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2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

597 Ranked Colleges
36,792 Degrees Awarded
$4,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2020-2021, 36,792 people earned their degree in special education, making the major the 29th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, special education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $45,679 and had an average of $24,977 in loans still to pay off.

This year’s “Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 597 colleges that offered a degree in special education. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality special education programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the special education program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Special Education Schools

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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 “Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k”.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Special Education (Income $0-$30k)

1
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Hunter College
New York, New York

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Hunter College. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Hunter College is a large school located in New York, New York that handed out 360 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Hunter, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Hunter College is $396 for Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Special Education at Hunter College

2
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Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Johns Hopkins University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Johns Hopkins University is located in Baltimore, Maryland and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 47 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

Johns Hopkins did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Special Education Schools” list. It costs about $2,084 for Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Johns Hopkins.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Special Education at Johns Hopkins

3
Brooklyn College crest
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn, New York

Out of the 597 schools in the Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Brooklyn College landed the #3 spot on the list. Brooklyn College is a fairly large public school situated in Brooklyn, New York. It awarded 244 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Brooklyn College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Special Education Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Brooklyn College is $1,547 for special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Brooklyn College Special Education Report

4
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Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

Out of the 597 schools in the Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Vanderbilt University landed the #4 spot on the list. Vanderbilt is located in Nashville, Tennessee and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 54 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our special ed students whose families make $0-$30k list, Vanderbilt has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Special Education Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Vanderbilt University is $3,176 for special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read full report on Special Education at Vanderbilt

5
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The City College of New York
New York, New York

Out of the 597 schools in the Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, The City College of New York landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in New York, New York, this fairly large public school handed out 143 degrees to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, CCNY is also in the top of our “Best Special Education Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our “Best Special Education Schools” list. It costs about $1,254 for special ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend CCNY.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full CCNY Special Education Report

6
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Lehman College
Bronx, New York

Lehman College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Lehman College is a public institution located in Bronx, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 87 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Lehman excels when it comes to special ed quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Special Education Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Lehman College is $881 for special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Special Education at Lehman

7
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University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Gainesville, Florida, and it awarded 87 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UF is also in the top of our “Best Special Education Schools” ranking. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend University of Florida is $65 for special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Florida Special Education Report

8
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Queens College
Queens, New York

Queens College landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Queens, New York, this fairly large public school awarded 111 diplomas to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, QC is in the top on our “Best Special Education Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Queens College is $1,344 for Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Queens College Special Education Report

9

University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, this large public school awarded 69 degrees to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our special ed students whose families make $0-$30k list, UW - Madison has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Special Education Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW - Madison is $3,981 for special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read more about Special Education at UW - Madison

10

California State University - Los Angeles came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 84 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Cal State LA excels when it comes to special ed quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Special Education Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Cal State LA is $1,887 for special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Cal State LA Special Education Report

11
IU Bloomington crest
Indiana University - Bloomington
Bloomington, Indiana

Indiana University - Bloomington came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. IU Bloomington is a large public school situated in Bloomington, Indiana. It awarded 38 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our special ed students whose families make $0-$30k list, IU Bloomington has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Special Education Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - Bloomington is $5,752 for Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Special Education at Indiana University - Bloomington

12

With a ranking of #12, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 52 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

UIUC also took the #23 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UIUC is $4,858 for special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read more about Special Education at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

13
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Towson University
Towson, Maryland

Towson University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Towson is a large school located in Towson, Maryland that handed out 231 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Towson also took the #4 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Towson is $7,956 for special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Towson University Special Education Report

14

University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Seattle, Washington, this large public school awarded 32 degrees to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

UW Seattle also made our “Best Special Education Schools” list, coming in at #16. It costs about $5,194 for Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UW Seattle.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Special Education at UW Seattle

15
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #15. Purdue is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 27 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Purdue is also in the top of our “Best Special Education Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue is $5,995 for Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Purdue University - Main Campus Special Education Report

16
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Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana

Ball State University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Muncie, Indiana, and it awarded 1,870 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Ball State also made our “Best Special Education Schools” list, coming in at #11. The yearly cost to attend Ball State University is $8,273 for Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Ball State Special Education Report

17

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. UMN Twin Cities is a large public school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 84 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our special ed students whose families make $0-$30k list, UMN Twin Cities has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Special Education Schools” ranking. It costs about $7,698 for special ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UMN Twin Cities.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Special Education at UMN Twin Cities

18
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

With a ranking of #18, Florida State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Florida State University is a public institution located in Tallahassee, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 30 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Florida State is also in the top of our “Best Special Education Schools” ranking. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $4,950 for special ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Florida State.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Special Education at Florida State University

19
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University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

University of Georgia landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UGA is a large school located in Athens, Georgia that handed out 75 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

UGA also made our “Best Special Education Schools” list, coming in at #22. It costs about $8,303 for special ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UGA.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Special Education at University of Georgia

20

University of Maryland - College Park ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Maryland - College Park is a large school located in College Park, Maryland that handed out 29 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

UMCP excels when it comes to special ed quality. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $6,067 for Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Maryland - College Park.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Full UMCP Special Education Report

21

University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #21. USF Tampa is located in Tampa, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 42 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend USF Tampa is $4,176 for special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full USF Tampa Special Education Report

22
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Western Washington University
Bellingham, Washington

With a ranking of #22, Western Washington University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Bellingham, Washington, this fairly large public school handed out 93 degrees to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our special ed students whose families make $0-$30k list, WWU has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Special Education Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend WWU is $9,979 for special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Special Education at Western Washington University

23

The University of West Florida came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Pensacola, Florida is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s special ed degrees to 303 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for UWF is $4,288 for Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Special Education at The University of West Florida

24
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Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #24. Michigan State is a public institution located in East Lansing, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 90 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Michigan State also claimed a top spot on our “Best Special Education Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $6,927 for Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Michigan State University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Michigan State University Special Education Report

25

Arizona State University - Tempe came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. ASU - Tempe is a public institution located in Tempe, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 144 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, ASU - Tempe is also in the top of our “Best Special Education Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Special Education Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend ASU - Tempe is $8,969 for Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read more about Special Education at Arizona State University - Tempe

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
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The College of New Jersey
Ewing, New Jersey
27
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Western Governors University
Salt Lake City, Utah
28
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College of Staten Island CUNY
Staten Island, New York
29
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Converse College
Spartanburg, South Carolina
30
31
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University of North Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
32
33
34
35
Appalachian State crest
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina
36
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Miami Dade College
Miami, Florida
37
38
39
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Washington State University
Pullman, Washington
40
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Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois
41
42
43
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Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, Arizona
44
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McDaniel College
Westminster, Maryland
45
46
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Boston University
Boston, Massachusetts
47
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Indian River State College
Fort Pierce, Florida
48
49
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Minot State University
Minot, North Dakota
50
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Central Washington University
Ellensburg, Washington

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

Rank College Location
51 University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC
52 California State University - Dominguez Hills Carson, CA
53 California State University - San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA
54 Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OH
55 University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Eau Claire, WI
56 SUNY Old Westbury Old Westbury, NY
57 Minnesota State University - Mankato Mankato, MN
58 University of Nevada - Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV
59 Fresno Pacific University Fresno, CA
60 Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, KY
61 Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL
62 St Petersburg College Clearwater, FL
63 Medgar Evers College Brooklyn, NY
64 University of Nebraska - Lincoln Lincoln, NE
65 Texas Woman’s University Denton, TX
Rank College Location
66 Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, MN
67 University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND
68 College of Southern Nevada Las Vegas, NV
69 University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC
70 East Carolina University Greenville, NC
71 University of North Texas Denton, TX
72 Augusta University Augusta, GA
73 Rhode Island College Providence, RI
74 Winona State University Winona, MN
74 Syracuse University Syracuse, NY
76 Lamar University Beaumont, TX
77 Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville, IL
78 University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL
79 Oakland University Rochester Hills, MI
80 University of Arizona Tucson, AZ
81 SUNY Cortland Cortland, NY
82 New Mexico State University - Main Campus Las Cruces, NM
83 University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MO
84 Florida Gulf Coast University Fort Myers, FL
85 University of Wisconsin - Stout Menomonie, WI
86 Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI
87 Georgia State University Atlanta, GA
87 Florida State College at Jacksonville Jacksonville, FL
89 George Washington University Washington, DC
90 University of Kentucky Lexington, KY
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