Special Education Teachers, Middle School Salary
The median pay for a special education teachers, middle school in Wilmington, NC is $49,110/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.42), that's roughly $50,933 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,426/month, about 41.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $49K actually covers in Wilmington, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Wilmington’s Regional Price Parity (96.42). 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 Wilmington
Pay for special education teachers, middle school in Wilmington runs about 26% below the U.S. median of $67K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,426/month, which is 43.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.42) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for special education teachers, middle school.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for special education teachers, middle schools in metros near Wilmington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Asheville | $59K | $61K |
| Winston-Salem | $49K | $53K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $61K | $62K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $60K | $65K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wilmington, NC
Entry-level special education teachers, middle schools (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $17K 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 Wilmington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 43.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,426/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Wilmington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new special education teachers, middle schools typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,937/month. At HUD’s $1,426/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Wilmington?
Local pay runs 26% below the national median — $49K here vs. $67K nationally.
How does Wilmington compare to the national average for special education teachers, middle schools?
Wilmington pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s -26%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — below the national median.
How much do special education teachers, middle schools make in Wilmington, NC?
The median is $49,110 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,780, and experienced special education teachers, middle schools can clear $60,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,274/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,426/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 Wilmington?
Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 96.42 (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 $50,933 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.