2027 Best Value Elementary Special Education Schools in Pennsylvania

[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.
College Factual analyzed 5 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value elementary special education schools.
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2027 Best Value Elementary Special Education Schools in Pennsylvania
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the elementary special education degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Elementary Special Education Schools
For return on investment in elementary special education, no school beat La Salle University this year. Set in the city of Philadelphia, La Salle University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $37,800 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for elementary special education graduates is $27,000. Elementary Special Education graduates of La Salle University earn a median of $48,302 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. La Salle University admits about 97% of applicants.
Messiah College came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value elementary special education schools. Set in the suburb of Mechanicsburg, Messiah College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $42,240. Students borrow a median of $26,195 to complete the elementary special education program here. Early-career elementary special education graduates make about $48,957. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 79% of applicants are accepted.
Neumann University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value elementary special education schools. Neumann University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Aston. Students from in state pay about $39,100 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for elementary special education graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, elementary special education degree recipients from Neumann University generally make around $42,488. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Chestnut Hill College earned it the #4 place for elementary special education. Chestnut Hill College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Philadelphia. In-state tuition and fees average $39,870. Elementary Special Education graduates carry a median of $30,824 in student loans. Elementary Special Education graduates of Chestnut Hill College earn a median of $45,627 early in their careers. Set against $30,824 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Chestnut Hill College admits about 74% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in elementary special education will find it at University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus, which ranked #5. University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Pittsburgh. In-state tuition and fees average $21,926, with out-of-state students paying around $41,430. Students borrow a median of $24,958 to complete the elementary special education program here. Elementary Special Education graduates of University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus earn a median of $56,926 early in their careers. Set against $24,958 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus admits about 58% of applicants.
More Elementary Special Education Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.