Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (occupation group), with detailed role definition from O*NET, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Adapted Physical Education Specialist salary by state
Base salary plus target annual bonus. Target bonus opportunity scales with role level, so a higher base carries a higher target percentage.
Base salary
$82,500
National baseline
Target bonus
$9,500
11.7% of base
Total target cash
$92,000
Base plus target bonus
Bonus percentiles:25th$5,50050th$9,50075th$15,500
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
Typical experience: 3 to 6 years at the Specialist / Intermediate level, per widely used corporate career-level norms (Radford, Mercer, and SHRM career-level frameworks). Actual expectations vary by function, industry, and company size.
Adapt instructional techniques to the age and skill levels of students.
Instruct students, using adapted physical education techniques, to improve physical fitness, gross motor skills, perceptual motor skills, or sports and game achievement.
Provide individual or small groups of students with adapted physical education instruction that meets desired physical needs or goals.
Provide students positive feedback to encourage them and help them develop an appreciation for physical education.
Establish and maintain standards of behavior to create safe, orderly, and effective environments for learning.
Top skills:InstructingSpeakingSocial PerceptivenessActive ListeningActive LearningWriting
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Adapted Physical Education Specialist pay by experience level
Entry level$50,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$63,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$79,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$103,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$124,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+1.1%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
2,900
projected openings per year
Growing slower than average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Adapted Physical Education Specialist salary by industry
Educational Services
27,000 workers
$84,500
Elementary and Secondary Schools
24,730 workers
$85,000
Educational Services, Local Government Owned
21,690 workers
$87,500
Educational Services, Privately Owned
4,800 workers
$71,000
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS
1,900 workers
$84,000
Social Assistance
1,890 workers
$67,500
Educational Support Services
1,560 workers
$81,500
Individual and Family Services
1,380 workers
$67,000
Ambulatory Health Care Services
1,200 workers
$80,000
Offices of Other Health Practitioners
1,060 workers
$82,000
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
Adapt instructional techniques to the age and skill levels of students.
Instruct students, using adapted physical education techniques, to improve physical fitness, gross motor skills, perceptual motor skills, or sports and game achievement.
Provide individual or small groups of students with adapted physical education instruction that meets desired physical needs or goals.
Provide students positive feedback to encourage them and help them develop an appreciation for physical education.
Establish and maintain standards of behavior to create safe, orderly, and effective environments for learning.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Exempt · Professional or Administrative exemption
Individual contributor roles at this level typically qualify for the Professional exemption (requiring advanced knowledge in a field of science or learning) or the Administrative exemption (office work related to management or general business operations with discretion on significant matters). Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
How this role compares
Adapted Physical Education Specialist pays 7% below the average across 65 roles in the Educational Instruction and Library job family (family average $88,500).
Similar-paying roles in Educational Instruction and Library
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Adapted Physical Education Specialist make?
The average base salary for a Adapted Physical Education Specialist in the United States is $82,500 per year, or about $39.66 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $63,000 and $103,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Educational Instruction and Library roles?
The Educational Instruction and Library job family averages $88,500 across 65 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role? WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
Need Adapted Physical Education Specialist pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
