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2023 Best Value Colleges for Special Education (Income $0-$30k) in California

27 Ranked Colleges
3,154 Degrees Awarded
$15,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

Special Education is the 29th most popular major in the country with 36,792 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, special education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $45,679 and had an average of $24,977 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 3,154 special education graduates with average earnings and debt of $59,751 and $17,326 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 27 colleges that offered a degree in special education. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent special education programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the special education program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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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 Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for california special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Special Education (Income $0-$30k) in California

1

Out of the 27 schools in the Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Los Angeles landed the #1 spot on the list. California State University - Los Angeles is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 84 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Cal State LA also took the #5 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $1,887 for california special ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Cal State LA.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Cal State LA Special Education Report

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Berkeley. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k. UC Berkeley is located in Berkeley, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

UC Berkeley also took the #4 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC Berkeley is $8,450 for california special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Special Education at University of California - Berkeley

3

Out of the 27 schools in the Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Fresno landed the #3 spot on the list. This large school is located in Fresno, California, and it awarded 42 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Fresno State also took the #25 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Fresno State is $3,859 for california special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Special Education at Fresno State

4

Out of the 27 schools in the Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Long Beach landed the #4 spot on the list. CSULB is a public institution located in Long Beach, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 28 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSULB, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Long Beach is $6,663 for california special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read full report on Special Education at CSULB

5

Out of the 27 schools in the Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Northridge landed the #5 spot on the list. California State University - Northridge is a large public school situated in Northridge, California. It awarded 34 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california special ed students whose families make $0-$30k list, CSUN has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Special Education Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend CSUN is $6,266 for california special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Special Education at CSUN

6

University of California - Los Angeles came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 2 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

UCLA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Special Education Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Los Angeles is $9,037 for california special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Special Education at University of California - Los Angeles

7

California State University - Dominguez Hills came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Carson, California, and it awarded 22 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $2,657 for california special ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend CSUDH.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Special Education at CSUDH

8

California State University - San Bernardino ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. California State University - San Bernardino is a fairly large public school situated in San Bernardino, California. It awarded 49 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSUSB, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - San Bernardino is $5,985 for California Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full CSUSB Special Education Report

9
Fresno Pacific crest
Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, California

Fresno Pacific University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Fresno Pacific University is located in Fresno, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 10 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

Fresno Pacific also took the #3 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Fresno Pacific is $17,544 for California Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Special Education at Fresno Pacific

10

With a ranking of #10, California State University - San Marcos did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. California State University - San Marcos is a public institution located in San Marcos, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 27 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

CSUSM not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Special Education Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for CSUSM is $9,397 for California Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Special Education at CSUSM

11

California State University - East Bay came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Hayward, California, this fairly large public school awarded 65 degrees to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

Cal State East Bay also made our “Best Special Education Schools in California” list, coming in at #23. It costs about $9,975 for california special ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - East Bay.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Cal State East Bay Special Education Report

12
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. SFSU is a public institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 97 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

SFSU also made our “Best Special Education Schools in California” list, coming in at #16. The estimated yearly cost for SFSU is $10,705 for California Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Special Education at San Francisco State University

13

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is located in San Luis Obispo, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Special Education Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is $12,173 for California Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo Special Education Report

14
Brandman crest
Brandman University
Irvine, California

Brandman University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Brandman is a medium-sized school located in Irvine, California that handed out 103 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Brandman not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Special Education Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Brandman is $27,866 for california special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Special Education at Brandman University

15
CLU crest
California Lutheran University
Thousand Oaks, California

California Lutheran University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. CLU is located in Thousand Oaks, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

CLU also took the #18 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California Lutheran University is $20,774 for California Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California Lutheran University Special Education Report

16
University of Redlands crest
University of Redlands
Redlands, California

University of Redlands landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Redlands, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s special ed degrees to 68 students in 2020-2021.

University of Redlands not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Special Education Schools in California” list. It costs about $20,409 for California Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Redlands.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Special Education at University of Redlands

17
NDNU crest
Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, California

With a ranking of #17, Notre Dame de Namur University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Belmont, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s special ed degrees to 33 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at NDNU, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools in California” ranking.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Special Education at Notre Dame de Namur University

18
19
HNU crest
Holy Names University
Oakland, California

With a ranking of #19, Holy Names University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Oakland, California, and it awarded 21 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Holy Names University is $16,600 for California Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Special Education at HNU

20
USD crest
University of San Diego
San Diego, California

University of San Diego came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of San Diego is located in San Diego, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $21,951 for California Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend USD.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Special Education at University of San Diego

21
PLNU crest
Point Loma Nazarene University
San Diego, California

Point Loma Nazarene University landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Point Loma Nazarene University is located in San Diego, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 19 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

PLNU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Special Education Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for PLNU is $24,604 for California Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Special Education at PLNU

22
ULV crest
University of La Verne
La Verne, California

University of La Verne ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in La Verne, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 24 diplomas to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend ULV is $28,256 for california special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Special Education at University of La Verne

23
USFCA crest
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, California

University of San Francisco landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in San Francisco, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 8 degrees to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

USFCA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Special Education Schools in California” list. It costs about $32,023 for california special ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend USFCA.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full University of San Francisco Special Education Report

24
Biola crest
Biola University
La Mirada, California

Biola University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Biola is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in La Mirada, California. It awarded 5 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Biola did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Special Education Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Biola University is $27,024 for California Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Special Education at Biola

25
Loyola Marymount crest
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California

Loyola Marymount University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Loyola Marymount is a private not-for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 40 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Loyola Marymount did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Special Education Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Loyola Marymount is $32,730 for california special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Special Education at Loyola Marymount University

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