College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2025 Best Special Education Schools in Virginia

6 Colleges in Virginia
1,175 Special Ed Degrees Awarded
$52,862 Avg Early-Career Salary
Special Education is of the hottest degree programs in the United States, coming in as the #29 most popular major in the country. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.

For its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools in Virginia to determine which ones were the best for special education students pursuing a degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 1,175 degrees in special education annually.

What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Special Education School

Best Special Education Schools in Virginia The special ed program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Special Education rankings. For our Best Overall Special Education School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.

In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.

Special Education Rankings by Degree Level

Bachelor's Degrees in Special Ed
Master's Degrees in Special Ed
Doctor's Degrees in Special Ed

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 the Best Special Education Schools in Virginia. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.

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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Read more about College Factual's methodology.

Best Schools for Special Education in Virginia

The schools below may not offer all types of special ed degrees so you may want to filter by degree level first. However, they are great for the degree levels they do offer.

Top Virginia Schools in Special Ed

1
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
385 Special Ed Degrees Awarded
$62,212 Median Starting Salary

Any student pursuing a degree in special education needs to check out George Mason University. Located in the suburb of Fairfax, GMU is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #92 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means GMU is a great university overall.

There were approximately 385 special education students who graduated with this degree at GMU in the most recent data year. Those special education students who get their degree from George Mason University make $9,350 more than the standard special ed grad.

More information about a degree in special education from George Mason University

2
Liberty University crest
Liberty University
Lynchburg, VA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
453 Special Ed Degrees Awarded
$48,010 Median Starting Salary

It's hard to beat Liberty University if you wish to pursue a degree in special education. Liberty University is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Lynchburg. A Best Colleges rank of #265 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Liberty University is a great university overall.

There were approximately 452.99999999999994 special education students who graduated with this degree at Liberty University in the most recent year we have data available. After graduating, special ed degree recipients generally earn around $48,010 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in special education from Liberty University

3
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
74 Special Ed Degrees Awarded
9.5% Growth in Graduates

Old Dominion University is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a degree in special education. Old Dominion is a very large public university located in the city of Norfolk. This university ranks 16th out of 57 colleges for overall quality in the state of Virginia.

There were roughly 74 special education students who graduated with this degree at Old Dominion in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, special ed degree recipients usually make about $54,351 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in special education from Old Dominion University

4
Radford crest
Radford University
Radford, VA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
54 Special Ed Degrees Awarded
$50,536 Median Starting Salary

It's hard to beat Radford University if you wish to pursue a degree in special education. Located in the fringe town of Radford, Radford is a public university with a medium-sized student population. This university ranks 20th out of 57 colleges for overall quality in the state of Virginia.

There were about 54 special education students who graduated with this degree at Radford in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the special ed program report average early career earnings of $50,536.

More information about a degree in special education from Radford University

5
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
75 Special Ed Degrees Awarded
26.7% Growth in Graduates

VCU is a very large public university located in the medium-sized city of Richmond. A Best Colleges rank of #189 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means VCU is a great university overall.

There were about 75 special education students who graduated with this degree at VCU in the most recent year we have data available. After graduation, special ed degree recipients generally make about $52,470 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in special education from Virginia Commonwealth University

6
Regent crest
Regent University
Virginia Beach, VA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
$53,714 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large city of Virginia Beach, Regent is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. This university ranks 21st out of 57 schools for overall quality in the state of Virginia.

There were approximately 25 special education students who graduated with this degree at Regent in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the special ed program state that they receive average early career income of $53,714.

More information about a degree in special education from Regent University

Best Special Education Colleges in the Southeast Region

Explore all the Best Special Education Colleges in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Georgia 287 423
Florida 282 999
North Carolina 279 372
Tennessee 269 344
South Carolina 248 255
Kentucky 244 573
Louisiana 242 68
Mississippi 234 269
Arkansas 234 274
Alabama 233 404
West Virginia 207 46

View All Rankings >

One of 14 majors within the Education area of study, Special Education has other similar majors worth exploring.

Special Ed Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
General Special Education 1,007
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Autism 89
Education/Teaching of the Gifted & Talented 50
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Multiple Disabilities 12
Other Special Education & Teaching 7
Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs 6
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Vision Impairments Including Blindness 2
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Specific Learning Disabilities 1
Education/Teaching of Individuals in Secondary Special Education Programs 1

View All Special Ed Focus Areas >

Related Major Annual Graduates
Teacher Education Grade Specific 2,037
Educational Administration 1,818
Curriculum & Instruction 1,287
Teacher Education Subject Specific 1,156
Student Counseling 977
General Education 954
Other Education 349
Teaching English or French 147
Instructional Media Design 111
Teaching Assistants 65

View All Special Ed Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options