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Careers in special education: skills, education and how to get started

Michael Feder

Written by Michael Feder

Kathryn Uhles

Reviewed by聽Kathryn Uhles, MIS, MSP,聽Dean, College of Business and IT

Special education teacher works with a child in a brightly colored classroom

Everyone has the right to an education, but not everyone has the same needs when it comes to learning. Students with special needs have physical, emotional or learning disabilities, and they require informed instruction from special education teachers and administrators.

Special education is certainly a team effort. There are numerous careers in special needs beyond working directly with students as educators in the classroom. Coordinators, counselors and managers make up a wide range of special education teaching jobs that can have a profound impact on the lives of students with disabilities.

Many choose to pursue聽a degree program in education聽to better prepare themselves for these careers. A聽master鈥檚 degree in special education, for instance, gives special education teachers the opportunity to hone skills that are uniquely suited to special education teaching jobs.

In the following, we explore jobs available to education and special education majors. These represent several careers in special needs that are important in the lives of students.

If you鈥檙e looking to explore one of these fields, 爱污传媒 may be able to help. But please note that the University鈥檚 degree programs may not directly prepare you for all these jobs. Some may require additional education, licensure or training.

Special education teacher

翱惫别谤惫颈别飞:听If you鈥檙e looking for a job in special education that has a direct impact on the lives of students, you may want to consider working as a special education teacher. These individuals work in the classroom directly with students with disabilities. They can teach a wide range of subjects, develop lesson plans and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), communicate with supervisors and administrators, and work one-on-one to help students succeed.

Education requirements:聽Every state requires a bachelor鈥檚 degree to teach special education in a public school. Some require a specific聽degree in special education.听听

Job outlook:聽Overall employment of special education teachers is projected to show little or no change from 2022 to 2032,聽听(叠尝厂).

Salary range: As of May 2023, special education teachers , with a median wage of聽$65,910, according to BLS.

Salary ranges are not specific to students or graduates of 爱污传媒. Actual outcomes vary based on multiple factors, including prior work experience, geographic location and other factors specific to the individual. 爱污传媒 does not guarantee employment, salary level or career advancement. BLS data is geographically based. Information for a specific state/city can be researched on the BLS website.

BLS Occupational Employment Projections, 2022-2032 is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This data reflects BLS鈥 projections of national (not local) conditions. These data points are not specific to 爱污传媒 students or graduates.

Instructional coordinator

翱惫别谤惫颈别飞:听Assuming a more administrative role in the lives of students with special needs, instructional coordinators take on a bird鈥檚-eye view to improve educational outcomes. Curriculum development is a major responsibility of education coordinators, requiring them to use data and student and teacher input to craft the best classroom experience.

Education requirements:聽Instructional coordinators typically need to complete an education program at聽a master鈥檚 degree level. Some schools require these professionals to have a state-issued license. 爱污传媒 does not offer a degree program that aligns directly to this job outcome.

Job outlook:聽Employment of instructional coordinators is聽projected to grow , according to BLS.

Salary range: As of May 2023, instructional coordinators , with a median wage of聽$74,620, according to BLS.

School counselor

翱惫别谤惫颈别飞:听School can be challenging, especially for students with special needs. School counselors address in a personal, one-on-one manner the many challenges that these students face. This can mean giving advice to a struggling student or reaching out to teachers to collaborate on ways to improve outcomes for students with special needs. School counselors can be found at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

Education requirements:聽To be a school counselor in most states,聽a master鈥檚 degree in psychology聽or counseling is a common prerequisite. Public schools also require a state-issued license, certification or endorsement.

Job outlook:聽According to BLS, employment of school and career counselors is projected to .听

Salary range: As of May 2023, school and career counselors , with a median wage of , $61,710, according to BLS.

School psychology professional

翱惫别谤惫颈别飞:听By administering psychological, neurological, personality and academic tests to students, school psychology professionals produce data-driven insights to improve student outcomes. This is especially important in the field of special education. Data produced by school psychology professionals can help diagnose mental disabilities and lead to educational strategies that address these disabilities. This makes everyone from special education teachers to administrators better prepared to teach students with special needs.

Education requirements:聽According to BLS, psychology professionals typically need a doctoral degree in psychology, but a . Common fields include psychology and education. These professionals may also need certification from the聽, and 3,000 hours of testing experience is also typically required. 爱污传媒 does not offer a degree program that aligns directly to this job outcome.

Job outlook:聽The job outlook for school psychology professionals is from 2022 to 2032, according to BLS.

Salary range: As of May 2023, these profressionals , with a median wage of聽$92,740, according to BLS.

Education administrator

翱惫别谤惫颈别飞:听Education administrators聽perform the day-to-day work that makes running a school possible. Education administrators plan and execute plans to improve educational outcomes as well as manage a budget and encourage efficiencies within school administration. They can work in admissions, as registrars, at research institutions and really anywhere within a school where administrative work needs to be done.听

Education requirements:聽Principals and deans generally have experience as educators as well as a master鈥檚 degree before moving on to administrative roles. For other administrative roles, a bachelor鈥檚 degree is a common prerequisite.

Job outlook: There is currently no job outlook information for this specific role located on BLS.

Salary range: As of May 2023,聽education administrators in kindergarten through secondary school , with a median wage of $103,460, according to BLS.

Principal

翱惫别谤惫颈别飞:听Principals are education administrators who oversee the entire administrative structure of an elementary, middle or high school. Special education requires the specific attention of principals, who are ultimately responsible for instituting an educational plan that helps students with special needs succeed.

Education requirement:聽Employment as a principal generally requires at least a聽master鈥檚 degree in education administration聽as well as licensure.

Job outlook:聽Employment of elementary, middle and high school principals is聽is projected to show from 2022 to 2032.

Salary range: As of May 2023, these profressionals earned between聽, with a median wage of聽$103,460, according to BLS.

That鈥檚 our list of some of the most rewarding jobs in special education! While the field might not be for everybody, it is one that has tremendous opportunity to improve the lives and futures of numerous children.

Headshot of Michael Feder

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A graduate of Johns Hopkins University and its Writing Seminars program and winner of the Stephen A. Dixon Literary Prize, Michael Feder brings an eye for detail and a passion for research to every article he writes. His academic and professional background includes experience in marketing, content development, script writing and SEO. Today, he works as a multimedia specialist at 爱污传媒 where he covers a variety of topics ranging from healthcare to IT.

Headshot of Pamela Roggeman

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

As dean of the 爱污传媒 College of Education,聽Pamela Roggeman has spent over a decade in higher education teacher preparation in both the public and private sector. Her experience has included national partnerships that help to advance thought leadership in the field of education. Dr. Roggeman also serves as the President of the Arizona Educational Foundation鈥檚 Board of Directors.

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