Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School Salary
The median pay for a special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL is $59,660/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.03), that's roughly $61,486 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,785/month, about 43.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $60K get you in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin’s Regional Price Parity (97.03). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary schools
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What this looks like in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin
Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school pay in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin tracks closely to the national median, $60K locally vs. $65K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,785/month, which is 42.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.03) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary schools in metros near Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $53K | $47K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $61K | $60K |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $60K | $59K |
| Jacksonville | $61K | $61K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL
Entry-level special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary schools (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $27K spread from bottom to top.
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $98K | +50% | 1,070 |
| California | $97K | +49% | 23,280 |
| Washington | $95K | +46% | 3,450 |
| Massachusetts | $91K | +40% | 7,220 |
| Rhode Island | $84K | +29% | 1,070 |
| Connecticut | $83K | +27% | 2,810 |
| New York | $81K | +25% | 21,130 |
| Alaska | $80K | +23% | 320 |
| Maryland | $79K | +21% | 2,760 |
| Illinois | $78K | +20% | 14,040 |
| Oregon | $78K | +19% | 1,520 |
| New Jersey | $77K | +18% | 11,610 |
| New Mexico | $76K | +17% | 880 |
| Michigan | $75K | +15% | 4,010 |
| Colorado | $74K | +14% | 4,010 |
| Vermont | $74K | +14% | 770 |
| Ohio | $74K | +14% | 9,550 |
| Georgia | $73K | +12% | 9,370 |
| Pennsylvania | $73K | +12% | 7,640 |
| Virginia | $68K | +4% | 7,440 |
| Minnesota | $68K | +4% | 3,960 |
| Delaware | $66K | +1% | 1,070 |
| New Hampshire | $65K | +0% | 1,110 |
| Nevada | $65K | -0% | 430 |
| Alabama | $65K | -1% | 870 |
| Idaho | $64K | -2% | 620 |
| Tennessee | $63K | -4% | 3,910 |
| Nebraska | $62K | -4% | 1,900 |
| South Carolina | $62K | -4% | 2,950 |
| Texas | $62K | -4% | 56,760 |
| Maine | $62K | -5% | 1,320 |
| Wisconsin | $62K | -6% | 4,280 |
| Utah | $61K | -6% | 1,890 |
| Hawaii | $61K | -6% | 1,270 |
| Wyoming | $61K | -6% | 650 |
| Iowa | $60K | -7% | 2,560 |
| Kentucky | $60K | -8% | 3,710 |
| Kansas | $60K | -8% | 1,610 |
| Florida | $59K | -10% | 8,740 |
| Louisiana | $59K | -10% | 4,000 |
| Indiana | $59K | -10% | 3,640 |
| North Carolina | $58K | -11% | 4,430 |
| North Dakota | $58K | -11% | 590 |
| Montana | $58K | -12% | 560 |
| Missouri | $57K | -12% | 2,860 |
| Arizona | $56K | -14% | 2,450 |
| Arkansas | $54K | -17% | 1,430 |
| South Dakota | $51K | -22% | 790 |
| Oklahoma | $51K | -22% | 2,360 |
| Mississippi | $51K | -22% | 2,530 |
| West Virginia | $50K | -23% | 1,690 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 states
Track special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin numbers change.
Related careers in Education
Frequently asked questions
Can a special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school afford a 2BR apartment alone in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 42.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,785/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary schools in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary schools typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,026/month. At HUD’s $1,785/month FMR, rent would take 59% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school a high-paying job in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $60K locally vs. $65K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin compare to the national average for special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary schools?
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.03), the purchasing-power equivalent is $61K — below the national median.
How much do special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary schools make in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL?
The median is $59,660 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,430, and experienced special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary schools can clear $77,580. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,165/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,785/month, which eats 42.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school salary go in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin?
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin has a Regional Price Parity of 97.03 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school salary is worth about $61,486 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary schools get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.