SalaryExplorer

SOC 25-2058 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS

Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolSanta Rosa

Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA · 10 metro areas compared

$100,880 /year
150jobs in area
+35.8%vs US median

In Santa Rosa, CA the median wage for Special Education Teachers, Secondary School reaches $100,880 a year.

Wage distribution · annual

Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners

US MEDIAN $74,26010TH$61,00025TH$78,930MEDIAN$100,88090TH$125,280

Salary overview

In Santa Rosa, CA the median wage for Special Education Teachers, Secondary School reaches $100,880 a year. That is 35.8% more than the national median of $74,260. Pay ranges from under $61,000 at the tenth percentile to more than $125,280 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $78,930 to $104,790.

The area has 150 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 0.67 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Within the state, San Jose records the highest median at $117,640. Of the 419 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 97th.

Percentile breakdown

Annual wages by percentile · Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA · May 2025
PercentileAnnualvs US median
10th$61,000−17.9%
25th$78,930+6.3%
Median (50th)$100,880+35.8%
75th$104,790+41.1%
90th$125,280+68.7%
Mean$96,630+30.1%

Other metro areas in California

Median annual wage for Special Education Teachers, Secondary School, by metro area
#Metro areaMedianJobsRelative
1San Jose$117,640400
2San Diego$115,1601,220
3San Francisco$105,1601,260
4Oxnard$104,090290
5Riverside$103,7301,630
6Santa Cruz$101,06070
7Los Angeles$100,9003,920
8Salinas$100,450150
9Vallejo$99,930110
10Sacramento$99,900700

What the pay is worth locally

Prices in Santa Rosa run 10.7% above the national average, so the median of $100,880 buys what $91,129 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 22.7% above the national median in real terms.

Published median

$100,880as reported by BLS

Local price level

110.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024

Adjusted for local prices

$91,129US average = 100 · BEA 2024

Key takeaways

  • Median pay is $100,880 a year, 35.8% above the national median.
  • Published pay spans $61,000 to $125,280 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
  • The area has 150 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 Santa Rosa, CA?

The median annual wage is $100,880, 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 Santa Rosa, CA is 35.8% 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 Santa Rosa, CA earns more than $125,280 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.

What is the starting range?

The tenth percentile wage is $61,000 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 150 jobs in this occupation in Santa Rosa, 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.

Special Education Teachers, Secondary School in Santa Rosa, CA Earn $100,880 — 35.8% Above Average (2025) | Salary Explorer