Special Education Teachers, Middle School Salary
The median pay for a special education teachers, middle school in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN is $61,780/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.7), that's roughly $64,556 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,473/month, about 35.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $62K actually covers in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood’s Regional Price Parity (95.7). 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 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood
Special education teachers, middle school pay in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood tracks closely to the national median, $62K locally vs. $67K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,473/month, which is 35.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 95.7) 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 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Evansville | $59K | $65K |
| Fort Wayne | $59K | $63K |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $58K | $63K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $78K | $75K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN
Entry-level special education teachers, middle schools (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $32K 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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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a special education teachers, middle school afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 35.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,473/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 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new special education teachers, middle schools typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,165/month. At HUD’s $1,473/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $62K locally vs. $67K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood compare to the national average for special education teachers, middle schools?
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — below the national median.
How much do special education teachers, middle schools make in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN?
The median is $61,780 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,500, and experienced special education teachers, middle schools can clear $78,590. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,150/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,473/month, which eats 35.5% 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 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood has a Regional Price Parity of 95.7 (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 $64,556 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.