SOC 25-2058 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Special Education Teachers, Secondary School — Knoxville
Knoxville, TN · 7 metro areas compared
The median wage for Special Education Teachers, Secondary School in Knoxville, TN is $63,030 per year, 15.1% below 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 Knoxville, TN is $63,030 per year, 15.1% below the national median of $74,260. Pay ranges from under $50,190 at the tenth percentile to more than $73,470 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $50,190 to $63,230.
Employment stands at 320, or 0.8 jobs per thousand held locally. Cleveland leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $63,280. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 186th of 536 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $50,190 | −32.4% |
| 25th | $50,190 | −32.4% |
| Median (50th) | $63,030 | −15.1% |
| 75th | $63,230 | −14.9% |
| 90th | $73,470 | −1.1% |
| Mean | $60,660 | −18.3% |
Other metro areas in Tennessee
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cleveland | $63,280 | 30 | |
| 2 | Chattanooga | $62,130 | 220 | |
| 3 | Kingsport | $61,450 | 110 | |
| 4 | Nashville | $61,360 | 720 | |
| 5 | Johnson City | $61,120 | 50 | |
| 6 | Memphis | $60,500 | 290 | |
| 7 | Jackson | $59,960 | 70 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Knoxville run 8.1% below the national average, so the median of $63,030 goes as far as $68,585 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 7.6% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$63,030as reported by BLSLocal price level
91.9US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$68,585US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $63,030 a year, 15.1% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $50,190 to $73,470 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 320 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Cleveland, at $63,280.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Special Education Teachers, Secondary School in Knoxville, TN?
The median annual wage is $63,030, 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 Knoxville, TN is 15.1% lower. 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 Knoxville, TN earns more than $73,470 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $50,190 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 Cleveland, at $63,280 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 320 jobs in this occupation in Knoxville, TN. 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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