College Rankings

Best Special Education Schools

The top 25 of 168 U.S. colleges offering an undergraduate Special Education degree, ranked by early-career earnings and return on investment — using each school's real, aid-adjusted net price rather than sticker tuition.

Is Special Education worth it?

If you are expecting an explosive corporate salary, look elsewhere—but if you want guaranteed employment, ironclad job security, and a career with deep purpose, this degree reliably pays off. The catch is that the financial math only works if you choose the right type of school. Because public school teacher salaries are dictated by strict, union-negotiated district pay scales rather than the prestige of your alma mater, a degree from a regional public school pays exactly the same as one from an expensive private institution. The value here is overwhelmingly at low-cost public universities and state colleges. The secret to making a special education degree worth it is simple: minimize your upfront student debt by staying in-state, taking advantage of teacher-shortage grants, and letting the guaranteed district salary scale do the rest.

Filter by state

#	School	State	Score	Median earnings	Net price / yr	10-yr net ROI
1	Florida Atlantic University	FL	62	$56,009	$8,752†	+$525K
2	Texas A & M International University	TX	62	$47,820	$3,637†	+$464K
3	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign	IL	61	$51,922	$14,355†	+$462K
4	University of Hawaii at Manoa	HI	60	$60,396	$15,664†	+$541K
5	Miami Dade College	FL	59	$53,935	$5,463†	+$517K
6	Rhode Island College	RI	59	$50,060	$9,478†	+$463K
7	University of South Florida	FL	58	$50,975	$9,812†	+$471K
8	University of Nevada-Las Vegas	NV	58	$49,827	$10,359†	+$457K
9	Utah Valley University	UT	57	$50,647	$6,376†	+$481K
10	Kean University	NJ	57	$48,628	$12,447†	+$436K
11	Utah State University	UT	56	$61,474	$14,936†	+$555K
12	Western Washington University	WA	56	$52,912	$21,193†	+$444K
13	CUNY Medgar Evers College	NY	56	$49,413	$5,718†	+$471K
14	Indiana University-Bloomington	IN	55	$51,306	$16,264†	+$448K
15	University of North Florida	FL	55	$47,734	$10,154†	+$437K
16	Towson University	MD	54	$53,331	$17,413†	+$464K
17	Florida Gulf Coast University	FL	54	$46,866	$12,568†	+$418K
18	Northern Illinois University	IL	54	$46,578	$13,391†	+$412K
19	Nevada State University	NV	53	$53,159	$14,068†	+$475K
20	Bridgewater State University	MA	53	$50,061	$16,383†	+$435K
21	East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania	PA	52	$50,327	$18,134†	+$431K
22	Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania	PA	52	$50,159	$15,699†	+$439K
23	Arizona State University Campus Immersion	AZ	52	$49,882	$14,967†	+$439K
24	Broward College	FL	52	$49,262	$14,506†	+$435K
25	University of Central Florida	FL	52	$48,147	$10,411†	+$440K
26	University of West Florida	FL	52	$46,643	$9,364†	+$429K
27	Western Governors University	UT	52	$46,271	$12,548	+$413K
28	SUNY Old Westbury	NY	52	$38,978	$11,282†	+$345K
29	Pace University	NY	51	$62,346	$30,892	+$500K
30	University of Wisconsin-Madison	WI	51	$50,174	$17,354†	+$432K
31	Trinity Christian College	IL	51	$48,840	$19,125	+$412K
32	University of Wisconsin-Whitewater	WI	50	$47,592	$14,158†	+$419K
33	Northeastern State University	OK	50	$46,045	$12,710†	+$410K
34	Saginaw Valley State University	MI	50	$43,191	$10,775†	+$389K
35	Ohio University-Eastern Campus	OH	50	$41,362	$3,925†	+$398K
36	Kutztown University of Pennsylvania	PA	49	$50,645	$21,331†	+$421K
37	Purdue University-Main Campus	IN	49	$48,773	$14,600†	+$429K
38	Illinois State University	IL	49	$48,358	$19,398†	+$406K
39	Northern Arizona University	AZ	49	$47,610	$14,158†	+$419K
40	Ball State University	IN	49	$47,499	$14,940†	+$415K
41	Western Illinois University	IL	49	$46,729	$12,937†	+$416K
42	Wayne State University	MI	49	$44,157	$12,766†	+$391K
43	Eastern Illinois University	IL	49	$43,955	$12,786†	+$388K
44	Brigham Young University-Idaho	ID	49	$43,252	$8,221	+$400K
45	Eastern Washington University	WA	49	$41,883	$13,886†	+$363K
46	Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus	OH	49	$41,362	$5,755†	+$391K
47	Ohio University-Southern Campus	OH	49	$41,362	$5,993†	+$390K
48	Ohio University-Lancaster Campus	OH	49	$41,362	$5,650†	+$391K
49	Ohio University-Zanesville Campus	OH	49	$41,362	$5,746†	+$391K
50	York College of Pennsylvania	PA	48	$52,199	$18,556	+$448K
51	Southern Connecticut State University	CT	48	$50,641	$20,857†	+$423K
52	University of Minnesota-Twin Cities	MN	48	$49,771	$16,778†	+$431K
53	Grand Valley State University	MI	48	$49,494	$16,317†	+$430K
54	University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee	WI	48	$48,378	$15,014†	+$424K
55	Western Michigan University	MI	48	$47,868	$15,273†	+$418K
56	University of Georgia	GA	48	$43,137	$13,936†	+$376K
57	Black Hills State University	SD	47	$49,134	$15,911†	+$428K
58	Winona State University	MN	47	$46,697	$17,503†	+$397K
59	Saint Cloud State University	MN	47	$46,662	$13,529†	+$413K
60	University of St Francis	IL	47	$45,323	$13,006	+$401K
61	Florida International University	FL	47	$36,598	$9,288†	+$329K
62	University of Nebraska-Lincoln	NE	46	$47,017	$17,747†	+$399K
63	Carroll University	WI	46	$46,661	$15,193	+$406K
64	La Salle University	PA	45	$48,302	$19,409	+$405K
65	Minnesota State University-Mankato	MN	45	$47,132	$19,139†	+$395K
66	Central Michigan University	MI	45	$46,522	$17,597†	+$395K
67	University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire	WI	45	$46,508	$16,550†	+$399K
68	University of Memphis	TN	45	$44,664	$12,397†	+$397K
69	Southern Illinois University-Carbondale	IL	45	$44,429	$13,297†	+$391K
70	Indiana University of Pennsylvania	PA	45	$44,121	$16,804†	+$374K
71	University of Southern Indiana	IN	45	$44,104	$12,923†	+$389K
72	Eastern Michigan University	MI	45	$43,777	$15,407†	+$376K
73	University of North Carolina at Greensboro	NC	45	$42,967	$10,965†	+$386K
74	Northern Kentucky University	KY	45	$40,333	$8,191†	+$371K
75	Millersville University of Pennsylvania	PA	44	$51,664	$20,787†	+$433K
76	Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania	PA	44	$49,835	$23,726†	+$403K
77	Lewis University	IL	44	$45,831	$17,028	+$390K
78	University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh	WI	44	$44,945	$14,305†	+$392K
79	Southwest Minnesota State University	MN	44	$44,510	$15,291†	+$384K
80	Middle Tennessee State University	TN	44	$44,052	$13,359†	+$387K
81	Westfield State University	MA	44	$40,429	$16,721†	+$337K
82	Syracuse University	NY	43	$55,881	$38,793	+$404K
83	Mercyhurst University	PA	43	$46,636	$19,444	+$389K
84	Ohio State University-Main Campus	OH	43	$45,213	$17,339†	+$383K
85	University of Wisconsin-Stout	WI	43	$45,196	$17,490†	+$382K
86	Georgia College & State University	GA	43	$45,167	$20,686†	+$369K
87	University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point	WI	43	$43,844	$14,559†	+$380K
88	New Mexico State University-Main Campus	NM	43	$31,963	$8,889†	+$284K
89	Salve Regina University	RI	42	$51,308	$36,967	+$365K
90	Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia	PA	42	$50,698	$29,689	+$388K
91	University of Central Arkansas	AR	42	$44,318	$16,511†	+$377K
92	East Carolina University	NC	42	$44,185	$15,739†	+$379K
93	University of Northern Colorado	CO	42	$44,009	$17,760†	+$369K
94	Appalachian State University	NC	42	$43,283	$16,836†	+$365K
95	Coastal Carolina University	SC	42	$42,147	$13,966†	+$366K
96	Lebanon Valley College	PA	41	$51,415	$26,979	+$406K
97	University of Hartford	CT	41	$48,049	$30,282	+$359K
98	University of South Dakota	SD	41	$46,439	$19,858†	+$385K
99	Southern Illinois University Edwardsville	IL	41	$44,205	$14,889†	+$382K
100	Jacksonville State University	AL	41	$42,107	$14,279†	+$364K
101	University of New Mexico-Main Campus	NM	41	$41,947	$15,489†	+$358K
102	Metropolitan State University of Denver	CO	41	$39,638	$15,327†	+$335K
103	University of Nebraska at Omaha	NE	41	$37,998	$13,441†	+$326K
104	Hope College	MI	40	$48,630	$27,182	+$378K
105	Concordia University Ann Arbor	MI	40	$47,295	$32,811	+$342K
106	The University of Alabama	AL	40	$45,631	$22,420†	+$367K
107	Carson-Newman University	TN	40	$44,404	$20,251	+$363K
108	Upper Iowa University	IA	40	$44,304	$20,942	+$359K
109	University of Arkansas	AR	40	$43,718	$18,209†	+$364K
110	Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania	PA	40	$43,480	$19,608†	+$356K
111	University of North Carolina at Charlotte	NC	40	$42,692	$15,435†	+$365K
112	University of North Carolina Wilmington	NC	40	$42,584	$20,109†	+$345K
113	Brigham Young University	UT	39	$50,331	$15,564	+$441K
114	Providence College	RI	39	$49,664	$48,523	+$303K
115	Concordia University-Wisconsin	WI	39	$47,295	$36,201	+$328K
116	Western Carolina University	NC	39	$41,376	$13,315†	+$360K
117	University of South Carolina-Upstate	SC	39	$40,322	$13,557†	+$349K
118	Western Kentucky University	KY	39	$38,807	$10,990†	+$344K
119	Carthage College	WI	38	$48,593	$26,565	+$380K
120	Thiel College	PA	38	$43,626	$22,347	+$347K
121	University of Toledo	OH	38	$40,952	$17,249†	+$341K
122	Alvernia University	PA	37	$48,649	$28,138	+$374K
123	University of Dayton	OH	37	$45,260	$29,533	+$334K
124	Auburn University	AL	37	$42,774	$24,323†	+$330K
125	Capital University	OH	37	$42,709	$22,576	+$337K
126	Boise State University	ID	37	$42,303	$21,610†	+$337K
127	Winthrop University	SC	37	$40,435	$15,343†	+$343K
128	Eastern Kentucky University	KY	37	$38,485	$11,040†	+$341K
129	Grand Canyon University	AZ	36	$43,258	$22,472	+$343K
130	Neumann University	PA	36	$42,488	$27,804	+$314K
131	University of Cincinnati-Main Campus	OH	36	$42,347	$25,648†	+$321K
132	Spring Arbor University	MI	36	$41,324	$19,353	+$336K
133	Vincennes University	IN	36	$39,867	$11,225†	+$354K
134	St. Joseph's University-New York	NY	36	$35,041	$19,035	+$274K
135	University of Kentucky	KY	35	$41,217	$18,851†	+$337K
136	Pennsylvania Western University	PA	35	$40,012	$18,256†	+$327K
137	Morehead State University	KY	35	$36,999	$9,793†	+$331K
138	SUNY Buffalo State University	NY	35	$16,737	$11,346†	+$122K
139	Ohio University-Main Campus	OH	34	$41,362	$21,637†	+$327K
140	University of Maine at Farmington	ME	34	$39,458	$16,857†	+$327K
141	Murray State University	KY	34	$36,197	$9,096†	+$326K
142	Dakota State University	SD	33	$42,318	$21,057†	+$339K
143	Anderson University	SC	33	$40,264	$23,544	+$308K
144	California State University-Sacramento	CA	33	$33,783	$9,338†	+$300K
145	Bellarmine University	KY	32	$40,785	$21,499	+$322K
146	Colorado Christian University	CO	32	$40,033	$29,500	+$282K
147	College of Charleston	SC	32	$39,832	$18,960†	+$322K
148	Shawnee State University	OH	32	$37,020	$14,381†	+$313K
149	Miami University-Oxford	OH	31	$41,871	$28,384†	+$305K
150	Mississippi State University	MS	31	$40,185	$17,595†	+$331K
151	Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College	IN	30	$41,943	$31,872	+$292K
152	Kent State University at Kent	OH	30	$39,139	$20,787†	+$308K
153	Missouri State University-Springfield	MO	30	$38,250	$17,613†	+$312K
154	SUNY College at Geneseo	NY	30	$37,229	$18,211†	+$299K
155	Northwest Missouri State University	MO	28	$38,040	$16,244†	+$315K
156	University of Central Missouri	MO	28	$36,365	$14,462†	+$306K
157	Youngstown State University	OH	28	$35,220	$12,767†	+$301K
158	University of Arizona	AZ	28	$35,023	$16,674†	+$284K
159	Liberty University	VA	27	$39,699	$29,357	+$280K
160	Bowling Green State University-Main Campus	OH	27	$38,671	$24,022†	+$291K
161	University of Akron Main Campus	OH	27	$34,073	$13,946†	+$285K
162	University of Missouri-Columbia	MO	26	$37,547	$20,268†	+$294K
163	Southeast Missouri State University	MO	26	$37,450	$15,882†	+$311K
164	University of Mount Union	OH	24	$36,444	$23,280	+$271K
165	Ashland University	OH	24	$35,709	$21,988	+$269K
166	Missouri Baptist University	MO	24	$35,312	$27,006	+$245K
167	Defiance College	OH	20	$29,443	$26,337	+$189K
168	University of Puerto Rico	PR	20	$9,503	$8,484†	+$61K

Top 10 programs by 10-year net ROI

How to read this: Median earnings = typical pay one year after graduation. Net price = average annual cost after grant aid, incl. living costs — not sticker tuition. 10-yr net ROI = ten years of earnings minus four years of net price. Score = the CollegeRanked Score (0–100) that sets the order — it blends ROI with longer-run earnings, job demand and automation resilience, so a school can outrank one with a slightly higher 10-yr ROI. † = public university — net price shown is the in-state cost; out-of-state students pay more. See the full methodology.

Why these schools rank where they do

Florida Atlantic University takes the top spot because it operates as a direct pipeline into three of the largest public school districts in the nation: Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties. South Florida is staring down a chronic, severe shortage of special education teachers, meaning FAU grads are heavily recruited before they even finish their student teaching, stepping immediately into district jobs with full benefits and signing bonuses.

The most striking takeaway from this list is the absolute dominance of the Sunshine State, including non-traditional bachelor's programs at Miami Dade College and Broward College. These institutions historically operated as two-year community colleges but now offer four-year teaching degrees at a fraction of university tuition to solve local workforce gaps. They rank right alongside massive, highly respected Big Ten education programs like the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Indiana University. While UIUC and IU offer the classic, residential college experience and top-tier educational research facilities, a graduate from Miami Dade is stepping into the exact same localized salary bracket with virtually zero debt, driving their ROI through the roof.

Geography and local legislation also play a massive role in these rankings. Schools like the University of Hawaii at Manoa and the Nevada institutions (UNLV, Nevada State) score exceptionally well because their respective states offer aggressive pay bumps and retention incentives specifically to attract special educators to their high-need districts. When a state desperately needs specialized teachers, the local public universities become incredible engines for early-career stability.

What is Special Education?

Special education teachers design and deliver tailored instruction for students with physical, emotional, or learning disabilities. Day-to-day, they are equal parts educators, advocates, and case managers—adapting general education curricula, writing legally binding Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and collaborating with speech therapists and school psychologists to ensure every student can access learning.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a master's degree to teach special education?

No. A bachelor's degree leading to state licensure is the standard requirement to enter the classroom. While many teachers eventually get a master's degree later in their careers to automatically bump up their position on the district pay scale, you can start working—and earning—immediately with your undergraduate degree.

Why are there no elite private universities on this list?

Because school districts do not care about college prestige. A principal hiring a special education teacher wants to see state licensure, a strong student-teaching portfolio, and classroom readiness. Paying Ivy League or elite private school tuition for a degree that yields a standard public school salary is a mathematical disaster, which is why smart future teachers stick to affordable, regional state schools.

Will my teaching license transfer to other states?

Usually, but it requires some paperwork. Most states participate in the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement, which makes it easier to transfer your teaching credential. However, you may still need to pass state-specific exams or take a local history and law course. Because of these localized requirements, it is always easiest to attend college in the state where you plan to teach first.

Is there a difference between special education and general education degrees?

Yes. Special education programs focus heavily on disability law, behavior management, diagnostic assessments, and adapting curriculum. Because special education is federally mandated and teachers are in critically short supply nationwide, graduates often have an easier time finding jobs than general elementary or secondary education majors, and many districts offer them specialized stipends on top of their base salary.