Special Education Teachers, Secondary School Salary
The median pay for a special education teachers, secondary school in Grand Junction, CO is $65,090/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $82K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.48), that's roughly $68,171 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,282/month, or 29.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $65K actually covers in Grand Junction, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Grand Junction’s Regional Price Parity (95.48). 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 Grand Junction
Pay for special education teachers, secondary school in Grand Junction runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $74K. Rent runs $1,282/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 95.48) 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 Grand Junction, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $78K | $74K |
| Colorado Springs | $62K | $62K |
| Boulder | $82K | $78K |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $63K | $63K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Grand Junction, CO
Entry-level special education teachers, secondary schools (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $82K or more, a $30K 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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Related careers in Education
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a special education teachers, secondary school afford a 2BR apartment alone in Grand Junction?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 30% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,282/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 Grand Junction?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new special education teachers, secondary schools typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,441/month. At HUD’s $1,282/month FMR, rent would take 37% 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 Grand Junction?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $65K here vs. $74K nationally.
How does Grand Junction compare to the national average for special education teachers, secondary schools?
Grand Junction pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $74K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.48), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — below the national median.
How much do special education teachers, secondary schools make in Grand Junction, CO?
The median is $65,090 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,680, and experienced special education teachers, secondary schools can clear $82,170. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Grand Junction?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,276/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,282/month, which eats 30% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a special education teachers, secondary school salary go in Grand Junction?
Grand Junction has a Regional Price Parity of 95.48 (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 $68,171 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.