by our College Data Analytics Team
[General Special Education](/majors/education/special-education/general-special-education/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general special education education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for general special education students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general special education, balancing cost against outcomes.
For return on investment in general special education, no school beat University Of Phoenix Arizona this year. University Of Phoenix Arizona is a very large private for-profit school located in the city of Phoenix. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,552. Typical student debt for general special education graduates is $35,323. Early-career general special education graduates make about $53,842. That is a strong return on a $35,323 median debt.
A rank of #2 makes Northern Arizona University one of the best values for general special education. Northern Arizona University is a very large public school located in the city of Flagstaff. In-state tuition and fees average $12,619, compared with $20,044 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general special education graduates is $23,000. Early-career general special education graduates make about $54,048. That is a strong return on a $23,000 median debt. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general special education will find it at Arizona State University, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,223, while out-of-state students pay about $33,139. Students borrow a median of $19,375 to complete the general special education program here. Soon after graduation, general special education degree recipients from Arizona State University generally make around $52,899. Set against $19,375 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Arizona one of the best values for general special education. Located in the city of Tucson, University Of Arizona is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,573, while out-of-state students pay about $39,903. Students borrow a median of $19,500 to complete the general special education program here. Early-career general special education graduates make about $44,257. Set against $19,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Grand Canyon University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general special education, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Phoenix, Grand Canyon University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,508. Students borrow a median of $47,180 to complete the general special education program here. Soon after graduation, general special education degree recipients from Grand Canyon University generally make around $48,745. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Grand Canyon University admits about 79% of applicants.
Ashford University landed the #6 spot for general special education value this year. Set in the city of Chandler, Ashford University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,960. Students borrow a median of $39,515 to complete the general special education program here. Soon after graduation, general special education degree recipients from Ashford University generally make around $41,048. Set against $39,515 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.