Will AI replace special education teachers, elementary school?AI replacement risk 44% and how the work is changing

United States Education Confidence ★★★☆☆

Median annual pay

—

National statistics

Top pay (est.)

—

Top 10% —

Pay in 5 years

—est.

2031

Pay in 10 years

—est.

—

Outlook score

59/100

★★★☆☆ Average

AI replacement risk

44%

Moderate

Job growth (10 yr)

—

BLS projections

Will AI replace Special Education Teachers, Elementary School? AI replacement risk

44%

Moderate

Ranked #425 safest from AI among all U.S. occupations

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

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 →

Skills, education and requirements for Special Education Teachers, Elementary School

Key skills

Learning Strategies

4.6

Social Perceptiveness

4.2

Reading Comprehension

4.0

Monitoring

3.9

Active Listening

3.9

Speaking

3.9

Writing

3.9

Critical Thinking

3.8

O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).

Key knowledge areas

Education and Training

5.5

English Language

4.8

Customer and Personal Service

4.4

Computers and Electronics

4.1

Geography

4.1

Administrative

3.9

Therapy and Counseling

3.7

Psychology

3.6

What the work involves

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsAnalyzing Data or InformationIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesMaking Decisions and Solving Problems

Important abilities

Oral ExpressionFluency of IdeasOral ComprehensionDeductive ReasoningProblem SensitivityWritten Comprehension

Education of workers

Bachelor's degree

51%

Master's degree

38%

High school diploma

10%

Training before entry

Up to 1 month

27%

6–12 months

25%

3–6 months

21%

None / short demo

16%

1–2 years

10%

Related work experience

6–12 months

33%

2–4 years

22%

None

11%

3–6 months

Job Zone 4 — considerable preparation needed (O*NET)

Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)

Related occupations

	Occupation	Pay	Outlook	AI risk
1	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education Teach academic and social skills to students at the elementary school level.	$63,970	46/100	28%
2	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education Teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school level.	$72,040	45/100	36%
3	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education Teach one or more subjects to students at the middle, intermediate, or junior high school level.	$64,370	40/100	45%
4	Substitute Teachers, Short-Term Teach students on a short-term basis as a temporary replacement for a regular classroom teacher, typically using the regular teacher's lesson plan.	$41,670	49/100	39%
5	Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education Instruct preschool-aged students, following curricula or lesson plans, in activities designed to promote social, physical, and intellectual growth.	$38,140	62/100	16%
6	Self-Enrichment Teachers Teach or instruct individuals or groups for the primary purpose of self-enrichment or recreation, rather than for an occupational objective, educational attainment, competition, or fitness.	$46,800	61/100	22%

Pay and employment figures are national statistics. Projected pay, outlook scores and AI replacement risk are estimates from the Shigoto Zukan model, not guarantees. To request a correction, use the contact form. How to read the data

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS; Employment Projections); O*NET 31.0 Database by USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0), modified by Shigoto Zukan. Pay ranges, projections and scores are Shigoto Zukan estimates.