2026 Best Value Special Education Schools in North Dakota

[Special Education](/majors/education/special-education/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 4 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value special education schools.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Special Education Schools in North Dakota
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the special education degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Special Education Schools
Minot State University tops our 2026 list of the best value special education schools in North Dakota. Set in the city of Minot, Minot State University is a mid-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,702 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for special education graduates is $25,788. Soon after graduation, special education degree recipients from Minot State University generally make around $50,645. Set against $25,788 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 65%.
University Of Mary came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value special education schools. University Of Mary is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Bismarck. Students from in state pay about $22,356 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $26,983 to complete the special education program here. Special Education graduates of University Of Mary earn a median of $65,565 early in their careers. Set against $26,983 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 75%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of North Dakota earned it the #3 place for special education. University Of North Dakota is a large public school located in the city of Grand Forks. In-state tuition and fees average $10,951, with out-of-state students paying around $15,570. Students borrow a median of $25,110 to complete the special education program here. Early-career special education graduates make about $53,957. That is a strong return on a $25,110 median debt. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
More Special Education Rankings
View All Special Education Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.