Special Education Teachers, Middle School Salary
The median pay for a special education teachers, middle school in Salinas, CA is $100,840/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $73K at the entry level to $127K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 109.04), so that salary is closer to $92,480 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,684/month, about 43.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $101K get you in Salinas?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Salinas’s Regional Price Parity (109.04). 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 Salinas
Salinas sits well above the national pay line for special education teachers, middle school, local pay runs about 51% higher than the U.S. median of $67K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,684/month, which is 43.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 109.04), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for special education teachers, middle schools in metros near Salinas, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $104K | $90K |
| Modesto | $97K | $93K |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $97K | $90K |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $102K | $89K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Salinas, CA
Entry-level special education teachers, middle schools (10th percentile) start around $73K. Mid-career wages sit at $101K. Top earners bring in $127K or more, a $54K 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)
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Frequently asked questions
Can a special education teachers, middle school afford a 2BR apartment alone in Salinas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $101K, rent takes 43.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,684/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,800/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 Salinas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new special education teachers, middle schools typically earn — is $73K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,352/month. At HUD’s $2,684/month FMR, rent would take 62% 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 Salinas?
Local pay is 51% above the national median — $101K here vs. $67K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 9% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Salinas compare to the national average for special education teachers, middle schools?
Salinas pays $101K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s +51%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 109.04), the purchasing-power equivalent is $92K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do special education teachers, middle schools make in Salinas, CA?
The median is $100,840 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $72,540, and experienced special education teachers, middle schools can clear $126,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $101K enough to live in Salinas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,151/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,684/month, which eats 43.6% 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 Salinas?
Salinas has a Regional Price Parity of 109.04 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median special education teachers, middle school salary is worth about $92,480 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.