College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2024 Best Special Education Schools in Missouri

19 Colleges in Missouri
500 Special Ed Degrees Awarded
$37,776 Avg Early-Career Salary
Ranked #29 in popularity, special education is one of the most sought-after degree programs in the nation. This makes choosing the right school a hard decision.

In 2024, College Factual analyzed 19 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Special Education Schools in Missouri ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 500 degrees in special education to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Special Education School

Best Special Education Schools in Missouri Your choice of special education school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. In order to come up with a best overall ranking for special education schools, we combine our degree-level rankings, weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each level.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Pick Your Special Education Degree Level

Bachelor's Degrees in Special Ed
Master's Degrees in Special Ed
Doctor's Degrees in Special Ed

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Special Education Schools in Missouri list, to help you choose the best school for you. You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to you.

In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.

More information on how we come up with our rankings can be found here: College Factual's Data Methodology.

Best Schools for Special Education in Missouri

If you aren't interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the special ed degrees they offer, see the list below.

10 Top Missouri Schools in Special Ed

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
68 Special Ed Degrees Awarded
38.2% Growth in Graduates

University of Missouri - Columbia is a good choice for students interested in a degree in special education. Mizzou is a very large public university located in the midsize city of Columbia. A Best Colleges rank of #124 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Mizzou is a great university overall.

There were about 68 special education students who graduated with this degree at Mizzou in the most recent year we have data available. Those special education students who get their degree from University of Missouri - Columbia earn $2,317 more than the typical special ed graduate.

More information about a degree in special education from University of Missouri - Columbia

2
Webster crest
Webster University
Saint Louis, MO
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
10th Most Popular In MO
31 Special Ed Degrees Awarded

Webster University is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a degree in special education. Located in the suburb of Saint Louis, Webster is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #219 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Webster is a great university overall.

There were about 31 special education students who graduated with this degree at Webster in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in special education from Webster University

3
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
60 Special Ed Degrees Awarded
$36,250 Median Starting Salary

Missouri State University - Springfield is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in special education. Located in the city of Springfield, Missouri State is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #427 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Missouri State is a great university overall.

There were roughly 60 special education students who graduated with this degree at Missouri State in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the special ed program make around $36,250 for their early career.

More information about a degree in special education from Missouri State University - Springfield

4
Fontbonne University crest
Fontbonne University
Saint Louis, MO
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
$38,164 Median Starting Salary
$41,904 Median Student Debt

Fontbonne University is a wonderful option for students interested in a degree in special education. Fontbonne University is a small private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of Saint Louis. This university ranks 26th out of 48 schools for overall quality in the state of Missouri.

There were approximately 26 special education students who graduated with this degree at Fontbonne University in the most recent data year. After graduation, special ed degree recipients generally make an average of $38,164 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a degree in special education from Fontbonne University

5
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
83 Special Ed Degrees Awarded
$37,405 Median Starting Salary

Located in the remote town of Maryville, Northwest is a public university with a medium-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #727 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Northwest is a great university overall.

There were about 83 special education students who graduated with this degree at Northwest in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduation, special ed degree recipients usually earn about $37,405 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a degree in special education from Northwest Missouri State University

6
SLU crest
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, MO
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
13th Most Popular In MO

SLU is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Saint Louis. A Best Colleges rank of #244 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means SLU is a great university overall.

There were about 3 special education students who graduated with this degree at SLU in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in special education from Saint Louis University

7
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
11th Most Popular In MO
15.0% Growth in Graduates

Located in the suburb of Saint Louis, MBU is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population. This university ranks 25th out of 48 schools for overall quality in the state of Missouri.

There were roughly 20 special education students who graduated with this degree at MBU in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in special education from Missouri Baptist University

8
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
$33,146 Median Starting Salary
$24,500 Median Student Debt

UCM is a fairly large public university located in the town of Warrensburg. This university ranks 21st out of 48 schools for overall quality in the state of Missouri.

There were approximately 27 special education students who graduated with this degree at UCM in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the special ed program state that they receive average early career wages of $33,146.

More information about a degree in special education from University of Central Missouri

9
Lindenwood University crest
Lindenwood University
Saint Charles, MO
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
36 Special Ed Degrees Awarded
$44,430 Median Starting Salary

Lindenwood University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the city of Saint Charles. A Best Colleges rank of #651 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Lindenwood University is a great university overall.

There were roughly 36 special education students who graduated with this degree at Lindenwood University in the most recent year we have data available. Those special education students who get their degree from Lindenwood University receive $6,654 more than the typical special ed grad.

More information about a degree in special education from Lindenwood University

10
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
65 Special Ed Degrees Awarded
20.0% Growth in Graduates

Located in the small city of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri State University is a public university with a moderately-sized student population. This university ranks 27th out of 48 colleges for overall quality in the state of Missouri.

There were about 65 special education students who graduated with this degree at Southeast Missouri State University in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the special ed program report average early career income of $33,648.

More information about a degree in special education from Southeast Missouri State University

Best Special Education Colleges in the Plains States Region

Explore all the Best Special Education Schools in the Plains States Area or other specific states within that region.

StateCollegesDegrees Awarded
Minnesota284631
Kansas266396
Iowa264180
Nebraska238338
North Dakota210181
South Dakota20494

View All Rankings >

Special Education is one of 14 different types of Education programs to choose from.

Special Ed Concentrations

MajorAnnual Graduates
General Special Education314
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Multiple Disabilities98
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Autism23
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Specific Learning Disabilities22
Education/Teaching of the Gifted & Talented15
Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs14
Education of the Deaf10
Other Special Education & Teaching2
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Vision Impairments Including Blindness1
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Emotional Disturbances1

View All Special Ed Concentrations >

Related MajorAnnual Graduates
Teacher Education Grade Specific2,591
Educational Administration1,704
Teacher Education Subject Specific1,251
General Education542
Curriculum & Instruction501
Student Counseling498
Instructional Media Design170
Teaching English or French145
Other Education93
Educational Assessment88

View All Special Ed Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options