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Special Education Teachers, Middle School

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeHigh pressure

What they do

Teach academic, social, and life skills to middle school students with learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. Includes teachers who specialize and work with students who are blind or have visual impairments; students who are deaf or have hearing impairments; and students with intellectual disabilities.

Kinds of work

  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.
  • Artistic: Creating, designing and expressing ideas through art, writing, music or performance.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $66,810 Median per year Most earn $49,420–$102,510

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Guide and counsel students with adjustments, academic problems, or special academic interests.
  • Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
  • Employ special educational strategies and techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, and memory.
  • Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.
  • Instruct through lectures, discussions, and demonstrations in one or more subjects, such as English, mathematics, or social studies.
  • Prepare, administer, and grade tests and assignments to evaluate students' progress.

Job outlook

United States
About the same number of jobs by 2035, little or no change · about 6,000 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Elementary and secondary schools99.5%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeExperience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

This isn't a job you can usually start straight out of school. Most people earn a bachelor's degree and a teaching license first, and often work in a school as a teaching assistant before becoming a middle school special education teacher. The whole route usually takes about 5 to 6 years.

  1. Bachelor's degree in special education

    4 years

    You learn how students with learning, emotional, or physical disabilities learn, plus teaching methods and classroom practice, and you finish with student teaching, which gives you hands-on experience.

  2. Teaching Assistant, Special Education

    6 months to 1 year

    You work alongside a special education teacher, support students in class, and see how individualized plans are put into action, which builds the experience schools look for.

  3. Special Education Teacher, Middle School

    Career

    You plan and teach academic, social, and life skills to middle schoolers with disabilities, usually after earning a state teaching license.

Where it can lead

  1. Lead Special Education Teacher

    3-5 years of experience first

    You take on more responsibility, such as mentoring newer teachers and helping lead teams that write students' support plans, and it usually requires strong classroom results and good relationships with families and staff.

  2. Special Education Department Chair

    5 or more years of experience first

    You oversee the special education program for a school, handling schedules, staff, and program planning, which typically calls for leadership experience and sometimes an advanced degree in education or administration.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take psychology or child development classesThese courses help you understand how young people learn and grow, which is useful background for teaching students with disabilities.
  • Volunteer with kids or people with disabilitiesWorking with people with disabilities, such as through a local organization or a Special Olympics event, shows you what the work feels like and builds real experience.
  • Tutor or mentor younger studentsHelping classmates or younger kids practice skills builds patience and teaching ability, both of which matter in this job.
  • Get a starter job with childrenBabysitting, working at a summer camp, or helping at a youth program gives you experience managing groups and adapting to different needs.
  • Join a club that supports inclusionMany schools have clubs focused on disability awareness or peer support, where you can learn to communicate and advocate for others.

In college

  • Major in special education or a related fieldA special education degree gives you the teaching methods, laws, and classroom practice that this job requires, and it leads directly to student teaching.
  • Work as a teaching assistant or classroom aideWorking in a school while you study gives you paid, hands-on experience, and it matches the typical first step in this career path.
  • Take courses on disabilities and learningClasses on autism, learning disabilities, or behavior support build knowledge you will use every day as a teacher.
  • Volunteer at a school or support programSpending time with students who have disabilities helps you test your interest and learn practical strategies for working with them.
  • Join a student education organizationGroups for future teachers let you meet mentors, attend workshops, and learn about licensing and job openings.

Tips for getting started

  • Look for a paid or volunteer job working with kids with disabilities, such as a camp counselor or aide. Hands-on time is what schools look for when hiring.
  • Talk with a special education teacher about their day. Ask what they love and what is hard, so you can tell whether this path fits you.
  • Check your state's teacher licensing requirements early, since they vary and planning ahead keeps your degree on track.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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