Special Education Teachers, Preschool

Teach academic, social, and life skills to preschool-aged 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.

$64,270
Median Annual Pay
Jobs growth:
-1% projected 2024โ€“2034
Bachelor's degree
Typical Entry-Level Education

What They Do

Special education preschool teachers work with young children who have developmental delays, physical disabilities, learning challenges, or behavioral needs. They create individualized lesson plans that help each child develop critical early skills like communication, motor coordination, social interaction, and basic academic concepts. These teachers adapt traditional preschool activities to meet diverse needs, using specialized techniques and equipment such as visual aids, assistive technology, or sensory tools. They spend their days leading small group activities, working one-on-one with students, and carefully documenting each child's progress toward developmental milestones.

Programs That Prepare You

College programs linked to this occupation, ranked by graduate earnings

Special Education and Teaching(doctoral)Vanderbilt University, TN
$84,996
Special Education and Teaching(masters)California State University-Los Angeles, CA
$83,983
Special Education and Teaching(grad-cert)CUNY Lehman College, NY
$83,319
Special Education and Teaching(masters)Fresno Pacific University, CA
$80,696
Special Education and Teaching(masters)California State University-Fullerton, CA
$79,384
Special Education and Teaching(masters)Pace University, NY
$79,259
Special Education and Teaching(masters)Touro University California, CA
$78,975
Special Education and Teaching(masters)Notre Dame de Namur University, CA
$78,713
Special Education and Teaching(masters)CUNY Brooklyn College, NY
$77,678
Special Education and Teaching(masters)California State University-Long Beach, CA
$77,631
Special Education and Teaching(masters)California State University-East Bay, CA
$77,402
Special Education and Teaching(masters)CUNY Hunter College, NY
$77,182
Special Education and Teaching(masters)CUNY City College, NY
$76,836
Special Education and Teaching(masters)Manhattan University, NY
$76,455
Special Education and Teaching(masters)Hofstra University, NY
$76,264
Special Education and Teaching(masters)Long Island University, NY
$75,868
Special Education and Teaching(masters)CUNY Lehman College, NY
$75,783
Special Education and Teaching(masters)St. John's University-New York, NY
$75,441
Special Education and Teaching(masters)College of Staten Island CUNY, NY
$75,212
Special Education and Teaching(masters)CUNY Queens College, NY
$74,496
Special Education and Teaching(masters)California State University-Dominguez Hills, CA
$74,460
Special Education and Teaching(masters)University of Washington-Seattle Campus, WA
$73,549
Special Education and Teaching(masters)Point Loma Nazarene University, CA
$73,427
Special Education and Teaching(masters)University of Illinois Chicago, IL
$73,322
Special Education and Teaching(masters)California State University-Fresno, CA
$71,787

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