Special Education Teachers, Preschool Salary
The median pay for a special education teachers, preschool in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR is $36,560/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $28K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.36), which stretches that salary to about $40,913 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,147/month, about 46% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $37K get you in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway’s Regional Price Parity (89.36). 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, preschools
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What this looks like in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
Pay for special education teachers, preschool in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway runs about 44% below the U.S. median of $65K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,147/month, which is 45.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for special education teachers, preschools.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for special education teachers, preschools in metros near Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | $31K | $34K |
| Joplin | $48K | $55K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $74K | $72K |
| St. Louis | $51K | $54K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
Entry-level special education teachers, preschools (10th percentile) start around $28K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Special Education Teachers, Preschool pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Special Education Teachers, Preschool salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $99K | +53% | 710 |
| New Jersey | $92K | +42% | 1,720 |
| Connecticut | $88K | +36% | 380 |
| Washington | $87K | +34% | 820 |
| Maryland | $85K | +31% | 70 |
| Pennsylvania | $84K | +29% | 490 |
| Alaska | $80K | +24% | 110 |
| Vermont | $79K | +22% | 70 |
| Colorado | $78K | +20% | 810 |
| Virginia | $78K | +20% | 650 |
| Oregon | $77K | +20% | 400 |
| Minnesota | $76K | +17% | 1,250 |
| Michigan | $76K | +17% | 430 |
| Hawaii | $75K | +16% | 230 |
| Georgia | $72K | +12% | 380 |
| New York | $68K | +5% | 6,220 |
| New Mexico | $66K | +2% | 270 |
| Texas | $66K | +1% | 2,010 |
| Iowa | $64K | -2% | N/A |
| Nebraska | $63K | -3% | 80 |
| Illinois | $63K | -3% | 1,080 |
| Missouri | $62K | -4% | 940 |
| New Hampshire | $62K | -5% | 80 |
| Wisconsin | $61K | -6% | 240 |
| Ohio | $61K | -6% | 1,150 |
| Maine | $61K | -6% | 40 |
| North Carolina | $60K | -7% | 640 |
| Arizona | $60K | -7% | 330 |
| North Dakota | $60K | -7% | 50 |
| South Carolina | $60K | -8% | 170 |
| California | $60K | -8% | 2,510 |
| Tennessee | $60K | -8% | 330 |
| Rhode Island | $59K | -9% | 120 |
| Delaware | $59K | -9% | 100 |
| Kansas | $59K | -9% | 350 |
| Florida | $58K | -10% | 1,370 |
| Utah | $58K | -10% | 110 |
| Louisiana | $57K | -12% | 960 |
| Kentucky | $54K | -16% | N/A |
| Mississippi | $52K | -19% | 110 |
| Wyoming | $52K | -20% | 80 |
| Oklahoma | $50K | -23% | 60 |
| Idaho | $50K | -23% | 180 |
| Indiana | $49K | -25% | 380 |
| Arkansas | $36K | -45% | 510 |
Showing 1–10 of 45 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track special education teachers, preschool salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway numbers change.
Related careers in Education
Frequently asked questions
Can a special education teachers, preschool afford a 2BR apartment alone in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 45.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,147/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $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, preschools in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new special education teachers, preschools typically earn — is $28K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,682/month. At HUD’s $1,147/month FMR, rent would take 68% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is special education teachers, preschool a high-paying job in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
Local pay runs 44% below the national median — $37K here vs. $65K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway compare to the national average for special education teachers, preschools?
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s -44%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — below the national median.
How much do special education teachers, preschools make in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR?
The median is $36,560 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,030, and experienced special education teachers, preschools can clear $59,080. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,513/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,147/month, which eats 45.6% 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, preschool salary go in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway has a Regional Price Parity of 89.36 (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, preschool salary is worth about $40,913 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do special education teachers, preschools 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.