by our College Data Analytics TeamCollege Factual looked at 13 colleges and universities when compiling its 2025 Best Special Education Master's Degree Schools in Illinois ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 553 master's degrees in special education during the 2022-2023 academic year.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
The special ed master's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality special ed program can vary widely even among the top schools. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
The overall quality of a master's degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To take this into account we consider a school's overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking which itself looks at a collection of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their master's degree from the school. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their master's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for special education students working on their master's degree.
When choosing the right school for you, it's important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we've created a number of major-specific rankings, including this Best Special Education Master's Degree Schools in Illinois list to help you make the college decision.
The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in special education.
It is difficult to beat Illinois State University if you want to pursue a master's degree in special education. Illinois State is a very large public university located in the midsize suburb of Normal.
Students who graduate with their master's from the special ed program state that they receive average early career income of $56,893.
More information about a master’s in special education from Illinois State University
Every student who is interested in a master's degree in special education has to look into Concordia University, Chicago. Located in the suburb of River Forest, Concordia University, Chicago is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population.
Master's recipients from the special education degree program at Concordia University, Chicago earn $3,300 more than the average college graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.
More information about a master’s in special education from Concordia University, Chicago
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a great choice for individuals pursuing a master's degree in special education. UIUC is a very large public university located in the city of Champaign.
Master's graduates who receive their degree from the special ed program earn an average of $62,249 for their early career.
More information about a master’s in special education from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
National Louis University is a good decision for students interested in a master's degree in special education. NLU is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the city of Chicago.
Students who graduate with their master's from the special ed program state that they receive average early career earnings of $57,644.
More information about a master’s in special education from National Louis University
DePaul is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Chicago.
Master's recipients from the special education program at DePaul University make $6,188 above the standard college grad with the same degree shortly after graduation.
More information about a master’s in special education from DePaul University
Located in the large city of Chicago, UIC is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Those special education students who get their master's degree from University of Illinois at Chicago make $11,949 more than the average special ed graduate.
More information about a master’s in special education from University of Illinois at Chicago
Located in the suburb of Dekalb, NIU is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Master's graduates who receive their degree from the special ed program earn an average of $60,274 for their early career.
More information about a master’s in special education from Northern Illinois University
Located in the large suburb of River Forest, Dominican U is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.More information about a master’s in special education from Dominican University
Lewis is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Romeoville.
Master's students who receive their degree from the special ed program earn about $51,806 for their early career.
More information about a master’s in special education from Lewis University
Located in the city of Chicago, SXU is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.
After graduating, special ed master's recipients generally make an average of $54,613 in their early careers.
More information about a master’s in special education from Saint Xavier UniversityExplore all the Best Special Education Colleges in the Great Lakes Area or other specific states within that region.
One of 14 majors within the Education area of study, Special Education has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Teacher Education Grade Specific | 1,019 |
| Educational Administration | 1,008 |
| Curriculum & Instruction | 798 |
| Teacher Education Subject Specific | 597 |
| General Education | 374 |
| Student Counseling | 323 |
| Instructional Media Design | 123 |
| Teaching English or French | 100 |
| Multilingual Education | 68 |
| Educational Assessment | 53 |
