In recent years, significant fluctuations have been witnessed in the salary range of special school teachers. The latest salary projections are presented in this article.
If you happen to come across teachers who have 30 or more years of teaching experience in the US, be it in public or private schools, you’ll notice that these teachers command salaries to the tune of USD 100K or more. But these teachers, in the age group of 55 to 60, had to wait for long to earn such high salaries.
Now, when they’re about to retire, perks, bonuses, and pension schemes are making them eligible for retirement money amounting in millions. The average salary of a special education teacher in the United States falls anywhere in the range of USD 30,000 to USD 60,000.
The Salary Range
School teacher salaries saw a jump in the 1980s and since then, prospects have improved for teachers. Every now and then, debate about better salaries for school teachers gains prominence in the educational sphere. Nonetheless, salaries and added benefits have certainly improved for teachers in the past couple of decades and so, being positive about this profession is the key to growth. The salary largely depends on four factors; educational qualifications, work experience, type of employer, and job location.
Type of Employer
The type of special school; elementary, middle, or high school, which a teacher is working in, determines their earning potential. Those working in elementary schools, kindergartens, and preschools can earn anywhere between USD 34,000 to USD 50,000 yearly.
Bonuses in the range of USD 450 to USD 2000 are also granted to teachers. The salary for those working in middle school is between USD 36,000 to USD 51,000. Those teaching children with learning disabilities in high school can earn anywhere between USD 35,000 to USD 55,000.
Educational Qualifications
Educational qualifications can create a major difference in salaries. Visiting the BLS website can help you in knowing the exact educational requirements to become a special education teacher in any U.S. state.
Work Experience
Chances are very high that you may command a high salary, if you have advanced qualifications and degrees. However, in professional field, work experience is attributed greater value.
While a fresher in a teaching profession may start from USD 30,000, an individual with 5 or more years of work experience has the potential to attract salaries in the range of USD 70,000 (obviously, earning 70K does demand at par qualifications and a good employer).
Job Location
Mostly, when we look at the salary figures for teaching jobs, we’re indirectly looking at average national data, which may, or may not include vital parameters like cost of living in a city. The special education teacher salary in cities like Los Angeles, California, and New York is around USD 60,000. The salary in cities like Chicago is between USD 30,000 to USD 50,000.
This information has been presented before you, after research from several sources. It is essential for you to understand that these parameters fluctuate, owing to nature of the market and economy. These are just rough figures and what a teacher may get in hand, can be slightly less or more than the figures mentioned here. Besides salaries, teachers are also entitled to perks and benefits.