Adapted Physical Education Specialists: Career Profile
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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What Do Adapted Physical Education Specialists Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities of adapted physical education specialists cover:
- 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.
What Adapted Physical Education Specialists Need to Know
Successful adapted physical education specialists rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Other Adapted Physical Education Specialists Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- 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
How Many Adapted Physical Education Specialists Are There?
There are about 959,890 adapted physical education specialists working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +10.9% over the projection horizon.
Adapted Physical Education Specialists Pay
| 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.
Pay 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 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Earnings for adapted physical education specialists differ across the country. 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 |
Top Metro Areas
| 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 |
Industry Breakdown
Most adapted physical education specialists are concentrated in the following sectors:
| 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 |
Below are examples of industries where adapted physical education specialists work:
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)
The Day-to-Day Environment
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
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level adapted physical education specialists positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
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)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Aspiring adapted physical education specialists often complete 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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