Adapted Physical Education Specialists: Career Overview
Provide individualized physical education instruction or services to children, youth, or adults with exceptional physical needs due to gross motor developmental delays or other impairments.
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The Daily Work of Adapted Physical Education Specialists Do?
Typical responsibilities of adapted physical education specialists span:
- 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.
- Provide adapted physical education services to students with intellectual disabilities, autism, traumatic brain injury, orthopedic impairments, or other disabling condition.
- Assess students' physical progress or needs.
- Assist in screening or placement of students in adapted physical education programs.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Successful adapted physical education specialists draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
These are the skills most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Adapted Physical Education Specialists Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Adapted Fitness Professional
- Adapted Physical Activity Specialist
- Adapted Physical Education Specialist (APE Specialist)
- Adapted Physical Education Teacher (Adapted PE Teacher)
- Adapted Physical Educator
- Adaptive Physical Education Specialist (Adaptive PE Specialist)
- Adaptive Physical Education Teacher (Adaptive PE Teacher)
- Adaptive Physical Educator
Employment and Demand
There are about 959,890 adapted physical education specialists working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +10.9% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Adapted Physical Education Specialists Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $77,976 |
| Hourly median | $37.49 |
| 10th percentile | $43,818 |
| 25th percentile | $60,897 |
| 75th percentile | $95,056 |
| 90th percentile | $112,135 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Adapted Physical Education Specialists Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $96,600 |
| California | $87,600 |
| New Mexico | $83,030 |
| Oregon | $81,470 |
| District of Columbia | $80,670 |
| Rhode Island | $76,600 |
| Michigan | $75,820 |
| Delaware | $75,710 |
| New Jersey | $74,790 |
| Massachusetts | $74,510 |
| Virginia | $72,820 |
| Pennsylvania | $69,480 |
| Maryland | $69,360 |
| Minnesota | $67,430 |
| Washington | $67,110 |
| Colorado | $66,660 |
| Idaho | $65,760 |
| Texas | $65,340 |
| Utah | $65,030 |
| Wisconsin | $64,690 |
| Tennessee | $64,490 |
| Kentucky | $63,240 |
| North Dakota | $63,110 |
| Indiana | $61,850 |
| Nevada | $61,810 |
| North Carolina | $61,730 |
| Iowa | $61,640 |
| Illinois | $61,360 |
| Georgia | $61,240 |
| South Carolina | $61,100 |
| Arizona | $59,880 |
| New Hampshire | $59,670 |
| Louisiana | $59,010 |
| Arkansas | $57,260 |
| Connecticut | $57,120 |
| Florida | $56,930 |
| Maine | $55,810 |
| Puerto Rico | $49,410 |
| Nebraska | $47,880 |
| Missouri | $47,770 |
| Ohio | $46,840 |
| Vermont | $45,240 |
| Alabama | $36,070 |
| Mississippi | $36,040 |
| West Virginia | $31,100 |
Where Adapted Physical Education Specialists Earn the Most
Pay for adapted physical education specialists shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $83,898 | 27.3% | 1.97 |
| Middle Atlantic | $83,016 | 16.0% | 1.48 |
| Great Lakes | $66,918 | 16.8% | 2.01 |
| Southwest | $65,947 | 9.2% | 0.94 |
| Rocky Mountains | $65,775 | 0.7% | 0.23 |
| New England | $63,221 | 8.0% | 2.49 |
| Southeast | $58,115 | 17.5% | 1.35 |
| Plains States | $58,047 | 2.6% | 0.54 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Adapted Physical Education Specialists
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington Park, MD | MD | $105,790 | 110 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $102,110 | 450 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | CA | $100,940 | 130 |
| Modesto, CA | CA | $99,170 | 120 |
| Salinas, CA | CA | $98,290 | 170 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $98,020 | 2,880 |
| Merced, CA | CA | $96,970 | 80 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $96,720 | 440 |
Which Industries Hire Adapted Physical Education Specialists
The largest employers of adapted physical education specialists are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 31,550 | n/a |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 4,790 | n/a |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 380 | n/a |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 220 | n/a |
Adapted Physical Education Specialists work in the following industries:
Software Adapted Physical Education Specialists Use
- Web page creation and editing software: Facebook (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
Daily working conditions for adapted physical education specialists is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Physical Proximity
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
How to Become Adapted Physical Education Specialists
Most adapted physical education specialists positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- School Psychologists (Primary-Long)
- Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Long)
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education (Supplemental)
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education (Supplemental)
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School (Supplemental)
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education (Primary-Long)
Degree Programs
Students preparing for adapted physical education specialists typically earn programs in:
Education
13 programs across 1 majors
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 25-2059.01 (Special Education Teachers, All Other).
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