by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2024 ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools in Alabama to determine which ones were the best for special education students pursuing a master's degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 210 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 consider a school's overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking which itself looks at a combination 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 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.
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 Alabama ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in special education.
It's difficult to beat The University of Alabama if you wish to pursue a master's degree in special education. UA is a very large public university located in the city of Tuscaloosa.
Students who graduate with their master's from the special ed program report average early career income of $45,038.
More information about a master’s in special education from The University of Alabama
It is difficult to beat Auburn University if you want to pursue a master's degree in special education. Located in the small city of Auburn, Auburn is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Soon after graduating, special ed master's recipients typically earn an average of $44,841 at the beginning of their careers.
More information about a master’s in special education from Auburn University
It's difficult to beat Samford University if you want to pursue a master's degree in special education. Samford is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of Birmingham.More information about a master’s in special education from Samford University
Any student pursuing a degree in a master's degree in special education has to take a look at University of West Alabama. University of West Alabama is a medium-sized public university located in the remote area of Livingston.
Master's graduates who receive their degree from the special ed program earn about $47,975 in their early career salary.
More information about a master’s in special education from University of West Alabama
UAB is a very large public university located in the city of Birmingham.
After graduating, special ed master's recipients usually make around $45,296 at the beginning of their careers.
More information about a master’s in special education from University of Alabama at Birmingham
Located in the medium-sized city of Mobile, USA is a public university with a large student population.
After graduation, special ed master's recipients generally earn an average of $44,026 at the beginning of their careers.
More information about a master’s in special education from University of South Alabama
Jacksonville State University is a medium-sized public university located in the small suburb of Jacksonville.
Students who graduate with their master's from the special ed program state that they receive average early career income of $46,183.
More information about a master’s in special education from Jacksonville State University
AUM is a medium-sized public university located in the midsize city of Montgomery.
Special Education master's degree recipients from Auburn University at Montgomery receive an earnings boost of around $4,852 above the average income of special education majors.
More information about a master’s in special education from Auburn University at Montgomery
Alabama State is a small public university located in the midsize city of Montgomery.More information about a master’s in special education from Alabama State University
UNA is a moderately-sized public university located in the city of Florence.More information about a master’s in special education from University of North Alabama
Explore all the Best Special Education Schools in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 208 | 580 |
| Georgia | 190 | 265 |
| Virginia | 182 | 863 |
| North Carolina | 178 | 83 |
| Tennessee | 166 | 127 |
| Kentucky | 147 | 391 |
| Louisiana | 147 | 47 |
| South Carolina | 146 | 102 |
| Mississippi | 145 | 216 |
| Arkansas | 121 | 227 |
| West Virginia | 112 | 41 |
One of 14 majors within the Education area of study, Special Education has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General Special Education | 197 |
| Other Special Education & Teaching | 11 |
| Education/Teaching of the Gifted & Talented | 2 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Teacher Education Grade Specific | 1,200 |
| Educational Administration | 338 |
| Student Counseling | 262 |
| Teacher Education Subject Specific | 237 |
| Instructional Media Design | 108 |
| Teaching English or French | 39 |
| Curriculum & Instruction | 28 |
| Educational Assessment | 25 |
| Other Education | 5 |
| General Education | 3 |
