by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2024, College Factual analyzed 20 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Special Education Master's Degree Schools in Illinois ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 558 master's degrees in special education during the 2020-2021 academic year.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
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:
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 school's overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking which itself looks at a collection of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
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.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our complete 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.
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 Best Special Education Master's Degree Schools in Illinois list to help you make the college decision.
The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in special education.
It is hard to beat Illinois State University if you want to pursue a master's degree in special education. Illinois State is a fairly large public university located in the midsize suburb of Normal.More information about a master’s in special education from Illinois State University
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a great choice for individuals pursuing a master's degree in special education. UIUC is a very large public university located in the city of Champaign.
Students who graduate with their master's from the special ed program report average early career income of $43,202.
More information about a master’s in special education from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Any student pursuing a degree in a master's degree in special education needs to look into DePaul University. DePaul is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Chicago.
Master's recipients from the special education major at DePaul University make $2,669 above the typical college graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.
More information about a master’s in special education from DePaul University
University of Illinois at Chicago is a wonderful choice for individuals pursuing a master's degree in special education. Located in the large city of Chicago, UIC is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Those special education students who get their master's degree from University of Illinois at Chicago earn $6,295 more than the standard special ed student.
More information about a master’s in special education from University of Illinois at Chicago
Lewis is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of Romeoville.More information about a master’s in special education from Lewis University
NLU is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the city of Chicago.
Master's graduates who receive their degree from the special ed program earn an average of $53,332 for their early career.
More information about a master’s in special education from National Louis University
Located in the large suburb of River Forest, Dominican U is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.
After graduation, special ed master's recipients generally make an average of $54,411 in their early careers.
More information about a master’s in special education from Dominican University
Located in the suburb of River Forest, Concordia University, Chicago is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population.
Master's students who receive their degree from the special ed program earn around $53,253 in the first couple years of their career.
More information about a master’s in special education from Concordia University, Chicago
Aurora is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Aurora.
Soon after graduation, special ed master's recipients typically make an average of $50,218 in the first five years of their career.
More information about a master’s in special education from Aurora University
Located in the large suburb of Elmhurst, Elmhurst is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.More information about a master’s in special education from Elmhurst University
Explore all the Best Special Education Colleges in the Great Lakes Area or other specific states within that region.
One of 14 majors within the Education area of study, Special Education has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Educational Administration | 1,261 |
| Teacher Education Grade Specific | 1,064 |
| Curriculum & Instruction | 926 |
| Teacher Education Subject Specific | 710 |
| General Education | 320 |
| Student Counseling | 305 |
| Instructional Media Design | 158 |
| Teaching English or French | 94 |
| Multilingual Education | 73 |
| Education Philosophy | 55 |
