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News Release Information

18-1218-NEW
Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (617) 565-4141

Occupational Employment and Wages for Selected Special Education Occupations in Metropolitan Areas in New York – May 2017

Among the 12 metropolitan areas in New York, 4 had annual wages that were significantly above the national average for kindergarten and elementary school special education teachers, 6 had above-average wages for middle school special education teachers, and 5 had above-average wages for secondary school special education teachers. Chief Regional Economist Martin Kohli noted that four areas, including Kingston and New York-Newark-Jersey City, had above-average wages for all three of the selected occupations. Nationwide, the average (mean) wage for kindergarten and elementary school special education teachers was $61,960; for middle school special education teachers, $63,250; and for secondary school special education teachers, $64,590. (See table A. For comprehensive definitions of metropolitan areas in New York, please see Technical Note.).

Table A. Average (mean) annual wages for selected special education occupations in the United States, New York, and metropolitan areas in New York, May 2017
Area Kindergarten and elementary school special education teachers Middle school special education teachers Secondary school special education teachers

United States

$61,960 $63,250 $64,590

New York

75,760* 80,380* 85,600*

Albany-Schenectady-Troy

67,480* 79,660* 71,590*

Binghamton

58,360* 69,360 62,030

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls

59,580 68,810* 68,690

Elmira

(1) (1) (1)

Glens Falls

55,550* 68,450 67,660

Ithaca

56,700* (1) 57,340*

Kingston

84,630* 83,400* 89,290*

New York-Newark-Jersey City

76,820* 79,370* 88,450*

Dutchess County-Putnam County

77,230* 86,060* 80,150*

Nassau County-Suffolk County

89,020* 99,630* 96,100*

New York-Jersey City-White Plains

75,770* 76,840* 89,080*

Rochester

62,860 62,620 65,420

Syracuse

65,590* 72,880* 87,820*

Utica-Rome

62,770 71,360* 63,380

Watertown-Fort Drum

69,090 (1) 80,850*

Footnotes:
(1) Data not available.

Note: An asterisk indicates that the mean annual wage for this area is significantly different from the national average of all areas at the 90-percent confidence level.

Of the 12 metropolitan areas located entirely or partially in the state, the New York-Newark-Jersey City area had a combined employment level of 51,140 for the three special education teacher occupations (kindergarten and elementary, middle, and secondary school). Sixty-nine percent (35,380) of those positions were located in one of the area’s four divisions, New York-Jersey City-White Plains. Another division, Nassau County-Suffolk County, had 7,960 jobs in the selected special education occupations. (See table B. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area’s Newark division contains no counties in New York, and its data have not been presented in this release.)

Table B. Employment of selected special education occupations in the United States, New York, and metropolitan areas in New York, May 2017
Area Kindergarten and elementary school special education teachers Middle school special education teachers Secondary school special education teachers

United States

184,920 87,550 135,910

New York

19,390 10,900 16,880

Albany-Schenectady-Troy

740 320 590

Binghamton

190 110 100

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls

1,160 420 830

Elmira

(1) (1) (1)

Glens Falls

150 100 120

Ithaca

100 (1) 100

Kingston

140 130 90

New York-Newark-Jersey City

21,920 12,790 16,430

Dutchess County-Putnam County

310 300 350

Nassau County-Suffolk County

3,660 1,900 2,400

New York-Jersey City-White Plains

14,540 8,740 12,100

Rochester

1,140 740 1,580

Syracuse

500 240 290

Utica-Rome

270 230 180

Watertown-Fort Drum

70 (1) (1)

Footnotes:
(1) Data not available.

Wages for kindergarten and elementary school special education teachers in metropolitan areas in New York

Kindergarten and elementary school special education teachers in the Kingston metropolitan area earned $84,630 per year, measurably above the U.S. average of $61,960. Three other metropolitan areas in New York had a mean annual wage significantly above the U.S. average for this occupation: New York-Newark-Jersey City ($76,820), Albany-Schenectady-Troy ($67,480), and Syracuse ($65,590). Wages were significantly below the national average for this occupation in three areas in New York: Glens Falls ($55,550), Ithaca ($56,700), and Binghamton ($58,360). Four areas had wages that were not measurably different from the national average. (See chart 1.)

Wages for middle school special education teachers in metropolitan areas in New York

Kingston had a mean annual wage of $83,400 for middle school special education teachers, significantly above the U.S. average of $63,250. Five other metropolitan areas in New York had a mean wage significantly above the U.S. average, including Albany-Schenectady-Troy ($79,660) and New York-Newark-Jersey City ($79,370). Middle school special education teachers in the remaining areas for which data were available earned wages that were not measurably different from the occupation’s national average. (See chart 2.)

Wages for secondary school special education teachers in metropolitan areas in New York

Five metropolitan areas had average wages for secondary school special education teachers that were significantly higher than the $64,590 national average: Kingston ($89,290), New York-Newark-Jersey City ($88,450), Syracuse ($87,820), Watertown-Fort Drum ($80,850), and Albany-Schenectady-Troy ($71,590). Ithaca ($57,340) had an average wage significantly below the national average. Secondary school teachers in the remaining five areas for which data were available earned wages that were not measurably different from the U.S. average. (See chart 3.)

These statistics are from the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey, a federal-state cooperative program between BLS and State Workforce Agencies, in this case, the New York State Department of Labor and the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

Note on Occupational Employment Statistics Data

A value that is statistically different from another does not necessarily mean that the difference has economic or practical significance. Statistical significance is concerned with the ability to make confident statements about a universe based on a sample. It is entirely possible that a large difference between two values is not significantly different statistically, while a small difference is, since both the size and heterogeneity of the sample affect the relative error of the data being tested.


Technical Note

The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey is a semiannual survey measuring occupational employment and wage rates for wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments in the United States. The OES data available from BLS include cross-industry occupational employment and wage estimates for the nation; over 650 areas, including states and the District of Columbia, metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), metropolitan divisions, nonmetropolitan areas, and territories; national industry-specific estimates at the NAICS sector, 3-, 4-, and selected 5- and 6-digit industry levels; and national estimates by ownership across all industries and for schools and hospitals. OES data are available at www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm.

OES estimates are constructed from a sample of about 1.2 million establishments. Each year, two semiannual panels of approximately 200,000 sampled establishments are contacted, one panel in May and the other in November. Responses are obtained by mail, Internet or other electronic means, email, telephone, or personal visit. The May 2017 estimates are based on responses from six semiannual panels collected over a 3-year period: May 2017, November 2016, May 2016, November 2015, May 2015, and November 2014. The overall national response rate for the six panels, based on the 50 states and the District of Columbia, is 72 percent based on establishments and 68 percent based on weighted sampled employment. The unweighted sampled employment of 82 million across all six semiannual panels represents approximately 58 percent of total national employment. For more information about OES concepts and methodology, go to https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_tec.htm.

The May 2017 OES estimates are based on the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system and the 2012 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Information about the 2010 SOC is available on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/soc and information about the 2012 NAICS is available at www.bls.gov/bls/naics.htm.

Metropolitan area definitions

The substate area data published in this release reflect the standards and definitions established by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.

  • Albany-Schenectady-Troy, N.Y. Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) includes Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, and Schoharie Counties in New York.
  • Binghamton, N.Y. MSA includes Broome and Tioga Counties in New York.
  • Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, N.Y. MSA includes Erie and Niagara Counties in New York.
  • Elmira, N.Y. MSA includes Chemung County in New York.
  • Glens Falls, N.Y. MSA includes Warren and Washington Counties in New York.
  • Ithaca, N.Y. MSA includes Tompkins County in New York.
  • Kingston, N.Y. MSA includes Ulster County in New York.
  • New York-Newark-Jersey City, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa. MSA includes the following:
    • Dutchess County-Putnam County, N.Y. Metropolitan Division (MD) includes Dutchess and Putnam Counties in New York.
    • Nassau County-Suffolk County, N.Y. MD includes Nassau and Suffolk Counties in New York.
    • New York-Jersey City-White Plains, N.Y.-N.J. MD includes Bergen, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Passaic Counties in New Jersey; and Bronx, Kings, New York, Orange, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, and Westchester Counties in New York.
    • Newark, N.J.-Pa. MD includes Essex, Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Sussex, and Union Counties in New Jersey; and Pike County in Pennsylvania.
  • Rochester, N.Y. MSA includes Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Wayne, and Yates Counties in New York.
  • Syracuse, N.Y. MSA includes Madison, Onondaga, and Oswego Counties in New York.
  • Utica-Rome, N.Y. MSA includes Herkimer and Oneida Counties in New York.
  • Watertown-Fort Drum, N.Y. MSA includes Jefferson County in New York.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.

 

Last Modified Date: Tuesday, August 14, 2018