by our College Data Analytics TeamWe've pulled together some essential information you should know about the program, including how many students graduate each year, the ethnic diversity of these students, average starting salaries, and more. In addition, we cover how WMU ranks in comparison to other schools with special ed programs.
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WMU was ranked #78 on College Factual's most recent list of the best schools for special ed majors. This puts the bachelor's program at the school solidly in the top 15% of all colleges and universities in the country. It is also ranked #4 in Michigan.
During the 2020-2021 academic year, Western Michigan University handed out 11 bachelor's degrees in special education. This is a decrease of 42% over the previous year when 19 degrees were handed out.
In 2021, 24 students received their master’s degree in special ed from WMU. This makes it the #196 most popular school for special ed master’s degree candidates in the country.
In addition, 1 students received their doctoral degrees in special ed in 2021, making the school the #48 most popular school in the United States for this category of students.
The median salary of special ed students who receive their bachelor's degree at WMU is $40,756. This is great news for graduates of the program, since this figure is higher than the national average of $38,748 for all special ed bachelor's degree recipients.
Graduates of the master's special ed program at WMU make a median salary of $51,448. This is a better than average outcome since the median salary for all special ed graduates with a master's is $48,941.
While getting their bachelor's degree at WMU, special ed students borrow a median amount of $31,000 in student loans. This is higher than the the typical median of $26,700 for all special ed majors across the country.
Take a look at the following statistics related to the make-up of the special ed majors at Western Michigan University.
During the 2020-2021 academic year, 11 special ed majors earned their bachelor's degree from WMU. Of these graduates, 9% were men and 91% were women.
The majority of bachelor's degree recipients in this major at WMU are white. In the most recent graduating class for which data is available, 100% of students fell into this category.
The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from Western Michigan University with a bachelor's in special ed.
| Ethnic Background | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Asian | 0 |
| Black or African American | 0 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0 |
| White | 11 |
| Non-Resident Aliens | 0 |
| Other Races | 0 |
During the 2020-2021 academic year, 24 students graduated with a bachelor's degree in special ed from WMU. About 25% were men and 75% were women.
The majority of master's degree recipients in this major at WMU are white. In the most recent graduating class for which data is available, 71% of students fell into this category.
The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from Western Michigan University with a master's in special ed.
| Ethnic Background | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Asian | 0 |
| Black or African American | 5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2 |
| White | 17 |
| Non-Resident Aliens | 0 |
| Other Races | 0 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Teacher Education Subject Specific | 161 |
| Teacher Education Grade Specific | 87 |
| Educational Administration | 66 |
| Student Counseling | 43 |
| Teaching English or French | 28 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
