by our College Data Analytics Team
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
In 2020-2021, 36,792 people earned their degree in special education, making the major the 29th most popular in the United States. 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 the Plains States region, there were 2,681 special education graduates with average earnings and debt of $43,541 and $26,703 respectively.
This year’s “Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region” ranking looked at 97 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in special education. To top this list, a school must have a successful special education program that graduates more students in the field than other colleges that offer the same major.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region” list to help you make the college decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region”.
Out of the 97 schools in the Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Dakota landed the #1 spot on the list. UND is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 130 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Out of the 97 schools in the Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Fort Hays State University landed the #2 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Hays, Kansas, and it awarded 117 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
Out of the 97 schools in the Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwest Missouri State University landed the #2 spot on the list. Northwest is located in Maryville, Missouri and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 117 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
Out of the 97 schools in the Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Kansas landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Lawrence, Kansas, this large public school handed out 145 diplomas to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Nebraska at Omaha. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region list. This fairly large school is located in Omaha, Nebraska, and it awarded 105 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Morningside College ranked #6 on this year’s Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region list. Located in Sioux City, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 102 diplomas to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% 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%.
With a ranking of #7, Minnesota State University - Mankato did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region list. Mankato, Minnesota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s special ed degrees to 224 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Special Education at Minnesota State Mankato
With a ranking of #8, University of St Thomas Minnesota did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region list. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 92 degrees to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
With a ranking of #9, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region list. This small school is located in Winona, Minnesota, and it awarded 58 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #10, University of Nebraska at Kearney did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region list. UNK is a medium-sized school located in Kearney, Nebraska that handed out 54 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 Nebraska at Kearney
With a ranking of #11, Saint Cloud State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region list. Saint Cloud State University is a fairly large public school situated in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. It awarded 80 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Special Education at Saint Cloud State University
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities ranked #12 on this year’s Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region list. This large school is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it awarded 84 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Special Education at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minnesota State University - Moorhead landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Minnesota State University - Moorhead is located in Moorhead, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 52 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Capella University ranked #14 on this year’s Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region list. Capella University is a large private for-profit school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 51 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
University of Nebraska - Lincoln did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #15. University of Nebraska - Lincoln is a public institution located in Lincoln, Nebraska. The school has a large population, and it awarded 60 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
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 school has an impressive undergrad 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 University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Wayne State College landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Wayne, Nebraska is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s special ed degrees to 48 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Emporia State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #17. Emporia State University is a medium-sized school located in Emporia, Kansas that handed out 50 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.8% 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%.
Missouri State University - Springfield did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #18. Missouri State is a public institution located in Springfield, Missouri. The school has a large population, and it awarded 62 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Special Education at Missouri State University - Springfield
Southeast Missouri State University landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Southeast Missouri State University is a public institution located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 52 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Special Education at Southeast Missouri State University
University of Missouri - Columbia ranked #19 on this year’s Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region list. Mizzou is a large public school situated in Columbia, Missouri. It awarded 42 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Lindenwood University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Saint Charles, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s special ed degrees to 41 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #22, Bethel University Minnesota did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region list. Bethel University Minnesota is a small school located in Saint Paul, Minnesota that handed out 40 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Special Education at Bethel University Minnesota
Pittsburg State University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Pittsburg, Kansas, and it awarded 43 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
Concordia University, Saint Paul landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Concordia University, Saint Paul is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 46 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
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%.
Read more about Special Education at Concordia University, Saint Paul
Upper Iowa University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Upper Iowa University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Fayette, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 33 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
