SOC 25-2057 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Special Education Teachers, Middle School — Chicago
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN · 7 metro areas compared
The median wage for Special Education Teachers, Middle School in Chicago, IL is $77,840 per year, 16.5% above the national median of $66,810.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Special Education Teachers, Middle School in Chicago, IL is $77,840 per year, 16.5% above the national median of $66,810. Pay ranges from under $56,020 at the tenth percentile to more than $105,180 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $62,390 to $97,150.
The area has 3,190 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 0.7 of every thousand jobs. Rockford leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $75,540. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 267th of 716 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $56,020 | −16.2% |
| 25th | $62,390 | −6.6% |
| Median (50th) | $77,840 | +16.5% |
| 75th | $97,150 | +45.4% |
| 90th | $105,180 | +57.4% |
| Mean | $79,540 | +19.1% |
Other metro areas in Illinois
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rockford | $75,540 | 140 | |
| 2 | Springfield | $74,590 | 110 | |
| 3 | Bloomington | $64,060 | 30 | |
| 4 | Decatur | $63,520 | 50 | |
| 5 | Champaign | $62,140 | 100 | |
| 6 | Peoria | $61,260 | 150 | |
| 7 | Kankakee | $57,620 | 50 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Chicago sit close to the national average, so $77,840 is worth roughly its face value against pay elsewhere.
Published median
$77,840as reported by BLSLocal price level
100.0US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$77,840US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $77,840 a year, 16.5% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $56,020 to $105,180 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 3,190 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Rockford, at $75,540.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Special Education Teachers, Middle School in Chicago, IL?
The median annual wage is $77,840, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $66,810, so pay in Chicago, IL is 16.5% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Chicago, IL earns more than $105,180 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $56,020 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Rockford, at $75,540 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 3,190 jobs in this occupation in Chicago, IL. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
Explore related data