Special Education Teachers, Preschool: Career Profile
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.
Featured schools near , edit
What Tasks Do Special Education Teachers, Preschool Perform?
The core tasks performed by special education teachers, preschool span:
- Employ special educational strategies or techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, or memory.
- Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement.
- Communicate nonverbally with children to provide them with comfort, encouragement, or positive reinforcement.
- Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, or social skills, to preschool students with special needs.
- Develop individual educational plans (IEPs) designed to promote students' educational, physical, or social development.
- Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, or other professionals to develop individual education plans (IEPs).
- Teach students personal development skills, such as goal setting, independence, or self-advocacy.
- Develop or implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of disabilities.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful special education teachers, preschool draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Autistic Teacher
- Behavior Interventionist
- Behavioral Interventionist
- Blind Teacher
- Braille Teacher
- Deaf Education Teacher
- Deaf Teacher
- ED Teacher (Emotional Disabilities Teacher)
How Many Special Education Teachers, Preschool Are There?
There are about 599,377 special education teachers, preschool working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +6.1% over the projection horizon.
Special Education Teachers, Preschool Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $35,173 |
| Hourly median | $16.91 |
| 10th percentile | $22,824 |
| 25th percentile | $28,999 |
| 75th percentile | $41,348 |
| 90th percentile | $47,523 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $129,860 |
| New Jersey | $86,650 |
| Massachusetts | $82,740 |
| Washington | $80,080 |
| Georgia | $78,300 |
| Alaska | $77,370 |
| Michigan | $73,630 |
| Vermont | $70,160 |
| Minnesota | $66,570 |
| Colorado | $66,420 |
| Virginia | $64,860 |
| Rhode Island | $64,050 |
| New Mexico | $63,810 |
| Nebraska | $63,760 |
| Connecticut | $63,700 |
| North Dakota | $62,870 |
| Ohio | $62,820 |
| Oregon | $61,650 |
| Tennessee | $60,810 |
| Texas | $60,810 |
| Arizona | $60,660 |
| Illinois | $60,420 |
| Kentucky | $59,840 |
| South Carolina | $57,560 |
| Kansas | $57,250 |
| Wisconsin | $57,230 |
| Utah | $56,040 |
| California | $55,890 |
| New Hampshire | $55,300 |
| North Carolina | $54,390 |
| Indiana | $53,900 |
| Louisiana | $52,700 |
| Wyoming | $50,370 |
| Florida | $50,030 |
| Missouri | $48,990 |
| Mississippi | $48,500 |
| West Virginia | $47,910 |
| Oklahoma | $47,880 |
| Arkansas | $35,220 |
| Iowa | $34,420 |
Where Special Education Teachers, Preschool Earn the Most
Earnings for special education teachers, preschool vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $110,111 | 24.2% | 2.37 |
| New England | $73,235 | 4.9% | 1.23 |
| Rocky Mountains | $63,426 | 4.0% | 1.50 |
| Great Lakes | $61,780 | 11.0% | 0.89 |
| Far Western US | $61,339 | 16.2% | 1.13 |
| Southwest | $60,096 | 7.4% | 0.61 |
| Plains States | $56,522 | 10.8% | 1.84 |
| Southeast | $55,099 | 21.4% | 1.16 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Special Education Teachers, Preschool
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $132,930 | 4,420 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $83,490 | 50 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $82,890 | 300 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $82,760 | 500 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | GA | $82,370 | 500 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $80,720 | 490 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | OH | $80,090 | |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | MI | $79,800 | 70 |
Top Industries Employing Special Education Teachers, Preschool
Most special education teachers, preschool are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 17,560 | n/a |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 10,020 | n/a |
Special Education Teachers, Preschool work in the following industries:
Tools and Technology
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of special education teachers, preschool reflects the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Physical Proximity
How to Become Special Education Teachers, Preschool
Entry-level special education teachers, preschool positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- School Psychologists (Supplemental)
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors (Supplemental)
- Education Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education (Primary-Long)
- Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education (Primary-Short)
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education (Primary-Long)
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education (Supplemental)
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Aspiring special education teachers, preschool often complete programs in:
Education
13 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 25-2051.00 (Special Education Teachers, Preschool).
GradDegree.com provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© GradDegree.com – All Rights Reserved.