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2023 Best Value Colleges for Special Education (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

70 Ranked Colleges
2,681 Degrees Awarded
$11,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2020-2021, 36,792 people earned their degree in special education, making the major the 29th most popular in the United States. 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 the Plains States region, there were 2,681 special education graduates with average earnings and debt of $43,541 and $26,703 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 70 colleges that offer 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.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the special education program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

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

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Special Education (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it awarded 84 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

UMN Twin Cities also made our “Best Special Education Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #2. The yearly cost to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $7,698 for plains states region special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Special Education at UMN Twin Cities

2
MSU crest
Minot State University
Minot, North Dakota

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Minot State University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. MSU is located in Minot, North Dakota and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 28 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

MSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Special Education Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for MSU is $8,920 for plains states region special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Minot State University Special Education Report

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Minnesota State University - Mankato. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Minnesota State Mankato is located in Mankato, Minnesota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 224 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Minnesota State Mankato, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $11,692 for plains states region special ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Minnesota State University - Mankato.

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 Minnesota State University - Mankato Special Education Report

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Nebraska - Lincoln. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. University of Nebraska - Lincoln is a public institution located in Lincoln, Nebraska. The school has a large population, and it awarded 60 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UNL also made our “Best Special Education Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #3. The estimated yearly cost for University of Nebraska - Lincoln is $11,672 for Plains States Region Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Special Education at UNL

5
St. Cloud State University crest
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, Minnesota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Saint Cloud State University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Saint Cloud State University is a fairly large school located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota that handed out 80 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at St. Cloud State University, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend St. Cloud State University is $10,348 for Plains States Region Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Saint Cloud State University Special Education Report

6
UND crest
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota

University of North Dakota came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Grand Forks, North Dakota, this fairly large public school awarded 130 degrees to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UND, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of North Dakota is $12,394 for Plains States Region Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of North Dakota Special Education Report

7
Winona State crest
Winona State University
Winona, Minnesota

Winona State University landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Winona State is a medium-sized school located in Winona, Minnesota that handed out 38 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Winona State, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Winona State University is $11,721 for plains states region 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%.

Read more about Special Education at Winona State

8

University of Missouri - Columbia ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Columbia, Missouri, this large public school handed out 42 degrees to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

Mizzou also took the #12 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $11,005 for plains states region special ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Missouri - Columbia.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, 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 more about Special Education at University of Missouri - Columbia

9

With a ranking of #9, University of Nebraska at Omaha did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Omaha, Nebraska, and it awarded 105 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

UNOMAHA also made our “Best Special Education Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #18. The yearly cost to attend University of Nebraska at Omaha is $10,578 for plains states region 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 more about Special Education at UNOMAHA

10

Northwest Missouri State University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Northwest is a public institution located in Maryville, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 117 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $9,906 for Plains States Region Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northwest.

Full Northwest Special Education Report

11
UMary crest
University of Mary
Bismarck, North Dakota

University of Mary ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UMary is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bismarck, North Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 26 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UMary also made our “Best Special Education Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #9. It costs about $16,706 for plains states region special ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UMary.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Special Education at University of Mary

12

Iowa State University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Ames, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s special ed degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $9,766 for plains states region special ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Iowa State.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Special Education at Iowa State University

13
Southeast Missouri State University crest
Southeast Missouri State University
Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Southeast Missouri State University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Southeast Missouri State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. It awarded 52 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Southeast Missouri State University is $10,359 for plains states region special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Special Education at Southeast Missouri State University

14
WSC crest
Wayne State College
Wayne, Nebraska

Wayne State College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. WSC is a public institution located in Wayne, Nebraska. The school has a small population, and it awarded 48 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Wayne State College is $10,608 for Plains States Region Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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%.

Full Wayne State College Special Education Report

15

With a ranking of #15, University of Missouri - St Louis did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Missouri - St Louis is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 42 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $9,991 for plains states region special ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Missouri - St Louis.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.6% 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 more about Special Education at UMSL

16

Southwest Minnesota State University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Southwest Minnesota State University is a medium-sized school located in Marshall, Minnesota that handed out 26 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Southwest Minnesota State University is $10,578 for plains states region special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Special Education at Southwest Minnesota State University

17
Mayville State University crest
Mayville State University
Mayville, North Dakota

Mayville State University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Mayville State University is located in Mayville, North Dakota and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $9,250 for plains states region special ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Mayville State University.

Read more about Special Education at Mayville State University

18
Truman State crest
Truman State University
Kirksville, Missouri

Truman State University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Truman State University is a small public school situated in Kirksville, Missouri. It awarded 6 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Truman State University is $7,208 for plains states region special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Truman State University Special Education Report

19
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

With a ranking of #19, University of Kansas did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Kansas is a large school located in Lawrence, Kansas that handed out 145 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

KU also made our “Best Special Education Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #10. The yearly cost to attend KU is $15,666 for plains states region 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Special Education at University of Kansas

20

Missouri State University - Springfield did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Springfield, Missouri, this large public school handed out 62 degrees to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

Missouri State also took the #22 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Missouri State University - Springfield is $12,381 for plains states region special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Special Education at Missouri State University - Springfield

21

Pittsburg State University landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Pittsburg State University is a medium-sized school located in Pittsburg, Kansas that handed out 43 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Pitt State is $11,469 for Plains States Region Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Special Education at Pitt State

22

Fort Hays State University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Fort Hays State University is a fairly large public school situated in Hays, Kansas. It awarded 117 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for FHSU is $9,774 for Plains States Region Special Ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Special Education at FHSU

23
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #23. Located in Iowa City, Iowa, this large public school awarded 8 diplomas to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Iowa, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $13,554 for plains states region special ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Iowa.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Special Education at Iowa

24
LU Missouri crest
Lincoln University
Jefferson City, Missouri

Lincoln University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #24. Located in Jefferson City, Missouri, this small public school awarded 4 diplomas to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $8,968 for plains states region special ed students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Lincoln University.

Read full report on Special Education at Lincoln University

25

Minnesota State University - Moorhead did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #25. Minnesota State University - Moorhead is a medium-sized public school situated in Moorhead, Minnesota. It awarded 52 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Minnesota State University - Moorhead is $12,675 for plains states region special ed students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Special Education at MSU Moorhead

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