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 bonus using the Grahall equation. Bonus is a function of base; higher base means a higher target bonus.
Base salary
$82,500
National baseline
Target bonus
$3,000
3.5% of base
Total target cash
$85,500
Base plus target bonus
Bonus range (25th to 75th percentile):$2,000 to $5,000
Long-term incentive (LTI) varies by industry and executive tier and is not included in this view.
What Adapted Physical Education Specialists do
Typical education: Bachelor's Degree
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.
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.
