Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School pay in California

In California, the median pay for special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school is $97,170 a year. About 23,280 people work in this job there.

$97,170Median yearly pay

$76,700–$108,320Middle half of workers, yearly

23,280People in this job in California

That is 49% higher than the U.S. median ($65,120). California ranks 2nd of 51 states and territories for this job’s median pay.

Pay range for special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school in California

Earns more than	Yearly
10% of workers	$63,180
25% of workers	$76,700
Half of workers (median)	$97,170
75% of workers	$108,320
90% of workers	$123,590

Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School pay in California metro areas

Metro area	Median yearly pay	People in this job
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont	$105,290	3,440
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura	$104,810	490
El Centro	$99,020	180
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara	$98,940	300
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara	$98,640	790
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom	$98,330	1,700
Vallejo	$98,260	210
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad	$97,860	1,970
Merced	$97,340	160
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles	$97,260	130
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim	$96,970	6,410
Fresno	$95,950	700
Yuba City	$94,260	130
Napa	$92,970	60
Redding	$92,820	170
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario	$91,840	3,140
Chico	$91,510	160
Santa Rosa-Petaluma	$81,910	250
Hanford-Corcoran	$81,750	150
Modesto	$80,570	270
Stockton-Lodi	$79,760	400
Bakersfield-Delano	$75,250	800

California unemployment rate: 5.1% (August 2026), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Education, experience and outlook for special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school

Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree (BLS)
Job outlook: -0.4% over ten years, little or no change · about 16,400 openings a year (BLS)

Related jobs in California

Job	Median yearly pay
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	$99,650
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	$101,370
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education	$47,400
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	$98,950
Special Education Teachers, Secondary School	$101,060
Special Education Teachers, All Other	$103,050
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education	$82,550
Special Education Teachers, Middle School	$101,530

Open special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school jobs on JAI Bot

No open jobs in this field right now. Search all jobs or set up a free job alert.

Hiring special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school? Use the free hiring guide for a job description and interview questions, then post the job on JAI Bot. Every job shows typical pay to job seekers.

Post a job free Find jobs Check pay for any job

Add this pay figure to your website (free)

Career sites, schools and workforce boards can show this typical pay on their own pages. Copy this code into your page:

<div data-jaibot-pay></div>
<script src="https://www.jaibot.ai/widget/pay/special-education-teachers-kindergarten-and-elementary-school/california.js" async></script>

It updates by itself when new government figures come out.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates. Figures are for wage and salary workers and do not include the self-employed. The median is the middle wage: half earn more, half earn less. Other job titles: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.