Special Education Teachers, Secondary School Salary
The median pay for a special education teachers, secondary school in Gainesville, FL is $53,030/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.73), that's roughly $54,823 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,493/month, about 40.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $53K get you in Gainesville?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Gainesville’s Regional Price Parity (96.73). 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 Gainesville
Pay for special education teachers, secondary school in Gainesville runs about 29% below the U.S. median of $74K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,493/month, which is 40.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.73) 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, secondary schools.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for special education teachers, secondary schools in metros near Gainesville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $62K | $54K |
| Jacksonville | $78K | $79K |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $60K | $60K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $61K | $60K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Gainesville, FL
Entry-level special education teachers, secondary schools (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $53K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $16K 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 states
Track special education teachers, secondary school salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Gainesville numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a special education teachers, secondary school afford a 2BR apartment alone in Gainesville?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $53K, rent takes 40.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,493/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Gainesville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new special education teachers, secondary schools typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,656/month. At HUD’s $1,493/month FMR, rent would take 56% 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 Gainesville?
Local pay runs 29% below the national median — $53K here vs. $74K nationally.
How does Gainesville compare to the national average for special education teachers, secondary schools?
Gainesville pays $53K median vs. the U.S. average of $74K — that’s -29%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.73), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — below the national median.
How much do special education teachers, secondary schools make in Gainesville, FL?
The median is $53,030 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,270, and experienced special education teachers, secondary schools can clear $60,200. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $53K enough to live in Gainesville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,721/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,493/month, which eats 40.1% 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 Gainesville?
Gainesville has a Regional Price Parity of 96.73 (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, secondary school salary is worth about $54,823 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.