Special Education Teachers, Secondary School Salary
The median pay for a special education teachers, secondary school in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA is $77,180/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $98K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.06), that's roughly $77,134 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,820/month, about 35.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $77K actually covers in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell’s Regional Price Parity (100.06). 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, secondary schools
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What this looks like in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell
Special education teachers, secondary school pay in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell tracks closely to the national median, $77K locally vs. $74K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,820/month, which is 37.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.06) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for special education teachers, secondary schools in metros near Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Augusta-Richmond County | $65K | $70K |
| Columbus | $63K | $71K |
| Gainesville | $61K | $63K |
| Macon-Bibb County | $62K | $70K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
Entry-level special education teachers, secondary schools (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $77K. Top earners bring in $98K or more, a $36K spread from bottom to top.
Special Education Teachers, Secondary School pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Special Education Teachers, Secondary School salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $101K | +36% | 2,510 |
| California | $101K | +36% | 12,100 |
| District of Columbia | $100K | +34% | 440 |
| Maryland | $94K | +26% | 1,560 |
| Rhode Island | $93K | +25% | 830 |
| New York | $89K | +20% | 15,250 |
| Massachusetts | $84K | +13% | 5,470 |
| New Jersey | $84K | +13% | 7,520 |
| Connecticut | $82K | +10% | 1,920 |
| Alaska | $81K | +9% | 590 |
| Illinois | $80K | +8% | 9,490 |
| Vermont | $79K | +7% | 660 |
| Delaware | $78K | +6% | 1,160 |
| Michigan | $78K | +5% | 2,570 |
| Oregon | $77K | +4% | 1,240 |
| Pennsylvania | $77K | +4% | 11,040 |
| New Mexico | $77K | +4% | 2,150 |
| Minnesota | $77K | +3% | 4,130 |
| Ohio | $76K | +3% | 10,580 |
| Georgia | $74K | -0% | 4,090 |
| New Hampshire | $70K | -6% | 910 |
| Virginia | $68K | -8% | 6,380 |
| Colorado | $67K | -9% | 2,970 |
| Hawaii | $66K | -11% | 800 |
| Texas | $65K | -13% | 10,200 |
| Arizona | $64K | -13% | 1,960 |
| Utah | $64K | -14% | 1,220 |
| Wisconsin | $64K | -14% | 3,350 |
| Nebraska | $63K | -15% | 1,240 |
| Wyoming | $63K | -15% | 350 |
| Montana | $62K | -16% | 480 |
| Alabama | $62K | -16% | 740 |
| South Carolina | $62K | -16% | 1,780 |
| Maine | $62K | -17% | 860 |
| Florida | $62K | -17% | 7,940 |
| Tennessee | $61K | -17% | 2,010 |
| North Dakota | $61K | -18% | 520 |
| Indiana | $61K | -18% | 2,580 |
| Nevada | $61K | -18% | 350 |
| Iowa | $61K | -18% | 1,570 |
| Kentucky | $61K | -18% | 2,680 |
| Kansas | $61K | -18% | 1,650 |
| Idaho | $61K | -18% | 470 |
| Oklahoma | $60K | -20% | 2,020 |
| Louisiana | $59K | -20% | 3,160 |
| Arkansas | $57K | -23% | 1,280 |
| North Carolina | $57K | -24% | 3,400 |
| Missouri | $56K | -25% | 2,760 |
| West Virginia | $55K | -25% | 840 |
| South Dakota | $55K | -26% | 500 |
| Mississippi | $52K | -30% | 1,670 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track special education teachers, secondary school salary changes
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a special education teachers, secondary school afford a 2BR apartment alone in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $77K, rent takes 37.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,820/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for special education teachers, secondary schools in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new special education teachers, secondary schools typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,022/month. At HUD’s $1,820/month FMR, rent would take 45% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is special education teachers, secondary school a high-paying job in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $77K locally vs. $74K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell compare to the national average for special education teachers, secondary schools?
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell pays $77K median vs. the U.S. average of $74K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $77K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do special education teachers, secondary schools make in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA?
The median is $77,180 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,140, and experienced special education teachers, secondary schools can clear $97,560. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $77K enough to live in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,908/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,820/month, which eats 37.1% 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, secondary school salary go in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell has a Regional Price Parity of 100.06 (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, secondary school salary is worth about $77,134 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do special education teachers, secondary 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.