RateOrchard
DATA PROFILE · 2024

Special Education Teachers salary in North Carolina

Activemarket
+350%offers
-9%wages
heat72/100

Median, range, employment, and 10-year outlook from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, with skills and task data from O*NET. Cost-of-living adjustment from BEA Regional Price Parities.

Adrian Serafin, founder and editor of RateOrchardBy Adrian SerafinFounderUpdated April 27, 2026
Median annual$55,000
Mean annual$54,200
Range (10th to 90th)$39,940 to $68,630
North Carolina employment4,010
State vs national-24.9% vs national

Salary distribution

Where North Carolina special education teachers fall on the wage curve.

Annual wage distribution

Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)

10TH$39,94025TH$47,170MEDIAN$55,00075TH$60,64090TH$68,630

The middle 50% of workers earn between $47,170 and $60,640, with a median of $55,000.

Real disclosed salaries

Special Education Teachers in North Carolina: actual employer-disclosed pay

Public records from 14 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $45,730. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.

By DOL wage level

DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.

LevelFilingsMedian offer
Level I — entry11$42,230
Level IV — fully competent2$65,200

Top employers filing for this role

Companies with the most certified filings for Special Education Teachers in North Carolina. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.

EmployerMost-filed titleFilingsMedian
Halifax County SchoolsExceptional Children's Math Teacher4$41,000
Hertford County SchoolsHigh School Exceptional Childrens Teacher2$46,695
Vance County SchoolsExceptional Children's Teacher2$49,503
Iredell-Statesville SchoolsHigh School EC Teacher2$46,710
Triad Math and Science Academy Co.High School Exceptional Childrens Teacher1$70,000
Edenton-Chowan Public SchoolsTeacher1$41,230
Weldon City SchoolsTeacher1$41,230
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County SchoolsHigh School EC Teacher1$60,400

Recent sample filings

A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.

  • High School Exceptional Childrens Teacher at Hertford County Schools
    $51,160
    AhoskieDecided Dec 12, 2025I-200-25339-460910
  • High School Exceptional Childrens Teacher at Triad Math and Science Academy Co.
    $70,000
    ConcordWage Level IVDecided Sep 17, 2025I-200-25253-299194
  • Exceptional Children's Teacher at Vance County Schools
    $52,006
    HendersonWage Level IDecided Aug 27, 2025I-200-25232-254267
  • Teacher at Edenton-Chowan Public Schools
    $41,230
    EdentonWage Level IDecided Aug 25, 2025I-200-25230-248116
  • Exceptional Children's Teacher at Vance County Schools
    $47,000
    HendersonWage Level IDecided Aug 20, 2025I-200-25225-239625
  • High School EC Teacher at Iredell-Statesville Schools
    $46,710
    StatesvilleWage Level IDecided Aug 19, 2025I-200-25224-236298
  • High School EC Teacher at Iredell-Statesville Schools
    $46,710
    OlinWage Level IDecided Aug 19, 2025I-200-25224-236262
  • Teacher at Weldon City Schools
    $41,230
    HalifaxWage Level IDecided Aug 15, 2025I-200-25220-231399

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.

By seniority

Special Education Teachers pay by experience level in North Carolina

Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.

Specialties

Special Education Teachers specialties in North Carolina

Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 6 certified offers. The most common variant is High School Exceptional Childrens Teacher at a median of $51,160.

SpecialtyTop employerFilingsMedian offer
High School Exceptional Childrens TeacherHertford County Schools3$51,160
High School EC TeacherIredell-Statesville Schools3$46,710

Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.

Wage trend

Median annual wage in North Carolina over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.

Median annual wage, North Carolina2023 to 2024
$51,3302023$55,0002024

Typical entry

  • Education

    Bachelor's degree

  • Experience

    None

  • On-the-job training

    Internship/residency

Top skills (O*NET)

  • English Language

    Knowledge

    4.6 / 5
  • Education and Training

    Knowledge

    4.5 / 5
  • Speech Clarity

    Ability

    4.1 / 5
  • Learning Strategies

    Cross-functional

    4.1 / 5
  • Social Perceptiveness

    Technical

    4.0 / 5
  • Active Listening

    Basic skill

    4.0 / 5
  • Reading Comprehension

    Basic skill

    4.0 / 5
  • Writing

    Basic skill

    4.0 / 5

Common tasks (O*NET)

  1. 01

    Develop and implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of handicapping conditions.

  2. 02

    Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.

  3. 03

    Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.

  4. 04

    Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification and positive reinforcement.

  5. 05

    Maintain accurate and complete student records, and prepare reports on children and activities, as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.

  6. 06

    Employ special educational strategies and techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, and memory.

  7. 07

    Meet with other professionals to discuss individual students' needs and progress.

  8. 08

    Instruct through lectures, discussions, and demonstrations in one or more subjects, such as English, mathematics, or social studies.

10-year outlook

Growth 2024 → 2034

-1.6%

Projected annual openings

BLS outlook

Declining

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 20242034 cycle.

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Top metros in North Carolina

Metro-level salary data for special education teachers in major North Carolina metropolitan areas.

Compare Special Education Teachers pay across nearby states

Frequently asked questions

What is the median salary for Special Education Teachers in North Carolina?
According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Special Education Teachers in North Carolina is $55,000.
How does North Carolina compare to the national median for Special Education Teachers?
The North Carolina median is -24.9% versus the BLS national figure of $73,212.
What is the salary range for Special Education Teachers in North Carolina?
BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $39,940 and the 90th-percentile at $68,630, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
Is Special Education Teachers a growing field?
BLS Employment Projections show employment declining by -1.6% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
What education is required for Special Education Teachers?
BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Disclaimer

Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.