Special Needs Nurse Salary in the United States

How much does a Special Needs Nurse make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Special Needs Nurse in the United States is $75,452 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $36.

However, a Special Needs Nurse's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $85,942
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $66,438 to $80,943
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $58,231
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View as table View as graph 25% $66,438 10% $58,231 90% $85,942 75% $80,943 $75,452 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Special Needs Nurse Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $80,943 $6,745 $1,557 $39
Average $75,452 $6,288 $1,451 $36
25th Percentile $66,438 $5,537 $1,278 $32
Check out Special Needs Nurse Job Openings in the United States
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Akron Children's Hospital - Boardman, OH

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Staff Nurse Special Care Nursery

Akron Children's Hospital - Youngstown, OH

Search More Special Needs Nurse Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Special Needs Nurse Salaries

A Special Needs Nurse's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

Top Paying Cities for Special Needs Nurses

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $95,167
  • San Francisco: $94,125
  • Oakland: $92,142

What Skills Can Increase a Special Needs Nurse's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 4.91% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Data Quality (Mentioned in 2.49% Job Postings): Data quality refers to the condition of a set of values of qualitative or quantitative variables. There are many definitions of data quality but data is generally considered high quality if it is "fit for [its] intended uses in operations, decision making and planning". Alternatively, data is deemed of high quality if it correctly represents the real-world construct to which it refers. Furthermore, apart from these definitions, as data volume increases, the question of internal data consistency becomes significant, regardless of fitness for use for any particular external purpose. People's views on data quality can often be in disagreement, even when discussing the same set of data used for the same purpose. Data cleansing may be required in order to ensure data quality.
  • Field Operations (Mentioned in 1.05% Job Postings): An operation conducted by employees that is outside of the employer's fixed establishment, such as mobile clinics, health screening and medical outreach services, or dispensing of medications.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 4.91%
Data Quality 2.49%
Field Operations 1.05%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Special Needs Nurse's salary.
  • Pricing: Can increase your salary by up to 41%.
  • Engineering Services: Can increase your salary by up to 35%.
  • B2B: Can increase your salary by up to 31%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Pricing
$106,387
41%
Engineering Services
$101,860
35%
B2B
$98,842
31%
Tech Savvy
$90,542
20%
Analysis
$90,542
20%
Data Collection
$89,033
18%
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Special Needs Nurse Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Special Needs Nurse roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Energy & Utilities and Healthcare sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Special Needs Nurse positions in Financial Services or Aerospace & Defense typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Special Needs Nurse as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Special Needs Nurse

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Energy & Utilities$90,542$44.020%
Healthcare$86,770$42.015%
MFG Nondurable$84,506$41.012%
Chemicals$82,997$40.010%
Telecom$81,488$39.08%

How Education impacts a Special Needs Nurse's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Special Needs Nurses enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Special Needs Nurse with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $73,395 and $79,067).

Special Needs Nurse Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Special Needs Nurse
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 48.0%
High School 48.0%
Associates 36.0%
Bachelors 14.0%
Masters 2.0%
Doctorate 0.0%
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Special Needs Nurse Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Special Needs Nurse's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on July 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Special Needs Nurse

Salaries for a Special Needs Nurse can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $64,000 in 2023 to around $63,929 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Special Needs Nurse salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Special Needs Nurse Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$64,000
2024
$64,477
2025
$63,929
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $64,000
2024 $64,477
2025 $63,929
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Special Needs Nurse

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Special Needs Nurse

Here are companies hiring for Special Needs Nurse and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Special Needs Nurse Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Special Needs Nurse job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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