SOC 25-2058 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Special Education Teachers, Secondary School — San Jose
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA · 10 metro areas compared
The median wage for Special Education Teachers, Secondary School in San Jose, CA is $117,640 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 San Jose, CA is $117,640 per year, well above the national median of $74,260. The gap of 58.4% is among the widest recorded for this occupation. Half of workers earn between $92,000 and $129,220. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $74,590 and the ninetieth at $148,320.
Employment stands at 400, or 0.4 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, San Diego records the highest median at $115,160. Of the 574 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 161st.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $74,590 | +0.4% |
| 25th | $92,000 | +23.9% |
| Median (50th) | $117,640 | +58.4% |
| 75th | $129,220 | +74.0% |
| 90th | $148,320 | +99.7% |
| Mean | $110,740 | +49.1% |
Other metro areas in California
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego | $115,160 | 1,220 | |
| 2 | San Francisco | $105,160 | 1,260 | |
| 3 | Oxnard | $104,090 | 290 | |
| 4 | Riverside | $103,730 | 1,630 | |
| 5 | Santa Cruz | $101,060 | 70 | |
| 6 | Los Angeles | $100,900 | 3,920 | |
| 7 | Santa Rosa | $100,880 | 150 | |
| 8 | Salinas | $100,450 | 150 | |
| 9 | Vallejo | $99,930 | 110 | |
| 10 | Sacramento | $99,900 | 700 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in San Jose run 10.7% above the national average, so the median of $117,640 buys what $106,269 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 43.1% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$117,640as reported by BLSLocal price level
110.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$106,269US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $117,640 a year, 58.4% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $74,590 to $148,320 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 400 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is San Diego, at $115,160.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Special Education Teachers, Secondary School in San Jose, CA?
The median annual wage is $117,640, 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 San Jose, CA is 58.4% 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 San Jose, CA earns more than $148,320 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $74,590 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 Diego, at $115,160 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 400 jobs in this occupation in San Jose, 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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