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2026 Best Value Elementary Special Education Schools in the Southwest Region

[Elementary Special Education](/majors/education/special-education/elementary-special-education/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools to find the best return on investment for elementary special education students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Elementary Special Education Schools in the Southwest Region

2026 Best Value Elementary Special Education Schools in the Southwest Region

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in elementary special education, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Elementary Special Education Schools

1

Eastern New Mexico University Main Campus
Portales, NM

$7,074 In-State Tuition & Fees

$19,277 Avg Student Debt

$38,550 Median Earnings (10yr)

Leading the list is Eastern New Mexico University Main Campus, our #1 best value for elementary special education in the Southwest Region. Eastern New Mexico University Main Campus is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Portales. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,074, compared with $9,054 for out-of-state students. Elementary Special Education graduates carry a median of $19,277 in student loans. Elementary Special Education graduates of Eastern New Mexico University Main Campus earn a median of $49,087 early in their careers. Set against $19,277 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.

2

Grand Canyon University
Phoenix, AZ

$18,508 In-State Tuition & Fees

$47,180 Avg Student Debt

$42,186 Median Earnings (10yr)

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Grand Canyon University earned it the #2 place for elementary special education. Located in the city of Phoenix, Grand Canyon University is a very large private for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,508. Typical student debt for elementary special education graduates is $47,180. Early-career elementary special education graduates make about $48,745. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 79%.

View All Elementary Special Education Rankings >

Notes and References

This ranking is produced 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 · 9 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.