Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| Colorado | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $74,290 | $71,377 | +4% |
| Median hourly wage | $35.72 | $34.32 | +4% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $72,056.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Special Education Teacher in Colorado is $74,290, or about $35.72 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Special Education Teachers is $71,377. Colorado is +4% above the national median.
Entry-level special education teachers in Colorado typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 4,010 special education teacher jobs on record and a median salary of $74,290, Colorado offers above-average pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, special education teachers rank 282 of the 738 occupations reported in Colorado — higher than 62% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary at $136,930, Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary at $122,050, Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary at $104,070 — all figures are median annual wages for Colorado.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. Colorado levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 105.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, special education teachers rank 282 of the 738 occupations reported in Colorado — higher than 62% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in Colorado | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $136,930 | $7,800 |
| Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary | $122,050 | $370 |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | $104,070 | $1,100 |
| Physics Teachers, Postsecondary | $99,280 | $280 |
| Economics Teachers, Postsecondary | $98,870 | $270 |
| Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary | $98,680 | $810 |
Colorado levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 105.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 738 occupations in Colorado.