2026 Best Value Elementary Special Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Elementary Special Education](/majors/education/special-education/elementary-special-education/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong elementary special education education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for elementary special education students.
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2026 Best Value Elementary Special Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in elementary special education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Elementary Special Education Schools
For return on investment in elementary special education, no school beat Ball State University this year. Ball State University is a very large public school located in the city of Muncie. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,082, while out-of-state students pay about $29,630. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the elementary special education program here. Elementary Special Education graduates of Ball State University earn a median of $54,096 early in their careers. Set against $23,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 86%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Marietta College earned it the #2 place for elementary special education. Set in the town of Marietta, Marietta College is a small private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $39,652. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the elementary special education program here. Early-career elementary special education graduates make about $79,641. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Marietta College admits about 79% of applicants.
Spring Arbor University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value elementary special education schools. Located in the rural area of Spring Arbor, Spring Arbor University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $34,014. Elementary Special Education graduates carry a median of $29,750 in student loans. Elementary Special Education graduates of Spring Arbor University earn a median of $50,637 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Spring Arbor University admits about 52% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
