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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Special Education in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)

100 Ranked Colleges
2,218 Degrees Awarded
$15,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. 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 in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 33,249 people earned their degree in special education, making the major the 39th most popular in the United States. 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.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 5,757 special education graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,366 and $28,924 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,218 special education graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 100 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 in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region bachelor’s degree special ed students with aid.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Special Education in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 26 bachelors’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UIUC is $15,880 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree special ed students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. 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%.

Read full report on Special Education at UIUC

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s special ed degrees to 51 students in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $17,708 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree special ed students with aid per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison.

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 low student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 UW - Madison

#3

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Purdue University - Main Campus. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, this large public school handed out 26 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s special ed students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree special ed students with aid list, Purdue has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Purdue is $13,986 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree special ed students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Special Education at Purdue

#4

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana

Out of the 100 schools in the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #4 spot on the list. Bloomington, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s special ed degrees to 35 students in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington also made our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #6. It costs about $13,253 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students with aid per year to attend IU Bloomington.

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%. 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 Indiana University - Bloomington

Out of the 100 schools in the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire landed the #5 spot on the list. University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is a fairly large public school situated in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It awarded 84 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Eau Claire did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $16,020 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students with aid per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire.

Read full report on Special Education at UW - Eau Claire

With a ranking of #6, University of Wisconsin - Whitewater did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is a fairly large school located in Whitewater, Wisconsin that handed out 48 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree special ed students with aid list, UW - Whitewater has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Whitewater is $15,249 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students with aid.

Full University of Wisconsin - Whitewater Special Education Report

University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. This fairly large school is located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and it awarded 58 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.

UW Oshkosh did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is $15,463 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students with aid.

Read more about Special Education at UW Oshkosh

#8

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #8. UW - Stevens Point is a medium-sized school located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin that handed out 32 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Stevens Point also made our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #20. It costs about $14,465 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students with aid per year to attend UW - Stevens Point.

Full University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Special Education Report

#9

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana

Ball State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Ball State is a large school located in Muncie, Indiana that handed out 65 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.

Ball State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Ball State is $15,147 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree special ed students with aid.

Full Ball State University Special Education Report

#10

University of Wisconsin - Stout

Menomonie, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Stout did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #10. University of Wisconsin - Stout is a public institution located in Menomonie, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Stout not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Stout is $15,839 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Special Education at UW - Stout

#11

Indiana University - South Bend

South Bend, Indiana

Indiana University - South Bend landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. South Bend, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s special ed degrees to 4 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - South Bend is $8,717 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students with aid.

Full Indiana University - South Bend Special Education Report

#12

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois

Eastern Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #12. EIU is a medium-sized school located in Charleston, Illinois that handed out 22 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,607 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students with aid per year to attend EIU.

Full Eastern Illinois University Special Education Report

#13

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Michigan State is a public institution located in East Lansing, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 51 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Michigan State also made our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #8. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan State is $19,173 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, 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 full report on Special Education at Michigan State University

#14

Indiana University - Southeast

New Albany, Indiana

Indiana University - Southeast did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #14. Indiana University - Southeast is located in New Albany, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - Southeast is $10,657 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students with aid.

Read full report on Special Education at Indiana University - Southeast

#15

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Northern Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #15. NIU is a public institution located in Dekalb, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 34 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Northern Illinois University is $18,259 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students with aid.

Read more about Special Education at Northern Illinois University

#16

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Central Michigan University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, this fairly large public school handed out 57 degrees to qualified bachelors’s special ed students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Central Michigan, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Central Michigan is $15,981 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree special ed students with aid.

Read more about Special Education at Central Michigan University

#17

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is a large school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 19 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is $17,876 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students with aid.

Read full report on Special Education at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

#18

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois

With a ranking of #18, Illinois State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Illinois State University is a large public school situated in Normal, Illinois. It awarded 156 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Illinois State University is $20,895 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree special ed students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Special Education at Illinois State University

Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #19. SIUC is a public institution located in Carbondale, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUC also made our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #23. The estimated yearly cost for SIUC is $16,945 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students with aid.

Read more about Special Education at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is located in Edwardsville, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 21 bachelors’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is $14,423 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree special ed students with aid.

Read full report on Special Education at SIUE

#21

University of Southern Indiana

Evansville, Indiana

With a ranking of #21, University of Southern Indiana did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of Southern Indiana is located in Evansville, Indiana and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 17 bachelors’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Southern Indiana is $13,437 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree special ed students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 5.0% 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 University of Southern Indiana

#22

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan
#18 in overall quality

Grand Valley State University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. This large school is located in Allendale, Michigan, and it awarded 55 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree special ed students with aid list, GVSU has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Grand Valley State University is $17,646 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 more about Special Education at Grand Valley State University

University of Michigan - Dearborn did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #23. UM Dearborn is a medium-sized public school situated in Dearborn, Michigan. It awarded 5 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,473 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree special ed students with aid per year to attend University of Michigan - Dearborn.

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%.

Full UM Dearborn Special Education Report

#24

Youngstown State University

Youngstown, Ohio

With a ranking of #24, Youngstown State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Youngstown, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s special ed degrees to 58 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,947 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students with aid per year to attend Youngstown State University.

Read more about Special Education at Youngstown State University

#25

University of St Francis

Joliet, Illinois

University of St Francis landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Saint Francis is a private not-for-profit institution located in Joliet, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of St Francis is $17,538 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree special ed students with aid.

The low 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%.

Read full report on Special Education at University of St Francis

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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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