2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Special Education in the Southwest Region
52
Ranked Colleges
4,313
Degrees Awarded
$48,388
Avg Salary

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region” ranking.
Special Education is the 29th most popular major in the country with 35,973 degrees awarded in 2021-2022. In , special education graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $45,680 and had an average of $27,516 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Southwest region, there were 5,814 special education graduates with average earnings and debt of $45,069 and $26,644 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 4,313 special education graduates with average earnings and debt of $56,505 and $37,295 respectively.
For this year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region” ranking, we looked at 52 colleges that offer a degree in special education. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their special education program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
More Ways to Rank Special Education Schools
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 “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region”.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region”.
Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Special Education in the Southwest Region
Out of the 52 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Arizona State University - Skysong landed the #1 spot on the list. ASU - Skysong is located in Scottsdale, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1,507 masters’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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 ASU - Skysong Special Education Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Texas of the Permian Basin. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region list. This medium-sized school is located in Odessa, Texas, and it awarded 68 masters’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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 The University of Texas of the Permian Basin
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Lamar University. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region. Located in Beaumont, Texas, this fairly large public school awarded 341 degrees to qualified masters’s special ed students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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 Lamar University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Grand Canyon University. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region. Grand Canyon University is a large private for-profit school situated in Phoenix, Arizona. It awarded 1,323 masters’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
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%.
Full Grand Canyon University Special Education Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of the Southwest. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region. This small school is located in Hobbs, New Mexico, and it awarded 17 masters’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
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 University of the Southwest Special Education Report
University of St. Thomas ranked #6 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region list. UST is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Houston, Texas. It awarded 23 masters’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Special Education at University of St. Thomas
With a ranking of #7, University of Houston - Victoria did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region list. Victoria, Texas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s special ed degrees to 28 students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Special Education at UH Victoria
MSU Texas ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region list. MSU Texas is a public institution located in Wichita Falls, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 39 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.
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%.
Full MSU Texas Special Education Report
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Edinburg, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s special ed degrees to 128 students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Special Education Report
With a ranking of #10, Lubbock Christian University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region list. Located in Lubbock, Texas, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 10 diplomas to qualified masters’s special ed students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Special Education at LCU
Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Portales, New Mexico, and it awarded 11 masters’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.0% 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%.
Full ENMU - Main Campus Special Education Report
With a ranking of #12, Hardin - Simmons University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region list. Hardin - Simmons University is a small school located in Abilene, Texas that handed out 3 masters’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Hardin - Simmons University Special Education Report
With a ranking of #13, New Mexico Highlands University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region list. New Mexico Highlands University is a public institution located in Las Vegas, New Mexico. The school has a small population, and it awarded 3 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad 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 New Mexico Highlands University Special Education Report
Texas Tech University ranked #14 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region list. Texas Tech is located in Lubbock, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 104 masters’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, 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 85%.
Read more about Special Education at Texas Tech University
Stephen F Austin State University ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region list. This fairly large school is located in Nacogdoches, Texas, and it awarded 20 masters’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
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%.
Full Stephen F Austin State University Special Education Report
Southwestern Oklahoma State University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Southwestern Oklahoma State University is a small public school situated in Weatherford, Oklahoma. It awarded 13 masters’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
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%.
Read full report on Special Education at Southwestern Oklahoma State University
East Central University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #17. ECU is located in Ada, Oklahoma and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 4 masters’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
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%.
Read full report on Special Education at East Central University
With a ranking of #18, Northern Arizona University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region list. NAU is a large public school situated in Flagstaff, Arizona. It awarded 54 masters’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
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%.
Read full report on Special Education at Northern Arizona University
Prescott College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #19. Prescott College is located in Prescott, Arizona and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 6 masters’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Prescott College Special Education Report
With a ranking of #20, West Texas A&M University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region list. West Texas A&M University is a medium-sized public school situated in Canyon, Texas. It awarded 15 masters’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 West Texas A&M University Special Education Report
Texas Woman’s University landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region ranking. TWU is a fairly large school located in Denton, Texas that handed out 22 masters’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Special Education at TWU
Texas A&M International University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #22. Texas A&M International University is a medium-sized public school situated in Laredo, Texas. It awarded 13 masters’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Special Education at Texas A&M International University
University of Arizona came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region ranking. University of Arizona is a public institution located in Tucson, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 41 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Special Education at University of Arizona
Texas A&M University - San Antonio did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #24. Texas A&M University - San Antonio is located in San Antonio, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 10 masters’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
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 more about Special Education at Texas A&M University - San Antonio
With a ranking of #25, Northeastern State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Southwest Region list. NSU is a medium-sized public school situated in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. It awarded 14 masters’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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 more about Special Education at Northeastern State University