Special Education Teachers, Middle School Salary
The median pay for a special education teachers, middle school in Gainesville, GA is $62,730/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $89K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.77), that's roughly $64,824 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,514/month, about 36.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $63K get you in Gainesville?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Gainesville’s Regional Price Parity (96.77). 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, middle schools
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What this looks like in Gainesville
Special education teachers, middle school pay in Gainesville tracks closely to the national median, $63K locally vs. $67K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,514/month, which is 36.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.77) 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, middle schools in metros near Gainesville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $78K | $78K |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $61K | $66K |
| Macon-Bibb County | $64K | $72K |
| Brunswick-St. Simons | $82K | $94K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Gainesville, GA
Entry-level special education teachers, middle schools (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $89K or more, a $40K spread from bottom to top.
Special Education Teachers, Middle School pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Special Education Teachers, Middle School salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $102K | +52% | 4,860 |
| Washington | $100K | +49% | 1,550 |
| Rhode Island | $94K | +41% | 380 |
| New York | $94K | +40% | 7,870 |
| Connecticut | $93K | +39% | 1,260 |
| Massachusetts | $85K | +27% | 3,110 |
| Alaska | $81K | +21% | 200 |
| District of Columbia | $79K | +19% | 520 |
| New Jersey | $79K | +18% | 5,660 |
| Utah | $79K | +18% | 690 |
| Oregon | $78K | +17% | 590 |
| Delaware | $77K | +16% | N/A |
| Pennsylvania | $77K | +15% | 3,710 |
| Maryland | $76K | +14% | 1,540 |
| Michigan | $76K | +14% | 1,410 |
| Illinois | $75K | +12% | 4,460 |
| Ohio | $75K | +12% | 7,540 |
| New Mexico | $74K | +11% | 1,090 |
| Vermont | $73K | +9% | 470 |
| Georgia | $71K | +6% | 3,740 |
| New Hampshire | $67K | -0% | 650 |
| Colorado | $66K | -1% | 2,020 |
| Wisconsin | $66K | -1% | 2,650 |
| Montana | $64K | -4% | 190 |
| Virginia | $64K | -4% | 3,000 |
| Minnesota | $64K | -5% | 1,930 |
| Iowa | $64K | -5% | 990 |
| Nebraska | $63K | -5% | 680 |
| Maine | $63K | -5% | 310 |
| Texas | $63K | -5% | 12,580 |
| Nevada | $63K | -5% | 290 |
| Alabama | $63K | -6% | 460 |
| Wyoming | $63K | -6% | 330 |
| South Carolina | $62K | -7% | 980 |
| Arizona | $62K | -7% | 580 |
| Hawaii | $62K | -8% | 380 |
| Florida | $60K | -10% | 2,630 |
| Kentucky | $60K | -10% | 1,530 |
| Idaho | $60K | -10% | 300 |
| Tennessee | $60K | -10% | 1,310 |
| Kansas | $60K | -11% | 550 |
| Louisiana | $59K | -11% | 1,130 |
| North Carolina | $59K | -11% | 2,470 |
| Indiana | $59K | -12% | 1,070 |
| North Dakota | $58K | -14% | 200 |
| Arkansas | $57K | -15% | 750 |
| West Virginia | $56K | -16% | 1,080 |
| South Dakota | $51K | -23% | 310 |
| Mississippi | $51K | -24% | 1,020 |
| Oklahoma | $50K | -24% | 930 |
| Missouri | $50K | -25% | 1,050 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track special education teachers, middle school salary changes
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Related careers in Education
Frequently asked questions
Can a special education teachers, middle school afford a 2BR apartment alone in Gainesville?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 36.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,514/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, middle schools in Gainesville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new special education teachers, middle schools typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,930/month. At HUD’s $1,514/month FMR, rent would take 52% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is special education teachers, middle school a high-paying job in Gainesville?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $63K locally vs. $67K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Gainesville compare to the national average for special education teachers, middle schools?
Gainesville pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.77), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — below the national median.
How much do special education teachers, middle schools make in Gainesville, GA?
The median is $62,730 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,830, and experienced special education teachers, middle schools can clear $89,310. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in Gainesville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,121/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,514/month, which eats 36.7% 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, middle school salary go in Gainesville?
Gainesville has a Regional Price Parity of 96.77 (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, middle school salary is worth about $64,824 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do special education teachers, middle 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.