Special Education Teachers, Secondary School Salary
The median pay for a special education teachers, secondary school in Rochester, NY is $63,190/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $93K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.03), that's roughly $65,124 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,573/month, about 38.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $63K actually covers in Rochester, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Rochester’s Regional Price Parity (97.03). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Rochester
Pay for special education teachers, secondary school in Rochester runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $74K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,573/month, which is 37.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.03) 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 school.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for special education teachers, secondary schools in metros near Rochester, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $100K | $89K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $82K | $83K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $74K | $77K |
| Syracuse | $77K | $81K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rochester, NY
Entry-level special education teachers, secondary schools (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $93K or more, a $43K 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
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Rochester numbers change.
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 Rochester?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 37.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,573/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Rochester?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new special education teachers, secondary schools typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,377/month. At HUD’s $1,573/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 Rochester?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $63K here vs. $74K nationally.
How does Rochester compare to the national average for special education teachers, secondary schools?
Rochester pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $74K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.03), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — below the national median.
How much do special education teachers, secondary schools make in Rochester, NY?
The median is $63,190 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,610, and experienced special education teachers, secondary schools can clear $93,370. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in Rochester?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,162/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,573/month, which eats 37.8% 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 Rochester?
Rochester has a Regional Price Parity of 97.03 (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 $65,124 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.