2026 Best Value General Special Education Schools in Georgia
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general special education degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Special Education Schools
For return on investment in general special education, no school beat South Georgia State College this year. Located in the town of Douglas, South Georgia State College is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,314, compared with $10,274 for out-of-state students. General Special Education graduates carry a median of $17,518 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general special education degree recipients from South Georgia State College generally make around $50,931. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in general special education will find it at Valdosta State University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Valdosta, Valdosta State University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,124, compared with $17,836 for out-of-state students. General Special Education graduates carry a median of $28,661 in student loans. Early-career general special education graduates make about $56,492. Set against $28,661 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 72%.
Students looking for strong value in general special education will find it at Georgia Gwinnett College, which ranked #3. Set in the suburb of Lawrenceville, Georgia Gwinnett College is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,532, compared with $13,844 for out-of-state students. General Special Education graduates carry a median of $21,280 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general special education degree recipients from Georgia Gwinnett College generally make around $55,992. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Georgia Gwinnett College admits about 96% of applicants.
Columbus State University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value general special education schools. Columbus State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Columbus. Students from in state pay about $5,898 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $17,610. General Special Education graduates carry a median of $28,493 in student loans. Early-career general special education graduates make about $56,177. That is a strong return on a $28,493 median debt. Columbus State University admits about 99% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Georgia Southwestern State University earned it the #5 place for general special education. Georgia Southwestern State University is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Americus. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,220, while out-of-state students pay about $16,572. General Special Education graduates carry a median of $28,245 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general special education degree recipients from Georgia Southwestern State University generally make around $52,428. That is a strong return on a $28,245 median debt. The acceptance rate is 75%.
Augusta University came in at #6 for value in general special education this year. Set in the city of Augusta, Augusta University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,414, while out-of-state students pay about $24,734. Students borrow a median of $25,745 to complete the general special education program here. Soon after graduation, general special education degree recipients from Augusta University generally make around $56,168. That is a strong return on a $25,745 median debt. The acceptance rate is 86%.
University Of Georgia placed #7 among the best values for general special education. Located in the city of Athens, University Of Georgia is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,450, while out-of-state students pay about $31,688. Students borrow a median of $22,250 to complete the general special education program here. Early-career general special education graduates make about $54,506. Set against $22,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 38% of applicants are accepted.
University Of West Georgia ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value general special education schools. Set in the town of Carrollton, University Of West Georgia is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $6,088, compared with $17,800 for out-of-state students. General Special Education graduates carry a median of $26,789 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general special education degree recipients from University Of West Georgia generally make around $67,672. That is a strong return on a $26,789 median debt. The acceptance rate is 52%.
Georgia State University earned the #9 position for value in general special education this year. Located in the city of Atlanta, Georgia State University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $8,664 in tuition and fees, compared with $24,840 for out-of-state students. General Special Education graduates carry a median of $26,091 in student loans. Early-career general special education graduates make about $59,125. That is a strong return on a $26,091 median debt. The acceptance rate is 55%.
Georgia Southern University ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best value general special education schools. Set in the town of Statesboro, Georgia Southern University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $6,022 in tuition and fees, compared with $17,734 for out-of-state students. General Special Education graduates carry a median of $23,687 in student loans. Early-career general special education graduates make about $45,531. That is a strong return on a $23,687 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Georgia College And State University ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best value general special education schools. Set in the town of Milledgeville, Georgia College And State University is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,186, compared with $29,512 for out-of-state students. General Special Education graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. General Special Education graduates of Georgia College And State University earn a median of $49,364 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. Georgia College And State University admits about 78% of applicants.
Piedmont College placed #12 among the best values for general special education. Located in the town of Demorest, Piedmont College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $31,700. Students borrow a median of $29,975 to complete the general special education program here. Early-career general special education graduates make about $52,567. That is a strong return on a $29,975 median debt. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 18 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 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.
[General Special Education](/majors/education/special-education/general-special-education/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general special education education at a price that pays off.
