SOC 25-2058 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Special Education Teachers, Secondary School — El Centro
El Centro, CA · 10 metro areas compared
The median wage for Special Education Teachers, Secondary School in El Centro, CA is $97,000 per year, well above the national median of $74,260.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Special Education Teachers, Secondary School in El Centro, CA is $97,000 per year, well above the national median of $74,260. The gap of 30.6% is among the widest recorded for this occupation. Pay ranges from under $61,610 at the tenth percentile to more than $120,280 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $74,970 to $99,320.
Employment stands at 90, or 1.4 jobs per thousand held locally. San Jose leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $117,640. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 45th of 228 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $61,610 | −17.0% |
| 25th | $74,970 | +1.0% |
| Median (50th) | $97,000 | +30.6% |
| 75th | $99,320 | +33.7% |
| 90th | $120,280 | +62.0% |
| Mean | $91,860 | +23.7% |
Other metro areas in California
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose | $117,640 | 400 | |
| 2 | San Diego | $115,160 | 1,220 | |
| 3 | San Francisco | $105,160 | 1,260 | |
| 4 | Oxnard | $104,090 | 290 | |
| 5 | Riverside | $103,730 | 1,630 | |
| 6 | Santa Cruz | $101,060 | 70 | |
| 7 | Los Angeles | $100,900 | 3,920 | |
| 8 | Santa Rosa | $100,880 | 150 | |
| 9 | Salinas | $100,450 | 150 | |
| 10 | Vallejo | $99,930 | 110 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in El Centro run 10.7% above the national average, so the median of $97,000 buys what $87,624 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 18.0% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$97,000as reported by BLSLocal price level
110.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$87,624US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $97,000 a year, 30.6% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $61,610 to $120,280 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 90 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is San Jose, at $117,640.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Special Education Teachers, Secondary School in El Centro, CA?
The median annual wage is $97,000, 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 $74,260, so pay in El Centro, CA is 30.6% 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 El Centro, CA earns more than $120,280 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $61,610 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 San Jose, at $117,640 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 90 jobs in this occupation in El Centro, CA. 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.
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