Special Education Teachers, Middle School Salary
The median pay for a special education teachers, middle school in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA is $97,000/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $79K at the entry level to $117K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 107.78), so that salary is closer to $89,998 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,827/month, about 46.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $97K get you in Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Santa Rosa-Petaluma’s Regional Price Parity (107.78). 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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma
Santa Rosa-Petaluma sits well above the national pay line for special education teachers, middle school, local pay runs about 45% 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 $2,827/month, which is 47.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 8% above the national average (BEA RPP 107.78), 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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $104K | $90K |
| Modesto | $97K | $93K |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $102K | $89K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $99K | $93K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
Entry-level special education teachers, middle schools (10th percentile) start around $79K. Mid-career wages sit at $97K. Top earners bring in $117K or more, a $37K 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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $97K, rent takes 47.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,827/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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new special education teachers, middle schools typically earn — is $79K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,762/month. At HUD’s $2,827/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, middle school a high-paying job in Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
Local pay is 45% above the national median — $97K here vs. $67K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 8% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Santa Rosa-Petaluma compare to the national average for special education teachers, middle schools?
Santa Rosa-Petaluma pays $97K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s +45%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 107.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $90K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do special education teachers, middle schools make in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA?
The median is $97,000 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $79,370, and experienced special education teachers, middle schools can clear $116,550. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $97K enough to live in Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,956/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,827/month, which eats 47.5% 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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
Santa Rosa-Petaluma has a Regional Price Parity of 107.78 (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 $89,998 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.