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2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

405 Ranked Colleges
9,071 Degrees Awarded
$7,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $30-$48k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Special Education is the 39th most popular major in the country with 33,249 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, special education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $43,879 and had an average of $28,500 in loans still to pay off.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 9,071 special education graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 405 colleges that offered a degree in special education. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent special education programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the special education program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Special Education Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

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. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Special Education (Income $30-$48k)

#1

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee
#6 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Vanderbilt University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Vanderbilt is a private not-for-profit institution located in Nashville, Tennessee. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Vanderbilt not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Vanderbilt University is $6,017 for Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Special Education at Vanderbilt

#2

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida
#23 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Florida. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. UF is a large public school situated in Gainesville, Florida. It awarded 13 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.

UF not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $4,069 for bachelor’s degree special ed students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UF.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, 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 students.

Full University of Florida Special Education Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. UW - Madison is a large school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 51 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison also made our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #12. It costs about $6,860 for bachelor’s degree special ed students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UW - Madison.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Special Education Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large public school situated in Champaign, Illinois. It awarded 26 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC also made our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #10. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $8,464 for bachelor’s degree special ed students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Special Education at UIUC

#5

The University of West Florida

Pensacola, Florida

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of West Florida. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Pensacola, Florida, this fairly large public school handed out 51 degrees to qualified bachelors’s special ed students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $3,912 for bachelor’s degree special ed students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UWF.

Read more about Special Education at The University of West Florida

Florida International University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. FIU is a large school located in Miami, Florida that handed out 39 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.

FIU also claimed a top spot on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend FIU is $6,683 for bachelor’s degree special ed students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 full report on Special Education at Florida International University

#7

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. West Lafayette, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s special ed degrees to 26 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Purdue is also in the top of our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Purdue University - Main Campus is $5,879 for Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.

Read more about Special Education at Purdue

#8

Miami Dade College

Miami, Florida

Miami Dade College landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. MDC is a public institution located in Miami, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 53 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, MDC is also in the top of our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for MDC is $5,290 for Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Special Education at MDC

#9

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana

With a ranking of #9, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Indiana University - Bloomington is a public institution located in Bloomington, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 35 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, IU Bloomington is also in the top of our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category. It costs about $6,192 for Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend IU Bloomington.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full IU Bloomington Special Education Report

#10

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Florida State is located in Tallahassee, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 30 bachelors’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

Florida State excels when it comes to special ed quality. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Florida State University is $6,816 for Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Florida State University Special Education Report

#11

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#25 in overall quality

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. This large school is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.

UMN Twin Cities not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UMN Twin Cities is $8,418 for bachelor’s degree special ed students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, 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 93%.

Read more about Special Education at UMN Twin Cities

#12

Western Washington University

Bellingham, Washington

Western Washington University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Bellingham, Washington, this fairly large public school awarded 85 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s special ed students in 2019-2020.

WWU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $11,228 for bachelor’s degree special ed students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Western Washington University.

The low student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%.

Read full report on Special Education at WWU

University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #13. University of South Florida - Main Campus is a large school located in Tampa, Florida that handed out 18 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $5,616 for Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend USF Tampa.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low 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%.

Read full report on Special Education at USF Tampa

#14

University of Central Florida

Orlando, Florida
Top 25% in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, University of Central Florida did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Central Florida is located in Orlando, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 15 bachelors’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for UCF is $7,847 for bachelor’s degree special ed students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full University of Central Florida Special Education Report

Brigham Young University - Idaho came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Brigham Young University - Idaho is a large school located in Rexburg, Idaho that handed out 35 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend BYU - I is $3,595 for bachelor’s degree special ed students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.2% 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%.

Read full report on Special Education at Brigham Young University - Idaho

#16

Western Governors University

Salt Lake City, Utah

Western Governors University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #16. This large school is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and it awarded 769 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.

WGU also claimed a top spot on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $8,522 for bachelor’s degree special ed students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Western Governors University.

The low 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%.

Read more about Special Education at WGU

#17

University of North Florida

Jacksonville, Florida

University of North Florida landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Jacksonville, Florida, this fairly large public school awarded 24 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s special ed students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $5,942 for Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of North Florida.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UNF Special Education Report

#18

Towson University

Towson, Maryland

With a ranking of #18, Towson University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Towson, Maryland, this large public school handed out 117 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s special ed students in 2019-2020.

Towson did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Towson University is $12,632 for Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Special Education at Towson University

#19

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UW - Eau Claire is located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 84 bachelors’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

UW - Eau Claire also took the #17 spot in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is $11,828 for bachelor’s degree special ed students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Special Education at University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Ohio State University - Main Campus came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 38 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.

Ohio State excels when it comes to special ed quality. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State is $10,037 for bachelor’s degree special ed students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Special Education at Ohio State

#21

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.

Boston U also made our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend Boston U is $13,256 for bachelor’s degree special ed students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Special Education at Boston U

#22

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia

With a ranking of #22, University of Georgia did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Athens, Georgia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s special ed degrees to 46 students in 2019-2020.

UGA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Georgia is $10,241 for Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.5% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Special Education at University of Georgia

#23

Florida Gulf Coast University

Fort Myers, Florida

Florida Gulf Coast University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Florida Gulf Coast University is a fairly large school located in Fort Myers, Florida that handed out 14 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Florida Gulf Coast University is $8,748 for bachelor’s degree special ed students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Florida Gulf Coast University Special Education Report

#24

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, and it awarded 32 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, UW - Stevens Point is in the top on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $11,433 for Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point.

Read full report on Special Education at UW - Stevens Point

#25

Indian River State College

Fort Pierce, Florida

Indian River State College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #25. Indian River State College is a fairly large public school situated in Fort Pierce, Florida. It awarded 8 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $1,475 for Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Indian River State College.

Read full report on Special Education at Indian River State College

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

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

#27

Eastern Washington University

Cheney, Washington
#28

Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, Florida
#29

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

Whitewater, Wisconsin
#30

University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, Maryland
#31

Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, Kentucky
#32

SUNY Old Westbury

Old Westbury, New York
#33

Minot State University

Minot, North Dakota
#37

University of Wisconsin - Stout

Menomonie, Wisconsin
#38

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro, North Carolina
#39

Appalachian State University

Boone, North Carolina
#40

The College of New Jersey

Ewing, New Jersey
#43

Broward College

Fort Lauderdale, Florida
#44

Nevada State College

Henderson, Nevada
#45

Utah State University

Logan, Utah
#46

SUNY Cortland

Cortland, New York
#47

St Petersburg College

Clearwater, Florida
#48

Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City, North Carolina
#49

Indiana University - South Bend

South Bend, Indiana
#50

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

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

Rank College Location
51 Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI
52 Illinois State University Normal, IL
53 Eastern Illinois University Charleston, IL
54 Rhode Island College Providence, RI
55 The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, TX
56 Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, MN
56 Winona State University Winona, MN
58 University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MO
59 Southeastern Oklahoma State University Durant, OK
60 Minnesota State University - Mankato Mankato, MN
61 University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu, HI

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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