Vocational & CTE Teachers vs Special Ed Teachers, Secondary
Median pay is about $10k higher for Special Ed Teachers, Secondary. The usual entry education is bachelor's plus cert for Vocational & CTE Teachers and bachelor's for Special Ed Teachers, Secondary.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Vocational & CTE Teachers | Special Ed Teachers, Secondary |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $63,820 | $74,260, higher |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $50,320 | $60,180, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $82,360 | $93,730, higher |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | -0.3% Declining | -0.2% Declining, higher |
| Openings a year | 8,000 | 10,400 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Bachelor's plus cert | Bachelor's |
| Difficulty modeled | 2.8 / 5 | 3.4 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Low | Low |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 76th pct | 42nd pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Vocational & CTE Teachers
- Active Learning
- Critical Thinking
Only Special Ed Teachers, Secondary
- Writing
- Monitoring
Both lean on active listening, learning strategies, reading comprehension, speaking.
More comparisons
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Compare Special Ed Teachers, Secondary with
Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.