Fresher
10th to 25th percentile
From
$49,550
To
$60,990
Use this for early-career offers or roles with limited paid experience.
Median annual salary
$74,180
BLS OEWS 2025
25th percentile
$60,990
Lower market anchor
75th percentile
$83,760
Upper market anchor
Mean annual salary
$75,040
Average published wage
Salary Explorer
Pick a work area, role, location, and experience band to compare salary ranges.
Selected estimate
Intermediate range for Special Education Teacher in Chicago
$60,990 to $83,760
This is the 25th to 75th percentile. It uses salary percentiles, not a fixed years-of-experience rule.
Salary Range by Experience
These bands translate salary percentiles into practical fresher, intermediate, and senior salary ranges. They are not fixed years-of-experience rules.
Median salary
$74,180
BLS
to
Intermediate
25th to 75th percentile
From
$60,990
To
$83,760
Use this for candidates with proven role skills and solid delivery history.
Senior
75th to 90th percentile
From
$83,760
To
$103,030
Use this for senior candidates, scarce skills, or higher-paying employers.
Fresher salary answer
Freshers and entry-level candidates can compare special education teacher offers in Chicago against $49,550 to $60,990.
Intermediate salary answer
Intermediate candidates can compare special education teacher offers in Chicago against $60,990 to $83,760.
Senior salary answer
Senior candidates can compare special education teacher offers in Chicago against $83,760 to $103,030.
How Chicago Salaries Compare With Other Cities for This Role
Chicago is a BLS metro estimate. The other rows are BLS metro areas for Special Education Teachers, All Other, so candidates can compare local pay with major hiring markets.
Mean annual salary
Los Angeles
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$106,570
San Francisco
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$95,910
Atlanta
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
$81,820
Washington DC
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$80,870
New York
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
$78,580
Boston
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
$77,780
Denver
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
$75,720
Chicago
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
$75,040
Seattle
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
$74,250
Miami
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
$73,640
How Special Education Teacher Salaries Compare With Other Roles
This chart compares special education teacher pay in Chicago with other roles available in the salary directory. Each row uses BLS OEWS min, avg, and top salary data.
Mean annual salary
Physician
Physicians, All Other, SOC 29-1229
$200,780
Psychiatrist
Physicians, All Other, SOC 29-1229
$200,780
Surgeon
Physicians, All Other, SOC 29-1229
$200,780
Dentist
Dentists, General, SOC 29-1021
$192,460
Branch Manager
Financial Managers, SOC 11-3031
$191,110
CFO
Financial Managers, SOC 11-3031
$191,110
Controller
Financial Managers, SOC 11-3031
$191,110
Finance Manager
Financial Managers, SOC 11-3031
$191,110
Attorney
Lawyers, SOC 23-1011
$187,420
Special Education Teacher
Special Education Teachers, All Other, SOC 25-2059
$75,040
Salary Snapshot
The median annual salary for special education teachers in Chicago is $74,180. The middle market range runs from $60,990 at the 25th percentile to $83,760 at the 75th percentile. The wider salary range runs from $49,550to $103,030.
| Measure | Value | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $49,550 | Lower published wage point |
| 25th percentile | $60,990 | Common lower market anchor |
| Median | $74,180 | Middle of the BLS wage range |
| 75th percentile | $83,760 | Upper market anchor |
| 90th percentile | $103,030 | High published wage point |
Source Notes
This page maps Special Education Teacher to BLS occupation Special Education Teachers, All Other, SOC 25-2059. The wage data is annual USD salary from BLS OEWS 2025. It does not include equity, signing bonus, bonus targets, benefits value, or self-employed income.
This page uses the BLS OEWS occupation Special Education Teachers, All Other, SOC 25-2059, as the public wage source for Special Education Teacher.
- BLS area
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
- Employment estimate
- 1,550
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median special education teacher salary in Chicago?
The median annual salary for special education teachers in Chicago is $74,180, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data for Special Education Teachers, All Other.
How much can fresher special education teacher candidates expect in Chicago?
Freshers and entry-level candidates can use the 10th to 25th percentile range as a guide. For special education teachers in Chicago, that range is $49,550 to $60,990. It is a percentile band, not a fixed years-of-experience rule.
What is the intermediate special education teacher salary range in Chicago?
Intermediate candidates can compare offers against the 25th to 75th percentile range. For special education teachers in Chicago, that range is $60,990 to $83,760.
What do senior special education teacher candidates earn in Chicago?
Senior candidates can use the 75th to 90th percentile range for stronger skill depth, senior scope, or higher-paying employers. For special education teachers in Chicago, that range is $83,760 to $103,030.
Does this salary data include bonuses or equity?
No. BLS OEWS wage estimates cover wages and salaries. They do not fully capture equity, signing bonuses, annual bonus targets, benefits value, or contractor rates.
How should I use these salary percentiles?
Use percentiles as market anchors. The 10th to 25th percentile can fit fresher or lower-paid roles, the median is the midpoint, and the 75th to 90th percentile can fit stronger experience, scarce skills, or higher-paying employers.
Why does this page use Special Education Teachers, All Other instead of only Special Education Teacher?
BLS publishes wages by standard occupation. This page maps Special Education Teacher to Special Education Teachers, All Other, SOC 25-2059, so the numbers come from a public wage series instead of a private survey.
Does Chicago mean city limits or a metro area?
Chicago is displayed as a candidate-friendly city label, but the underlying wage estimate is for the BLS metro area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, not strict city limits.
Written by Adithyan RK
Published on: 11 Apr 2026|Last updated: 20 Jun 2026
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