How long does the training take?

Typically about four years for the degree. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.

How much do special education teachers, preschool make?

The US median is $64,830 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.

Do you need a degree for this work?

Yes — a degree is the usual way in.

Where can you train for this work?

804 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

🎓 My University View

Home › Careers › Special education teachers, preschool

Special education teachers, preschool: pay, training and the programs that lead there

Education · SOC 25-2051

$64,830US median pay, 2025

+2.4%Projected growth, 2025–35

2,000Openings per year

DegreeUsual way in

How you get in

A degree is the usual way in.

Bachelor's degree
Work in: special education teachers, preschool

Programs that lead to this job

These are the federal program codes (CIP) that the Department of Education maps to this occupation, and how many US colleges, community colleges or trade schools report awarding credentials in each.

Program	Code	Schools
Special Education and Teaching, General	CIP 13.1001	658
Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs	CIP 13.1015	157
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Autism	CIP 13.1013	70
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Specific Learning Disabilities	CIP 13.1011	40
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Hearing Impairments Including Deafness	CIP 13.1003	33
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Multiple Disabilities	CIP 13.1007	27
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Emotional Disturbances	CIP 13.1005	17
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Vision Impairments Including Blindness	CIP 13.1009	15
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Speech or Language Impairments	CIP 13.1012	14
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities	CIP 13.1006	13
Education/Teaching of Individuals Who are Developmentally Delayed	CIP 13.1014	10
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Orthopedic and Other Physical Health Impairments	CIP 13.1008	3
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injuries	CIP 13.1016	3

See the 804 schools that offer these programs →

Common questions

How long does the training take?: Typically about four years for the degree. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.
How much do special education teachers, preschool make?: The US median is $64,830 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.
Do you need a degree for this work?: Yes — a degree is the usual way in.
Where can you train for this work?: 804 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

Pay and growth are national figures. What you earn depends on where you work, your employer and your experience, and these are projections rather than promises. Education requirements describe how most people enter the job, not a rule — plenty of people take another route.

Pay, growth, openings and entry requirements: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Program-to-occupation mapping: NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk (2020/2018). School counts: IPEDS completions, 2022–23.

Related careers in Education

Elementary school teachers, except special education · Preschool teachers, except special education · Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education · Self-enrichment teachers · Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education · Teaching assistants, postsecondary · Instructional coordinators · Teachers and instructors, all other