Ranked #9 in popularity, special education is one of the most sought-after master's degree programs in the nation. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.
College Factual reviewed 97 schools in the Great Lakes Region to determine which ones were the most popular for master's degree seekers in the field of special education. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 2,688 master's degrees in special education during the 2019-2020 academic year.
Choosing a Great Special Education School for Your Master's Degree
The special ed master's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future.
As an aid in helping you pick the right school for you, we created our Most Popular Master's Degree Colleges for Special Education in the Great Lakes Region ranking.
Being popular does not always equate to overall quality, but a school with a large number of special education students usually has them for a reason. Sometimes this is because the school offers a great educational experience, it is a good value, or it is highly focused on the program.
This ranking is just one of the many we have created.
First of all, if you are interested in other degree levels, you may want to take a look at one of the rankings highlighted above.
Also, if you are interested in attending school in a specific part of the country, see our rankings by location.
Plus, you can view our other rankings for special education.
Most Popular Schools for Master’s Students to Study Special Education in the Great Lakes Region
Below you'll see a list of the most popular colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in special education. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.
14 Most Well Attended Schools for Special Ed Students Working on Their Master's
Ball State University is one of the most popular schools in the country for getting a master's degree in special education. Located in the small city of Muncie, Ball State is a public university with a fairly large student population. This isn't the only ranking where the school placed. It's also #1 in quality for master's degrees in special education in Indiana.
There were approximately 1,214 special education students who graduated with this degree at Ball State in the most recent year we have data available.
Master's students who receive their degree from the special ed program make about $46,400 for their early career.
Eastern Michigan University is a popular choice for individuals interested in a master's degree in special education. Located in the large suburb of Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan is a public university with a large student population. Potential students might also be interested to know that the school ranks #8 in quality for master's degrees in special education in Michigan.
There were about 78 special education students who graduated with this degree at Eastern Michigan in the most recent data year.
Soon after graduation, special ed master's recipients typically earn an average of $46,600 in their early careers.
Every student pursuing a degree in a master's degree in special education has to take a look at University of Toledo. University of Toledo is a large public university located in the city of Toledo. You also may be intersted to know that the school ranks #9 in quality for master's degrees in special education in Ohio.
There were about 66 special education individuals who graduated with this degree at University of Toledo in the most recent year we have data available.
Students who graduate with their master's from the special ed program state that they receive average early career wages of $48,100.
You'll be surrounded by many like-minded peers at University of Illinois at Chicago if you want to pursue a master's degree in special education. Located in the large city of Chicago, UIC is a public university with a fairly large student population. Potential students might also be interested to know that the school ranks #2 in quality for master's degrees in special education in Illinois.
There were about 62 special education students who graduated with this degree at UIC in the most recent data year.
Those special education students who get their master's degree from University of Illinois at Chicago earn $13,508 more than the standard special ed grad.
NLU is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Chicago.
There were roughly 55 special education students who graduated with this degree at NLU in the most recent year we have data available.
Master's recipients from the special education major at National Louis University make $7,308 more than the standard graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.
There were approximately 53 special education individuals who graduated with this degree at NIU in the most recent year we have data available.
Master's recipients from the special education major at Northern Illinois University earn $2,208 above the average college graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.
Located in the town of Oxford, Miami University - Oxford is a public university with a large student population. You also may be intersted to know that the school ranks #4 in quality for master's degrees in special education in Ohio.
There were about 50 special education students who graduated with this degree at Miami University - Oxford in the most recent data year.
There were approximately 48 special education individuals who graduated with this degree at UW - Superior in the most recent year we have data available.
Cleveland State University is a large public university located in the large city of Cleveland.
There were about 45 special education students who graduated with this degree at Cleveland State University in the most recent year we have data available.
Located in the large suburb of River Forest, Concordia University, Chicago is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population.
There were about 42 special education individuals who graduated with this degree at Concordia University, Chicago in the most recent year we have data available.
Those special education students who get their master's degree from Concordia University, Chicago make $9,708 more than the typical special ed graduate.
Located in the large city of Chicago, Northeastern Illinois University is a public university with a moderately-sized student population.
There were approximately 40 special education students who graduated with this degree at Northeastern Illinois University in the most recent data year.
Special Education master's degree recipients from Northeastern Illinois University receive an earnings boost of approximately $8,308 above the average income of special education majors.
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Most Popular Master's Degree Colleges for Special Education in the Great Lakes Region award.
The bars on the spread charts above show the distribution of the schools on this list +/- one standard deviation from the mean.
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 the rest 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).