← All 785 jobsFile 25-2052
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School
Also filed here: Special educator, Special education teacher
Lightly edited
AI performs some of this work. Most of it still needs a person. The BLS expects 0.4% fewer of these jobs by 2035.
- Rank
- #226 of 785 jobs, by how much of the work AI does
- US jobs, 2025 to 2035
- -0.4% All jobs: +3.5%
- Median US pay
- $65,120 a year, 2025
- People doing it
- 259,100 in the US, with about 16,400 openings a year
The work, 19 activities
The job description, marked up.
Every activity in this job, the biggest first. Tap a line for the evidence.
- deleAI does this
- +AIAI helps
- stetStill yours
Still yours: Develop educational programs, plans, or procedures21%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Assess student capabilities, needs, or performance10%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Prepare informational or instructional materials10%
AI performed this in about 1 in 51 Copilot conversations and completed it 92% of the time.
Still yours: Collaborate in the development of educational programs9%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI helps with this: Monitor individual behavior or performance7%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 1,704 conversations, and it got them there 93% of the time.
Still yours: Set up classrooms, facilities, educational materials, or equipment6%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Teach life skills6%
AI performed this in about 1 in 756 Copilot conversations and completed it 94% of the time.
AI does this: Advise others on educational or vocational matters6%
AI performed this in about 1 in 293 Copilot conversations and completed it 90% of the time.
Still yours: Develop safety standards, policies, or procedures3%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise3%
AI performed this in about 1 in 40 Copilot conversations and completed it 91% of the time.
Still yours: Maintain operational records3%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Assist individuals with special needs3%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Train others to use equipment or products3%
AI performed this in about 1 in 494 Copilot conversations and completed it 94% of the time.
Still yours: Supervise personnel activities3%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Communicate with others about operational plans or activities1%
AI performed this in about 1 in 354 Copilot conversations and completed it 90% of the time.
AI does this: Teach academic or vocational subjects1%
AI performed this in about 1 in 70 Copilot conversations and completed it 84% of the time.
AI helps with this: Provide support or encouragement to others1%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 293 conversations, and it got them there 87% of the time.
Still yours: Replenish inventories of materials, equipment, or products1%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Distribute materials, supplies, or resources1%
AI does this in desk jobs, but in this one it is mostly hands-on.
2025 to 2035
Ten years from now.
For every 100 of these jobs in 2025, the BLS projects 100 in 2035. Across all US jobs, about 104.
Even shrinking, it should still see about 16,400 openings a year as people retire or move on.
Nearby
Where your skills travel.
Jobs that share the most work with this one, where AI does less of it.
- Shares 68% of the workPreschool Teachers24% AI does, against 31% here+4.5% by 2035 · $38,140 · Associate’s degree
- Shares 67% of the workSelf-Enrichment Teachers25% AI does, against 31% here+3.5% by 2035 · $46,800 · High school diploma
- Shares 73% of the workMiddle School Teachers24% AI does, against 31% here-0.4% by 2035 · $64,370 · Bachelor’s degree
How to read this file.
deleAI does this. In US Bing Copilot conversations from January to September 2024, AI itself performed the activity, completed it and made a real difference often enough to count.
+AIAI helps. People brought the activity to AI as their own goal, and it usually got them there.
stetStill yours. It barely shows up in AI use, AI rarely finishes it, or in this job it needs hands.
Shares are weighted by how much each activity matters in the job, using O*NET. Microsoft’s own AI applicability score for this job is 0.17, higher than 59% of jobs.
Doing an activity is not doing a job. The researchers behind this data warn against reading it as job loss, and so do we. It is US data; the shape of the work travels.
Sources: Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025) · O*NET OnLine, 25-2052 · BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035
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