2023 Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Veterans in Illinois
23
Ranked Colleges
522
Degrees Awarded
$41,457
Avg Salary
With all of the options veterans have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
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 Illinois, there were 1,153 special education graduates with average earnings and debt of $47,433 and $23,191 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 522 special education graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,117 and $25,584 respectively.
This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s” ranking analyzed 23 colleges that offered a degree in special education. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality special education programs as well as strong veteran support.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the special education program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran satisfaction. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
One Size Does Not Fit All
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 “Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s”.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. 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.
Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s
The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s”.
Top 23 Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Veterans in Illinois
Out of the 23 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school awarded 28 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s special ed students in 2020-2021.
UIUC also made our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #2.Among the 52,679 students enrolled at UIUC, 10 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read More…
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Illinois State University. The school came in at #2 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s. Normal, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s special ed degrees to 160 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree vets studying special ed list, Illinois State has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking.According to our most recent data, Illinois State University supports 20,720 students, and 530 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 163 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,997. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read More…
Out of the 23 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Lewis University landed the #3 spot on the list. Lewis University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Romeoville, Illinois. It awarded 32 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Lewis, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking.According to our most recent data, Lewis University supports 6,437 students, and 23 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 16 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,559. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 veteran student life at Lewis]](/colleges/lewis-university/student-life/veterans/)
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southern Illinois University Carbondale. The school came in at #4 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s. SIUC is located in Carbondale, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 26 bachelors’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
SIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list.According to our most recent data, SIUC supports 11,366 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 0 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Read More…
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s list. This fairly large school is located in Edwardsville, Illinois, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at SIUE, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking.According to our most recent data, SIUE supports 12,860 students, and 3 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 2 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $23,082. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. SIUE offers credit for military training for eligible students.
[Read full report on veteran student life at SIUE]](/colleges/southern-illinois-university-edwardsville/student-life/veterans/)
Aurora University landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s ranking. Aurora, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s special ed degrees to 12 students in 2020-2021.
Aurora also took the #10 spot in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 3 of the 6,265 students enrolled at Aurora University were GI Bill® students, of which 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,999. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read More…
Loyola University Chicago did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #7. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Loyola Chicago, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 261 of the 16,893 students enrolled at Loyola Chicago were GI Bill® students, of which 165 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $17,263. To help with additional expenses, 78 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Loyola Chicago offers credit for military training for eligible students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read More…
With a ranking of #8, DePaul University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s list. DePaul University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
DePaul not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list.Of the 21,922 students enrolled at DePaul University, 528 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 367 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $14,957. During this same period, 101 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full DePaul University Veteran Student Life Report
University of St Francis came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Saint Francis is a private not-for-profit institution located in Joliet, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
University of Saint Francis also took the #15 spot in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking.According to our most recent data, University of Saint Francis supports 3,529 students, and 2 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 2 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $16,734. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Saint Francis offers credit for military training for eligible students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Saint Francis Veteran Student Life Report
Northern Illinois University ranked #10 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s list. Northern Illinois University is a fairly large public school situated in Dekalb, Illinois. It awarded 54 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
NIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list.Our most recent data shows that 480 of the 16,769 students enrolled at NIU were GI Bill® students, of which 207 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,822. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Full NIU Veteran Student Life Report
Elmhurst University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s ranking. Elmhurst University is a small school located in Elmhurst, Illinois that handed out 25 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
Elmhurst did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list.Our most recent data shows that 77 of the 3,421 students enrolled at Elmhurst were GI Bill® students, of which 57 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,985. During this same period, 7 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Elmhurst University Veteran Student Life Report
Eastern Illinois University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s ranking. Eastern Illinois University is a medium-sized public school situated in Charleston, Illinois. It awarded 26 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
EIU also took the #12 spot in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking.Of the 8,626 students enrolled at EIU, 184 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 46 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,730. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Eastern Illinois University]](/colleges/eastern-illinois-university/student-life/veterans/)
Western Illinois University ranked #13 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s list. Western Illinois University is a medium-sized public school situated in Macomb, Illinois. It awarded 10 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at WIU, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking.According to our most recent data, Western Illinois University supports 7,490 students, and 330 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 62 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,652. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Read More…
With a ranking of #14, Northeastern Illinois University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s special ed degrees to 14 students in 2020-2021.
Northeastern Illinois University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list.Our most recent data shows that 147 of the 7,119 students enrolled at Northeastern Illinois University were GI Bill® students, of which 83 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,460. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Northeastern Illinois University]](/colleges/northeastern-illinois-university/student-life/veterans/)
National Louis University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s ranking. NLU is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 11 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree vets studying special ed list, NLU has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking.According to our most recent data, National Louis University supports 7,402 students, and 15 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 14 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $9,078. During this same period, 1 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Read More…
Benedictine University ranked #16 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s list. Benedictine U is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lisle, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Benedictine U, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking.Of the 3,779 students enrolled at Benedictine University, 89 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 66 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $9,915. On top of their other funding sources, 10 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read More…
With a ranking of #17, Roosevelt University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s list. Roosevelt is a small school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 11 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
Roosevelt also took the #18 spot in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking.Among the 4,680 students enrolled at Roosevelt University, 95 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 43 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,071. In addition to receiving other benefits, 20 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Roosevelt University offers credit for military training for eligible students.
Full Roosevelt Veteran Student Life Report
Olivet Nazarene University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s ranking. Olivet Nazarene University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bourbonnais, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Olivet Nazarene did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list.According to our most recent data, Olivet Nazarene supports 3,764 students, and 57 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 35 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,334. On top of their other funding sources, 11 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Olivet Nazarene offers credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Olivet Nazarene Veteran Student Life Report
Bradley University landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Peoria, Illinois, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
Bradley also took the #4 spot in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking.Of the 5,855 students enrolled at Bradley University, 96 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 61 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $13,498. To help with additional expenses, 7 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, 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 86%.
Read More…
Dominican University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #20. River Forest, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s special ed degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.
Dominican U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list.Among the 3,189 students enrolled at Dominican University, 37 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 17 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,038. During this same period, 2 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Full Dominican University Veteran Student Life Report
Trinity Christian College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #21. Trinity Christian College is a small school located in Palos Heights, Illinois that handed out 27 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
Trinity Christian also made our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #3.Our most recent data shows that 14 of the 1,086 students enrolled at Trinity Christian were GI Bill® students, of which 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,438. During this same period, 1 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Full Trinity Christian College Veteran Student Life Report
Rockford University ranked #22 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s list. Rockford University is located in Rockford, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Rockford, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 27 of the 1,272 students enrolled at Rockford were GI Bill® students, of which 19 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,705. On top of their other funding sources, 8 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read More…
Concordia University, Chicago did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Special Ed for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #23. Concordia University, Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in River Forest, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Concordia University, Chicago, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking.Among the 6,491 students enrolled at Concordia University, Chicago, 134 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 96 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,085. During this same period, 4 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read More…
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Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Veteran-specific data can be found at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
- *Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top schools only.
- **GI Bill® student total includes all chapters of the GI Bill® program (e.g., Post-9/11, Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Education Assistance Program, and Veteran Readiness and Employment)
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
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