $74,810 | Not published | 110 | 0.1 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $74,110 | Not published | 750 | 0.2 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $73,220 | Not published | 200 | 0.2 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $72,390 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $68,990 | Not published | 80 | 0.2 |
| Ogden, UT | $68,760 | Not published | 60 | 0.2 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $66,740 | Not published | 150 | 0.2 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $66,240 | Not published | 280 | 0.1 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $64,690 | Not published | 210 | 0.5 |
| Savannah, GA | $64,240 | Not published | 40 | 0.2 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $63,830 | Not published | 100 | 0.1 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $63,790 | Not published | 30 | 0.1 |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | $63,780 | Not published | 50 | 0.3 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $63,670 | Not published | 110 | 0.1 |
| Rochester, NY | $63,580 | Not published | 170 | 0.3 |
| Knoxville, TN | $63,150 | Not published | 50 | 0.1 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $62,760 | Not published | 60 | 0.1 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $62,300 | Not published | 200 | 0.3 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $62,080 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $61,980 | Not published | 90 | 0.5 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $61,950 | Not published | 900 | 0.2 |
| Richmond, VA | $61,860 | Not published | 80 | 0.1 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $61,710 | Not published | 70 | 0.1 |
| Madison, WI | $61,460 | Not published | 40 | 0.1 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $61,450 | Not published | 120 | 0.4 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $61,380 | Not published | 330 | 0.2 |
| Columbus, OH | $61,290 | Not published | 120 | 0.1 |
| Binghamton, NY | $61,260 | Not published | 30 | 0.3 |
| Wichita, KS | $60,910 | Not published | 60 | 0.2 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $60,660 | Not published | 190 | 0.7 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $60,400 | Not published | 250 | 0.1 |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | $60,330 | Not published | 30 | 0.2 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $60,070 | Not published | 140 | 0.1 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $59,590 | Not published | 60 | 0.5 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $59,520 | Not published | 200 | 0.4 |
| St. Cloud, MN | $59,480 | Not published | 40 | 0.4 |
| Dover, DE | $59,400 | Not published | 50 | 0.7 |
| Columbia, SC | $59,360 | Not published | 60 | 0.2 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $59,340 | Not published | 310 | 0.3 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $59,140 | Not published | 170 | 0.4 |
| Cleveland, OH | $58,900 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $58,320 | Not published | 50 | 0.1 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $57,840 | Not published | 320 | 0.1 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $57,760 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Tucson, AZ | $57,380 | Not published | 40 | 0.1 |
| Monroe, LA | $56,890 | Not published | 180 | 2.0 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $56,620 | Not published | 170 | 0.4 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $55,200 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Topeka, KS | $55,140 | Not published | 60 | 0.5 |
| Syracuse, NY | $54,640 | Not published | 80 | 0.3 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $51,040 | Not published | 40 | 0.3 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $50,920 | Not published | 400 | 0.3 |
| Jackson, MS | $50,640 | Not published | 30 | 0.1 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $47,960 | Not published | 70 | 0.2 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | $47,540 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $46,840 | Not published | 40 | 0.1 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $46,740 | Not published | 120 | 0.1 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $46,630 | Not published | 60 | 0.2 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $36,560 | Not published | 170 | 0.5 |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | $35,400 | Not published | 60 | 0.4 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $31,410 | Not published | 70 | 0.3 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | Not published | Not published | 100 | 0.3 |
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.