What are the main factors that influence a Special Instructor's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Special Instructor's salary?

A Special Instructor's salary grows with experience: an Special Instructor (0-0 years)earns $61,018, an Asst. Professor - Special Education (0-0 years)earns $69,468, an Assoc. Professor - Special Education (0-0 years)earns $84,897, a Professor - Special Education (0-0 years)earns $108,337,

What are the highest paying states for a Special Instructor?

Special Instructor salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Special Instructor roles are District of Columbia $66,878, California $66,625, Massachusetts $65,737. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Special Instructor roles make?

Salaries for Special Instructor level roles vary by specialization: Special Agent: $88,061; Special Investigator: $68,624; Instructor: $64,529; Adjunct Instructor, Special Education: $60,239; College Instructor - Special Education: $59,900.

How do different companies affect a Special Instructor's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Special Instructor roles. Large, established industry leaders like New York Police Department ($97,099) and State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority ($95,962) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $75,106.

Special Instructor Salary in the United States

How much does a Special Instructor make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Special Instructor in the United States is $60,403 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $29.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $75,176
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $51,548 to $68,136
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $43,485

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Special Instructor Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$68,136	$5,678	$1,310	$33
Average	$60,403	$5,034	$1,162	$29
25th Percentile	$51,548	$4,296	$991	$25

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Key Factors That Influence Special Instructor Salaries

A Special Instructor'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.

How Do Special Instructor Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Special Instructors. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $66,878.
California: $66,625.
Massachusetts: $65,737.

District of Columbia $66,878

California $66,625

Massachusetts $65,737

Washington $65,495

New Jersey $65,471

Alaska $65,386

Connecticut $64,553

New York $64,215

Hawaii $63,133

Rhode Island $62,626

Maryland $62,282

Minnesota $61,810

Colorado $61,629

Illinois $61,569

Oregon $61,339

Delaware $61,170

New Hampshire $61,064

Virginia $60,826

Pennsylvania $60,131

Nevada $59,781

North Dakota $59,666

Michigan $59,485

Wisconsin $59,419

Vermont $59,286

Texas $58,917

Maine $58,893

Arizona $58,857

Ohio $58,814

Georgia $58,259

Indiana $57,981

Wyoming $57,927

Utah $57,842

Iowa $57,806

Kansas $57,516

Louisiana $57,431

North Carolina $57,401

Missouri $57,389

Florida $57,153

Montana $57,027

Nebraska $56,906

Kentucky $56,839

South Carolina $56,598

Tennessee $56,447

Idaho $56,386

New Mexico $55,945

Oklahoma $55,849

Alabama $55,492

South Dakota $54,894

Arkansas $54,568

West Virginia $54,393

Mississippi $53,867

Top Paying Cities for Special Instructors

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: $76,186
San Francisco: $75,352
Oakland: $73,764

San Jose, CA $76,186

San Francisco, CA $75,352

Oakland, CA $73,764

New York, NY $69,548

Paramus, NJ $68,702

Queens Village, NY $68,699

Passaic, NJ $68,641

Bergenfield, NJ $68,636

Stamford, CT $68,503

Huntington, NY $68,478

Newark, NJ $68,032

Bridgeport, CT $67,905

Vallejo, CA $67,784

New Brunswick, NJ $67,760

Petaluma, CA $67,724

Middlesex, NJ $67,609

Somerset, NJ $67,567

Santa Cruz, CA $67,488

Boston, MA $67,120

Monterey, CA $66,908

Seattle, WA $66,770

Santa Rosa, CA $66,758

Los Angeles, CA $66,739

Juneau, AK $66,582

Washington, DC $66,516

Orange, CA $66,301

Santa Ana, CA $66,141

Long Beach, CA $66,081

Anaheim, CA $66,069

Anchorage, AK $66,039

Santa Maria, CA $65,857

Everett, WA $65,845

Danbury, CT $65,633

Bremerton, WA $65,549

Tacoma, WA $65,332

New Suffolk, NY $65,331

Sacramento, CA $65,314

Santa Barbara, CA $65,247

Trenton, NJ $65,181

San Diego, CA $65,181

Brockton, MA $65,115

Fairbanks, AK $64,967

Lompoc, CA $64,813

Lowell, MA $64,764

Ventura, CA $64,752

Nashua, NH $64,740

Stockton, CA $64,734

Modesto, CA $64,293

Poughkeepsie, NY $64,160

Olympia, WA $64,045

Kennewick, WA $64,045

New Haven, CT $64,021

Lawrence, MA $63,804

Hartford, CT $63,743

Riverside, CA $63,731

New Bedford, MA $63,671

Richland, WA $63,671

Bakersfield, CA $63,586

San Bernardino, CA $63,562

New Britain, CT $63,556

Atlantic City, NJ $63,556

New London, CT $63,532

Norwich, CT $63,514

Portsmouth, NH $63,502

Boulder, CO $63,374

Portland, OR $63,290

Worcester, MA $63,284

Minneapolis, MN $63,097

Philadelphia, PA $63,013

Honolulu, HI $62,813

Saint Paul, MN $62,784

Vineland, NJ $62,771

Providence, RI $62,596

Chicago, IL $62,421

Bellingham, WA $62,348

Springfield, MA $62,300

Baltimore, MD $62,282

Chico, CA $62,131

Pittsfield, MA $61,968

Manchester, NH $61,853

Spokane, WA $61,587

Denver, CO $61,581

Albany, NY $61,297

Troy, NY $61,273

Nassau, NY $61,208

Schenectady, NY $61,146

Wilmington, DE $61,098

Burlington, VT $61,013

Salem, OR $60,989

Portland, ME $60,802

Yakima, WA $60,741

Rochester, MN $60,554

Reno, NV $60,524

Fresno, CA $60,524

Milwaukee, WI $60,470

Detroit, MI $60,409

Ann Arbor, MI $60,399

Allentown, PA $60,391

Colorado Springs, CO $60,288

Syracuse, NY $60,258

Carson City, NV $60,258

Houston, TX $60,174

Eugene, OR $60,143

Gary, IN $60,071

Springfield, OR $60,023

Bismarck, ND $60,010

Galveston, TX $59,968

Medford, OR $59,878

Fort Collins, CO $59,853

Concord, NH $59,823

Austin, TX $59,805

Mesa, AZ $59,678

Reading, PA $59,672

Phoenix, AZ $59,666

Dallas, TX $59,648

Saint Cloud, MN $59,590

Madison, WI $59,509

Utica, NY $59,346

Rochester, NY $59,249

Des Moines, IA $59,243

Raleigh, NC $59,237

Atlanta, GA $59,147

Battle Creek, MI $59,129

Salt Lake City, UT $59,110

Lancaster, PA $59,020

Harrisburg, PA $58,935

Kansas City, MO $58,875

Champaign, IL $58,863

Kansas City, KS $58,863

Fort Worth, TX $58,857

Columbus, OH $58,847

Boca Raton, FL $58,833

Pittsburgh, PA $58,808

Richmond, VA $58,784

Indianapolis, IN $58,772

Cleveland, OH $58,766

Las Vegas, NV $58,694

Cincinnati, OH $58,694

Petersburg, VA $58,603

Huntsville, AL $58,512

Lansing, MI $58,472

Lebanon, PA $58,464

Pueblo, CO $58,458

Appleton, WI $58,440

Buffalo, NY $58,416

Dayton, OH $58,398

Racine, WI $58,386

Charlotte, NC $58,380

Saint Louis, MO $58,361

York, PA $58,325

Elkhart, IN $58,325

Gastonia, NC $58,314

Billings, MT $58,299

Beaumont, TX $58,283

Lorain, OH $58,271

Benton Harbor, MI $58,259

Toledo, OH $58,247

Binghamton, NY $58,217

Rock Hill, SC $58,210

Rockford, IL $58,180

Springfield, IL $58,156

Elyria, OH $58,150

Fargo, ND $58,150

Flagstaff, AZ $58,108

Fort Lauderdale, FL $58,072

Duluth, MN $58,035

Miami, FL $58,035

Cheyenne, WY $57,993

Grand Forks, ND $57,993

Bangor, ME $57,860

Cedar Rapids, IA $57,794

Durham, NC $57,768

Louisville, KY $57,763

Grand Rapids, MI $57,751

Hialeah, FL $57,745

Casper, WY $57,661

Scranton, PA $57,588

New Orleans, LA $57,570

Virginia Beach, VA $57,564

Akron, OH $57,534

Peoria, IL $57,455

Sarasota, FL $57,443

Nashville, TN $57,401

Omaha, NE $57,401

Green Bay, WI $57,401

Baton Rouge, LA $57,371

Charleston, SC $57,359

Jamestown, NY $57,329

Davenport, IA $57,329

Tucson, AZ $57,298

Saint Petersburg, FL $57,262

Tampa, FL $57,250

Evansville, IN $57,214

Port Arthur, TX $57,214

Bradenton, FL $57,190

Santa Fe, NM $57,081

Orlando, FL $56,972

Clearwater, FL $56,954

Canton, OH $56,827

La Crosse, WI $56,827

Albuquerque, NM $56,791

Newport News, VA $56,785

High Point, NC $56,767

Ogden, UT $56,743

Corpus Christi, TX $56,694

Norfolk, VA $56,658

Laramie, WY $56,658

Rock Island, IL $56,622

Saginaw, MI $56,610

Jacksonville, FL $56,604

Salisbury, NC $56,592

Boise, ID $56,580

Moline, IL $56,549

Fort Myers, FL $56,531

Memphis, TN $56,519

Tulsa, OK $56,489

Waterloo, IA $56,453

Spartanburg, SC $56,392

Lincoln, NE $56,362

Fort Wayne, IN $56,350

Provo, UT $56,344

Cedar Falls, IA $56,272

San Antonio, TX $56,247

Greensboro, NC $56,223

South Bend, IN $56,217

Savannah, GA $56,151

Muskegon, MI $56,127

Birmingham, AL $56,121

Winston Salem, NC $56,091

Lake Charles, LA $55,945

Anderson, IN $55,933

Lexington, KY $55,915

Augusta, GA $55,897

Greenville, SC $55,897

Lima, OH $55,849

Wichita, KS $55,843

Tuscaloosa, AL $55,843

Columbia, SC $55,788

Springfield, OH $55,776

Asheville, NC $55,680

Bloomington, IN $55,637

Knoxville, TN $55,420

Shreveport, LA $55,414

Wilmington, NC $55,335

Roanoke, VA $55,335

Topeka, KS $55,227

Frankfort, KY $55,220

Oklahoma City, OK $55,178

Chillicothe, OH $55,154

Longview, TX $55,148

Melbourne, FL $55,142

Sioux Falls, SD $55,045

Mobile, AL $55,039

Terre Haute, IN $55,015

Altoona, PA $54,979

Amarillo, TX $54,937

Killeen, TX $54,918

Fayetteville, AR $54,870

Chattanooga, TN $54,852

Sioux City, IA $54,798

Idaho Falls, ID $54,786

Lynchburg, VA $54,737

Gainesville, FL $54,659

Portsmouth, OH $54,629

Little Rock, AR $54,616

Lafayette, LA $54,592

Youngstown, OH $54,592

Daytona Beach, FL $54,556

Clarksville, TN $54,550

Pensacola, FL $54,544

Temple, TX $54,540

Hopkinsville, KY $54,363

Erie, PA $54,351

Florence, SC $54,327

Charleston, WV $54,230

Great Falls, MT $54,200

Macon, GA $54,115

Tallahassee, FL $54,109

Fayetteville, NC $54,097

Waco, TX $54,085

Helena, MT $54,043

Pine Bluff, AR $54,020

Vincennes, IN $53,946

Lubbock, TX $53,922

Alamogordo, NM $53,886

Twin Falls, ID $53,831

Rapid City, SD $53,813

Jackson, MS $53,704

Huntington, WV $53,700

Greenville, MS $53,698

Parkersburg, WV $53,637

Montgomery, AL $53,626

Wichita Falls, TX $53,565

Springfield, MO $53,565

Biloxi, MS $53,535

Monroe, LA $53,475

Johnstown, PA $53,433

Sumter, SC $53,408

Columbus, GA $53,402

Pascagoula, MS $53,288

Abilene, TX $53,288

Kingsport, TN $53,131

Albany, GA $53,131

Gulfport, MS $53,112

Alexandria, LA $52,913

Fort Smith, AR $52,762

El Paso, TX $52,599

Las Cruces, NM $52,327

Harlingen, TX $52,174

Pocatello, ID $52,164

Florence, AL $52,086

Brownsville, TX $52,074

Mcallen, TX $51,947

Dothan, AL $51,862

Columbus, MS $51,503

Altus, OK $51,222

Lawton, OK $51,107

Pierre, SD $50,890

What Skills Can Increase a Special Instructor's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Commitment (Mentioned in 12.82% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
Spring (Mentioned in 1.97% Job Postings): Spring is the season during which the natural world revives and reinvigorates after the colder winter months. During spring, dormant plants begin to grow again, new seedlings sprout out of the ground and hibernating animals awake.
Safety Standards (Mentioned in 1.43% Job Postings): Safety standards are designed to ensure the safety of products, activities and processes, etc. They may be advisory or compulsory and are normally laid down by an advisory or regulatory body that may be either voluntary or statutory.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Commitment	12.82%
Spring	1.97%
Safety Standards	1.43%

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 Instructor's salary.

Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Computer Science: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Programming: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Analysis	$64,631	7%
Computer Science	$64,631	7%
Programming	$63,423	5%
Safety Training	$62,819	4%
Collaboration	$62,819	4%
Customer Service	$62,215	3%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Special Instructor's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Special Instructors enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree 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 Instructor with a Bachelor's Degree is between $54,776 and $60,153).

Special Instructor Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Special Instructor

No Diploma 2.4%

High School 4.7%

Associates 4.7%

Bachelors 31.8%

Masters 55.3%

Doctorate 1.2%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	2.4%
High School	4.7%
Associates	4.7%
Bachelors	31.8%
Masters	55.3%
Doctorate	1.2%

view as graph

Special Instructor Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Special Instructor'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 May 01, 2026

$51,548

Average $60,403/year

$68,136

$4,296

Average $5,034/month

$5,678

$991

Average $1,162/week

$1,310

$25

Average $29/hour

$33

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$68,136	$5,678	$1,310	$33
Average	$60,403	$5,034	$1,162	$29
25th Percentile	$51,548	$4,296	$991	$25

Salaries of jobs related to Special Instructor

Salary Trends for Special Instructor

Salaries for a Special Instructor can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $56,956 in 2023 to around $55,014 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Special Instructor salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Special Instructor Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$56,956

2024

$56,228

2025

$55,014

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$56,956
2024	$56,228
2025	$55,014
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Special Instructor

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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.)

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