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2025 Best Special Education Master's Degree Schools in Tennessee

4 Colleges in Tennessee
147 Master's Degrees
$55,080 Avg Early-Career Salary
If you pursue a master's degree in special education, you won't be alone. The field of study is the #8 most popular program in the country. This means there are lots of options to choose from when you decide to get your degree.

For its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools in Tennessee to determine which ones were the best for special education students pursuing a master's degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 147 master's degrees in special education during the 2021-2022 academic year.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great Special Education School for Your Master's Degree

Best Special Education Master's Degree Schools in Tennessee Your choice of special education for getting your master's degree school matters. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.

A Great Overall School

A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.

Early-Career Earnings

One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of master's graduates during the early years of their career. That is, everyone wants their master's degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.

Other Factors We Consider

In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:

Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for special education students working on their master's degree.

More Ways to Rank Special Education Schools

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Special Ed Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The special ed school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Special Education Master's Degree Schools in Tennessee.

Best Schools for Master’s Students to Study Special Education in Tennessee

Explore the top ranked colleges and universities for special education students seeking a a master's degree.

Top Tennessee Schools for a Master's in Special Ed

1
Lee University crest
Lee University
Cleveland, TN
2 Annual Graduates

Any student pursuing a degree in a master's degree in special education needs to take a look at Lee University. Located in the small city of Cleveland, Lee University is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.More information about a master’s in special education from Lee University

2
Lipscomb crest
Lipscomb University
Nashville, TN

Lipscomb University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a master's degree in special education. Located in the large city of Nashville, Lipscomb is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population.

Master's students who receive their degree from the special ed program earn an average of $51,798 in the first couple years of their career.

More information about a master’s in special education from Lipscomb University

3
2 Annual Graduates

It is hard to beat Middle Tennessee State University if you wish to pursue a master's degree in special education. Middle Tennessee State University is a very large public university located in the medium-sized city of Murfreesboro.More information about a master’s in special education from Middle Tennessee State University

4
Carson - Newman crest
Carson - Newman University
Jefferson City, TN
16 Annual Graduates

Carson - Newman University is a good choice for individuals interested in a master's degree in special education. Carson - Newman is a small private not-for-profit university located in the small suburb of Jefferson City.More information about a master’s in special education from Carson - Newman University

Best Special Education Colleges in the Southeast Region

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

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Florida 208 580
Georgia 190 265
Virginia 182 863
North Carolina 178 83
Alabama 151 210
Kentucky 147 391
Louisiana 147 47
South Carolina 146 102
Mississippi 145 216
Arkansas 121 227
West Virginia 112 41

View All Rankings >

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

Special Ed Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
General Special Education 140
Education of the Deaf 2
Education/Teaching of the Gifted & Talented 2
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Multiple Disabilities 1
Elementary Special Education 1
Education/Teaching of Individuals in Secondary Special Education Programs 1

Majors Similar to Special Ed

Related Major Annual Graduates
Curriculum & Instruction 513
Educational Administration 492
Teacher Education Grade Specific 415
Student Counseling 241
General Education 229
Teacher Education Subject Specific 223
Teaching English or French 73
Instructional Media Design 28
Educational Assessment 10
Other Education 4

Notes and References

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