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2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid

28 Ranked Colleges
3,154 Degrees Awarded
$19,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Special Education is the 29th most popular major in the country with 36,792 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. 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.

Across California, there were 3,154 special education graduates with average earnings and debt of $59,751 and $17,326 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 28 colleges that offer 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for california special ed students with aid.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Special Education in California (With Aid)

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Los Angeles. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s special ed degrees to 84 students in 2020-2021.

Cal State LA also made our “Best Special Education Schools in California” list, coming in at #5. It costs about $3,302 for california special ed students with aid per year to attend California State University - Los Angeles.

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 California State University - Los Angeles Special Education Report

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fresno. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid. This large school is located in Fresno, California, and it awarded 42 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Fresno State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best Special Education Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Fresno is $6,230 for California Special Ed students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad 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 more about Special Education at California State University - Fresno

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Northridge. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. Northridge, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s special ed degrees to 34 students in 2020-2021.

CSUN did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Special Education Schools in California” list. It costs about $8,523 for california special ed students with aid per year to attend CSUN.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - Northridge Special Education Report

4

Out of the 28 schools in the Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Dominguez Hills landed the #4 spot on the list. CSUDH is located in Carson, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 22 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend CSUDH is $4,026 for California Special Ed students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - Dominguez Hills Special Education Report

5

Out of the 28 schools in the Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Long Beach landed the #5 spot on the list. This large school is located in Long Beach, California, and it awarded 28 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

CSULB also took the #12 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $10,054 for california special ed students with aid per year to attend California State University - Long Beach.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Special Education at California State University - Long Beach

6

California State University - San Bernardino ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. CSUSB is located in San Bernardino, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 49 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california special ed students with aid list, CSUSB has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Special Education Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $8,107 for California Special Ed students with aid per year to attend CSUSB.

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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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 more about Special Education at California State University - San Bernardino

7

California State University - East Bay did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Hayward, California, this fairly large public school awarded 65 degrees to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal State East Bay, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $13,298 for california special ed students with aid per year to attend Cal State East Bay.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Cal State East Bay Special Education Report

8

With a ranking of #8, California State University - San Marcos did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. California State University - San Marcos is located in San Marcos, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 27 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

CSUSM also took the #13 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $13,218 for California Special Ed students with aid per year to attend CSUSM.

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%.

Full CSUSM Special Education Report

9

University of California - Los Angeles landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. UCLA is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCLA, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Los Angeles is $15,023 for California Special Ed students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 UCLA

10

With a ranking of #10, University of California - Berkeley did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. University of California - Berkeley is a public institution located in Berkeley, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 2 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Berkeley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Special Education Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Berkeley is $16,032 for california special ed students with aid.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of California - Berkeley Special Education Report

11
Fresno Pacific crest
Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, California

Fresno Pacific University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Fresno Pacific University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Fresno, California. It awarded 10 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Fresno Pacific also took the #3 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $19,029 for california special ed students with aid per year to attend Fresno Pacific University.

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 Fresno Pacific University Special Education Report

12
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #12. SFSU is a large public school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 97 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california special ed students with aid list, SFSU has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Special Education Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for San Francisco State University is $14,459 for california special ed students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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 more about Special Education at San Francisco State University

13
Brandman crest
Brandman University
Irvine, California

Brandman University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Brandman is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 103 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Brandman also made our “Best Special Education Schools in California” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $27,866 for California Special Ed students with aid per year to attend Brandman.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Brandman University Special Education Report

14

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. This large school is located in San Luis Obispo, California, and it awarded 9 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Special Education Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is $20,677 for California Special Ed students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, 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 94%.

Read full report on Special Education at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

15

16
National University crest
National University
La Jolla, California

With a ranking of #16, National University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. National University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in La Jolla, California. It awarded 436 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

National University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Special Education Schools in California” list. It costs about $20,722 for California Special Ed students with aid per year to attend National University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full National University Special Education Report

17
NDNU crest
Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, California

With a ranking of #17, Notre Dame de Namur University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. Notre Dame de Namur University is a small school located in Belmont, California that handed out 33 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

NDNU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Special Education Schools in California” list.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% 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%. 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.

Read more about Special Education at NDNU

18
HNU crest
Holy Names University
Oakland, California

Holy Names University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Oakland, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 21 diplomas to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Holy Names University is $22,527 for california special ed students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full HNU Special Education Report

19
University of Redlands crest
University of Redlands
Redlands, California

University of Redlands ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. This small school is located in Redlands, California, and it awarded 68 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

University of Redlands also took the #7 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Redlands is $26,098 for california special ed students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Special Education at University of Redlands

20
CLU crest
California Lutheran University
Thousand Oaks, California

California Lutheran University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. This small school is located in Thousand Oaks, California, and it awarded 8 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

CLU also took the #18 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California Lutheran University is $27,410 for California Special Ed students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Special Education at California Lutheran University

21
MSMU crest
Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, California

Mount Saint Mary’s University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 5 diplomas to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

MSMU also made our “Best Special Education Schools in California” list, coming in at #22. The estimated yearly cost for Mount Saint Mary’s University is $30,938 for california special ed students with aid.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Mount Saint Mary’s University Special Education Report

22
ULV crest
University of La Verne
La Verne, California

With a ranking of #22, University of La Verne did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. University of La Verne is a private not-for-profit institution located in La Verne, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 24 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for University of La Verne is $28,260 for California Special Ed students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Special Education at University of La Verne

23
PLNU crest
Point Loma Nazarene University
San Diego, California

Point Loma Nazarene University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in San Diego, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 19 diplomas to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

PLNU also took the #11 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $34,575 for California Special Ed students with aid per year to attend PLNU.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% 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 PLNU

24
Biola crest
Biola University
La Mirada, California

Biola University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. Located in La Mirada, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 5 diplomas to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Biola, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Biola University is $33,269 for California Special Ed students with aid.

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%.

Read more about Special Education at Biola University

25
USFCA crest
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, California

With a ranking of #25, University of San Francisco did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. University of San Francisco is located in San Francisco, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

USFCA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Special Education Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend USFCA is $40,053 for california special ed students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Special Education at University of San Francisco

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