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2024 Best Special Education Master's Degree Schools in Pennsylvania

33 Colleges in Pennsylvania
910 Master's Degrees
$47,885 Avg Early-Career Salary
Special Education is of the hottest master's degree programs in the United States, coming in as the #8 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.

College Factual looked at 33 colleges and universities when compiling its 2024 Best Special Education Master's Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 910 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 Pennsylvania 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. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:

Overall Quality Is a Must

The overall quality of a master's degree school is important to ensure a good 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.

Average Early-Career Salaries

Average early-career salary of those graduating with their master's degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. After all, your master's degree won't mean much if it doesn't help you find a job that will help you earn a living.

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 schools 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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania

Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in special education.

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

1
St. Joe's crest
Saint Joseph's University
Philadelphia, PA

Saint Joseph's University is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a master's degree in special education. Located in the large city of Philadelphia, St. Joe's is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population.

Those special education students who get their master's degree from Saint Joseph's University earn $3,554 more than the typical special ed grad.

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

2

University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a master's degree in special education. Pitt is a fairly large public university located in the city of Pittsburgh.More information about a master’s in special education from University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus

3

West Chester University of Pennsylvania is a wonderful choice for students pursuing a master's degree in special education. Located in the suburb of West Chester, WCUPA is a public university with a large student population.

Those special education students who get their master's degree from West Chester University of Pennsylvania earn $3,211 more than the average special ed grad.

More information about a master’s in special education from West Chester University of Pennsylvania

4
Duquesne crest
Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, PA
9 Annual Graduates

Duquesne University is a good decision for individuals interested in a master's degree in special education. Duquesne is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Pittsburgh.More information about a master’s in special education from Duquesne University

5
Drexel crest
Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA
1 Annual Graduates

Drexel is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Philadelphia.More information about a master’s in special education from Drexel University

6

Located in the town of Slippery Rock, SRU is a public university with a moderately-sized student population.

Master's graduates who receive their degree from the special ed program earn an average of $45,381 in the first couple years of working.

More information about a master’s in special education from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

7
Lehigh crest
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA

Lehigh is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Bethlehem.

After graduating, special ed master's recipients typically make an average of $48,960 in the first five years of their career.

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

8
Temple crest
Temple University
Philadelphia, PA

Temple is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Philadelphia.

Master's recipients from the special education program at Temple University earn $3,407 above the typical college graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

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

9
Holy Family crest
Holy Family University
Philadelphia, PA

Located in the large city of Philadelphia, Holy Family is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.

Special Education master's degree recipients from Holy Family University receive an earnings boost of approximately $4,553 above the typical income of special education graduates.

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

10

Located in the small suburb of California, Cal U is a public university with a medium-sized student population.

Soon after graduating, special ed master's recipients usually earn an average of $38,898 in their early careers.

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

Best Special Education Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Region

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

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
New York 261 3,329
Maryland 193 142
New Jersey 188 583
District of Columbia 154 80
Delaware 109 155

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 819
Other Special Education & Teaching 29
Elementary Special Education 25
Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs 14
Education/Teaching of the Gifted & Talented 11
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Autism 5
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Vision Impairments Including Blindness 4
Education/Teaching of Individuals in Secondary Special Education Programs 3

Related Major Annual Graduates
Teacher Education Subject Specific 1,100
Educational Administration 1,044
Teacher Education Grade Specific 851
General Education 763
Student Counseling 456
Instructional Media Design 354
Curriculum & Instruction 333
Teaching English or French 186
Other Education 158
Educational Assessment 34

Notes and References

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