Special Education Teachers, Secondary School Salary
The median pay for a special education teachers, secondary school in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT is $81,800/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $106K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.75), that's roughly $79,611 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,865/month, about 36.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $82K actually covers in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford’s Regional Price Parity (102.75). 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 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford
Special education teachers, secondary school pay in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford tracks closely to the national median, $82K locally vs. $74K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,865/month, which is 36.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.75) 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 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury | $85K | $79K |
| New Haven | $80K | $76K |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic | $81K | $81K |
| Waterbury-Shelton | $79K | $79K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT
Entry-level special education teachers, secondary schools (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $82K. Top earners bring in $106K or more, a $45K 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 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $82K, rent takes 36.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,865/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 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new special education teachers, secondary schools typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,966/month. At HUD’s $1,865/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $82K locally vs. $74K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford compare to the national average for special education teachers, secondary schools?
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford pays $82K median vs. the U.S. average of $74K — that’s +10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.75), the purchasing-power equivalent is $80K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do special education teachers, secondary schools make in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT?
The median is $81,800 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,260, and experienced special education teachers, secondary schools can clear $105,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $82K enough to live in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,157/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,865/month, which eats 36.2% 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 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford?
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford has a Regional Price Parity of 102.75 (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 $79,611 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.