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2024 Best Special Education Master's Degree Schools in Iowa

7 Colleges in Iowa
150 Master's Degrees
$51,893 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 2024, College Factual analyzed 7 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Special Education Master's Degree Schools in Iowa ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 150 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 Iowa 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 good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To take this into account we include a college'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 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 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 Iowa 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 Iowa

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

Top Iowa Schools for a Master's in Special Ed

1
Morningside crest
Morningside College
Sioux City, IA

It's hard to beat Morningside College if you want to pursue a master's degree in special education. Morningside is a small private not-for-profit college located in the city of Sioux City.

Master's students who receive their degree from the special ed program earn an average of $51,893 for their early career.

More information about a master’s in special education from Morningside College

2
NWC crest
Northwestern College
Orange City, IA
9 Annual Graduates

It is hard to beat Northwestern College if you want to pursue a master's degree in special education. NWC is a small private not-for-profit college located in the town of Orange City.More information about a master’s in special education from Northwestern College

3
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA
7 Annual Graduates

Every student pursuing a degree in a master's degree in special education has to take a look at University of Iowa. Located in the city of Iowa City, Iowa is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in special education from University of Iowa

4
BVU crest
Buena Vista University
Storm Lake, IA
12 Annual Graduates

It's hard to beat Buena Vista University if you want to pursue a master's degree in special education. BVU is a small private not-for-profit university located in the town of Storm Lake.More information about a master’s in special education from Buena Vista University

5
16 Annual Graduates

UIU is a small private not-for-profit university located in the rural area of Fayette.More information about a master’s in special education from Upper Iowa University

6
3 Annual Graduates

Iowa State is a fairly large public university located in the small city of Ames.More information about a master’s in special education from Iowa State University

6
4 Annual Graduates

UNI is a medium-sized public university located in the city of Cedar Falls.More information about a master’s in special education from University of Northern Iowa

7
Mount Mercy crest
Mount Mercy University
Cedar Rapids, IA
1 Annual Graduates

Located in the medium-sized city of Cedar Rapids, Mount Mercy is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.More information about a master’s in special education from Mount Mercy University

8
3 Annual Graduates

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

Best Special Education Colleges in the Plains States Region

Explore all the Best Special Education Colleges in the Plains States Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Missouri 193 302
Minnesota 174 464
Kansas 149 383
Nebraska 123 131
North Dakota 115 156
South Dakota 89 11

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 88
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Emotional Disturbances 19
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities 9
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Multiple Disabilities 9
Elementary Special Education 8
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Specific Learning Disabilities 6
Education/Teaching of the Gifted & Talented 4
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Autism 3
Education/Teaching of Individuals in Secondary Special Education Programs 3
Other Special Education & Teaching 1

Related Major Annual Graduates
Educational Administration 299
General Education 196
Student Counseling 181
Teacher Education Grade Specific 129
Curriculum & Instruction 117
Teacher Education Subject Specific 111
Other Education 30
Teaching English or French 22
Educational Assessment 9
Instructional Media Design 7

Notes and References

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