Special Education Teachers, Preschool Salary
The median pay for a special education teachers, preschool in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX is $85,200/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $81K at the entry level to $94K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.89), which stretches that salary to about $99,197 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,060/month, or 18.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $85K actually covers in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by McAllen-Edinburg-Mission’s Regional Price Parity (85.89). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission sits well above the national pay line for special education teachers, preschool, local pay runs about 31% higher than the U.S. median of $65K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,060/month, 18.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, McAllen-Edinburg-Mission offers a genuinely strong financial position for special education teachers, preschool at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for special education teachers, preschools in metros near McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $74K | $72K |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $59K | $63K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $66K | $67K |
| Monroe | $57K | $68K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX
Entry-level special education teachers, preschools (10th percentile) start around $81K. Mid-career wages sit at $85K. Top earners bring in $94K or more, a $13K 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 annually. We'll email you when McAllen-Edinburg-Mission numbers change.
Related careers in Education
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a special education teachers, preschool afford a 2BR apartment alone in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
Yes — at the median salary of $85K, rent takes 18.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,060/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for special education teachers, preschools in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new special education teachers, preschools typically earn — is $81K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,445/month. At HUD’s $1,060/month FMR, rent would take 19% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is special education teachers, preschool a high-paying job in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
Local pay is 31% above the national median — $85K here vs. $65K nationally.
How does McAllen-Edinburg-Mission compare to the national average for special education teachers, preschools?
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission pays $85K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s +31%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $99K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do special education teachers, preschools make in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX?
The median is $85,200 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $80,950, and experienced special education teachers, preschools can clear $93,970. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $85K enough to live in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,694/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,060/month, which eats 18.6% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a special education teachers, preschool salary go in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission has a Regional Price Parity of 85.89 (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 $99,197 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.