Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
Also called: Art Educator, Art Instructor, Art Teacher, Band Teacher, Bilingual Instructor, Bilingual Teacher, Choir Teacher, Classroom Teacher
Teach academic and social skills to students at the elementary school level.
What elementary school teachers, except special education do
Typical tasks
- Instruct students individually and in groups, using teaching methods such as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations.
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among the students.
- Guide and counsel students with adjustment or academic problems or with special academic interests.
- Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
- Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.
- Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
- Read books to entire classes or small groups.
- Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
- Confer with parents or guardians, teachers, counselors, and administrators to resolve students' behavioral and academic problems.
- Meet with parents and guardians to discuss their children's progress and to determine priorities for their children and their resource needs.
- Use computers, audio-visual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations.
- Meet with other professionals to discuss individual students' needs and progress.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education salary
The median annual wage for elementary school teachers, except special education is $63,970 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $47,960 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $104,340. The mean annual wage is $72,650.
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $63,970 → in 3 years $69,800 → in 5 years $74,000 → in 10 years $85,500 (10-year range $73,500–$99,300). The model assumes pay growth of +2.9% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education United States | 小学校教員 Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $63,970 | ¥7.35M ≈ $46,752 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $85,500 | ¥9.08M |
| Outlook score | 46 | 54 |
| AI replacement risk | 28% Low | 30% Low |
| Workers | 1.4M | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 4 — considerable preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become elementary school teachers, except special education
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as elementary school teachers, except special education
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.