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2025 Best Special Education Master's Degree Schools in Ohio

14 Colleges in Ohio
342 Master's Degrees
$49,977 Avg Early-Career Salary
Ranked #8 in popularity, special education is one of the most sought-after master's degree programs in the nation. This makes choosing the right school a hard decision.

In 2025, College Factual analyzed 14 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Special Education Master's Degree Schools in Ohio ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 342 master's degrees in special education to qualified students.

What's on this page: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great Special Education School for Your Master's Degree

Best Special Education Master's Degree Schools in Ohio The special ed master's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality special ed program can vary widely even among the top schools. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:

Quality Overall Is Important

The overall quality of a master's degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To account for this we include a college's overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking which itself looks at a host of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.

Average Earnings

To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their master's degree from the school. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their master's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.

Other Factors We Consider

The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.

Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for special education students working on their master's degree.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Special Ed Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Special Education Master's Degree Schools in Ohio ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

Best Schools for Master’s Students to Study Special Education in Ohio

The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in special education.

10 Top Ohio Schools for a Master's in Special Ed

1

Every student pursuing a degree in a master's degree in special education needs to take a look at Kent State University at Kent. Located in the large suburb of Kent, Kent State is a public university with a very large student population.

Students who graduate with their master's from the special ed program state that they receive average early career earnings of $48,430.

More information about a master’s in special education from Kent State University at Kent

2

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is a good option for individuals pursuing a master's degree in special education. Located in the city of Cincinnati, UC is a public university with a very large student population.

Those special education students who get their master's degree from University of Cincinnati - Main Campus receive $5,087 more than the standard special ed graduate.

More information about a master’s in special education from University of Cincinnati - Main Campus

3

Any student pursuing a degree in a master's degree in special education needs to look into Miami University - Oxford. Located in the town of Oxford, Miami University - Oxford is a public university with a fairly large student population.

Students who graduate with their master's from the special ed program report average early career income of $51,246.

More information about a master’s in special education from Miami University - Oxford

4
Ashland crest
Ashland University
Ashland, OH

It is hard to beat Ashland University if you want to pursue a master's degree in special education. Located in the fringe town of Ashland, Ashland is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.

Those special education students who get their master's degree from Ashland University earn $5,388 more than the average special ed graduate.

More information about a master’s in special education from Ashland University

5

Located in the distant town of Athens, OHIO Athens is a public university with a fairly large student population.

Soon after graduation, special ed master's recipients usually earn around $46,525 in their early careers.

More information about a master’s in special education from Ohio University - Athens Campus

6

University of Toledo is a large public university located in the city of Toledo.

Those special education students who get their master's degree from University of Toledo receive $4,515 more than the typical special ed graduate.

More information about a master’s in special education from University of Toledo

7
Muskingum crest
Muskingum University
New Concord, OH
24 Annual Graduates

Located in the rural area of New Concord, Muskingum is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.More information about a master’s in special education from Muskingum University

8

Located in the large suburb of Berea, Baldwin Wallace College is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.

Special Education master's degree recipients from Baldwin Wallace University earn a boost of around $2,998 over the typical earnings of special education graduates.

More information about a master’s in special education from Baldwin Wallace University

9
Xavier crest
Xavier University
Cincinnati, OH

Located in the large city of Cincinnati, Xavier is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population.

Those special education students who get their master's degree from Xavier University make $2,666 more than the standard special ed student.

More information about a master’s in special education from Xavier University

10

Youngstown State University is a large public university located in the small city of Youngstown.

Soon after graduation, special ed master's recipients generally earn around $44,863 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a master’s in special education from Youngstown State University

Best Special Education Colleges in the Great Lakes Region

Explore all the Best Special Education Schools in the Great Lakes Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Illinois 221 558
Michigan 211 275
Indiana 191 1,595
Wisconsin 173 214

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 258
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Specific Learning Disabilities 37
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Multiple Disabilities 18
Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs 16
Education/Teaching of the Gifted & Talented 11
Other Special Education & Teaching 2

Related Major Annual Graduates
Educational Administration 583
Teacher Education Subject Specific 566
Curriculum & Instruction 385
General Education 316
Teacher Education Grade Specific 294
Student Counseling 275
Instructional Media Design 88
Teaching English or French 35
Other Education 30
Educational Assessment 22

Notes and References

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