Masters in Special Education Salary

A bachelor’s degree may be the minimum educational requirement to become a special education teacher in the U.S., but that certainly hasn’t stopped many in the field from pursuing a master’s degree and enjoying the professional and financial benefits that come with it. And for anybody who already has a bachelor’s in an area other than teaching and who is looking to make the transition to a new career in special education, a master’s degree with a teacher prep component to the curriculum provides that path.

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How Demand and Other Factors Are Influencing Salaries and Reducing Student Debt for Special Education Teachers

There is a widespread shortage of special education teachers in the U.S., leaving school districts everywhere scrambling to attract and retain talented educators with special ed credentials. According to the U.S. Department of Education, which maintains a database of “teacher shortage areas” in each state, 45 states and Washington D.C. experienced special education teacher shortages in the 2020-21 school year, either in specific grades/special education areas or statewide.

For example, California, Washington D.C, Florida, Michigan, Massachusetts, Nebraska, and New Jersey are just a handful of states that reported a statewide shortage of special education teachers in all grades from PreK to grade 12 during the 2020-21 school year.

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These shortages come as no surprise as the number of students in Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and receiving special education services through the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) continues to grow. Between the 2007-08 and 2018-19 school years, the number of students receiving special education services increased by a half million, and now totals 7.1 million in 2019-20 – representing about 14 percent of the entire public school population in the U.S.

With a persistent and widespread shortage to contend with, the federal government and state education agencies are working to solve the problem by eliminating barriers to entering the field. Of course, the barriers in question are almost always financial ones as it gets more and more difficult to afford a college education. That’s why together, state and federal government are working to identify teacher shortage areas and provide affordable loans and loan repayment programs specifically aimed at student teachers pursuing certification with a special ed endorsement, as well as those currently working in the field looking to advance and specialize.

For example, the federal TEACH (Teacher Education Assistants for College and Higher Education) Grant Program provides grants of up to $4,000 per year for students who agree to serve as a teacher in a high-need field that serves students from low-income families. Current high-need fields include:

Special education
Bilingual education/English language acquisition
Foreign language
Mathematics
Reading specialist
Science

The Teacher Forgiveness Program provides up to $17,500 in loan repayment for special education teachers with Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Federal Stafford loans. Special education teachers who achieve “highly-qualified” status are eligible for this program if they teach full-time for five, consecutive school years in a low-income school or educational service agency at either the elementary or secondary level.

Many states have also implemented state-level loan repayment and other incentive programs for teachers in high-demand areas. For example, Texas offers the Teach for Texas Loan Repayment Assistance Program, which provides loan repayment assistance of up to $2,500 for teachers working in identified teacher shortage areas, which include:

Bilingual/English as a Second Language (Grades PK-12)
Career and Technical Education (including Technology Applications and Computer Science) (Grades 7-12)
Mathematics (Grades 7-12)
Special Education (Grades PK-12)

School districts with adequate funding are also able to provide financial incentives for special education teachers in teacher shortage areas. For example, the Austin Independent School District offers two financial incentives for special education teachers: (1) a $2,000/year special education stipend for special education classroom teachers and eligible support staff; and (2) a $1,500 bonus for newly hired special education classroom teachers.

Salary Ranges for Master’s-Prepared Special Education Teachers in Different Roles and Grade Levels

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), special education teachers earned an average, annual salary of $61,030, as of May 2019, which places even the average income in the filed a good notch above the average salary for teachers overall . But there’s nothing average about teachers who hold a master’s, which tends to mean that their salaries are considerably higher too, and more likely to land closer to the 90^th percentile average of $98,530.

To offer a complete picture that takes into account how location and experience could influence salary potential, even with all other things being equal as far has having a master’s degree goes, we focus our examination of reported income for these dedicated educators on the higher ranges. That means looking at the 75^th percentile (top 25%) all the way up to the 90^th percentile (top 10%) since that range provides a more accurate picture of what master’s-educated special education teachers are earning:
Preschool special education teachers: $79,910 – $115,260 (24% hold master’s degrees at this level)
Kindergarten/elementary special education teachers: $77,420 – $97,210 (22% hold master’s degrees at this level)
Middle school special education teachers: $79,030 – $98,610 (47% hold master’s degrees at this level)
High school special education teachers: $79,150 – $98,890 (18% hold master’s degrees at this level)

Instructional Coordinators

Special education isn’t necessarily all teaching all the time. Someone has to create the tailored curriculum and methods of delivery that students with special needs require. It’s not uncommon for special education teachers with a master’s degree to serve as instructional coordinators who oversee the development and roll-out of new curricula and educational materials. In fact, a master’s degree is the standard for these positions, so median figures provide a good representation of what salaries are like in this role.

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Examining the Earning Power of Special Education Teachers with a Master’s Degree

A master’s degree is the pathway to more – and more varied – professional opportunities in special education, and is virtually always associated with a higher salary. In the vast majority of school districts throughout the country, a master’s degree earns special education teachers a bump in pay over their bachelor’s-prepared colleagues.

For example, special education teachers with the Broward County Public Schools (Ft. Lauderdale) earn an annual salary of $41,742 if they have three years of experience and a bachelor’s degree. However, special education teachers with a master’s degree and the same number of years of experience earn $3,650 more, or $45,392 annually.

Similarly, special education teachers with the Bakersfield, California City School District earn $56,950 with five years of experience and a bachelor’s degree. However, with a master’s degree and the same number of years of experience, teachers in that same position pull down $61,979—more than $5,000 more every year.

State-by-State Guide to What Special Education Teachers are Earning

Because the greatest need for special education teachers is in the elementary schools, that’s where most of the hiring is taking place right now. The following BLS stats highlight what special education teachers in the kindergarten and elementary school setting are earning (50^th – 90^th percentile range as of May 2019):

Alabama: $52,550 – $63,510
Alaska: $72,860 – $100,670
Arizona: $45,720 – $62,880
Arkansas: $49,050 – $63,580
California: $77,470 – $118,210
Colorado: $52,610 – $79,180
Connecticut: $77,990 – $102,690
Delaware: $57,990 – $80,570
District of Columbia: $76,660 – $118,620
Florida: $64,040 – $86,430
Georgia: $59,920 – $85,680
Hawaii: $57,580 – $76,900
Idaho: $46,880 – $75,490
Illinois: $61,590 – $98,230
Indiana: $49,550 – $79,490
Iowa: $55,320 – $81,750
Kansas: $52,760 – $73,190
Kentucky: $52,780 – $65,290
Louisiana: $49,350 – $61,700
Maine: $51,210 – $73,660
Maryland: $69,620 – $108,470
Massachusetts: $72,550 – $110,890
Michigan: $63,330 – $98,220
Minnesota: $58,730 – $85,140
Mississippi: $46,770 – $64,810
Missouri: $54,260 – $96,630
Montana: $49,270 – $73,540
Nebraska: $58,490 – $81,140
Nevada: $52,970 – $74,570
New Hampshire: $59,350 – $80,210
New Jersey: $67,060 – $99,170
New Mexico: $51,390 – $77,900
New York: $78,810 – $120,610
North Carolina: $49,390 – $66,290
North Dakota: $57,820 – $85,040
Ohio: $56,670 – $82,100
Oklahoma: $47,030 – $74,330
Oregon: $76,330 – $118,160
Pennsylvania: $64,210 – $94,340
Rhode Island: $77,930 – $98,890
South Carolina: $58,470 – $87,670
South Dakota: $44,300 – $59,480
Tennessee $52,630 – $72,120
Texas: $57,390 – $72,710
Utah: $43,620 – $81,870
Vermont: $60,690 – $86,110
Virginia: $64,040 – $102,140
Washington: $68,150 – $93,220
West Virginia: $42,820 – $58,480
Wisconsin: $54,700 – $81,070
Wyoming: $60,470 – $77,870

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