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2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid

598 Ranked Colleges
36,792 Degrees Awarded
$8,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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.

For this year’s “Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 598 colleges that offer a degree in special education. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality special education programs that also have a lower cost than 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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The special ed school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid”.

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. 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 For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for special ed students with aid.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Special Education (With Aid)

1
Hunter crest
Hunter College
New York, New York

Out of the 598 schools in the Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Hunter College landed the #1 spot on the list. Hunter College is located in New York, New York and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 360 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

Hunter also made our “Best Special Education Schools” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for Hunter College is $2,158 for special ed students with aid.

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 Hunter

2
Brooklyn College crest
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn, New York

Out of the 598 schools in the Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Brooklyn College landed the #2 spot on the list. Brooklyn College is a fairly large public school situated in Brooklyn, New York. It awarded 244 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Brooklyn College also took the #19 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools” ranking. It costs about $3,067 for special ed students with aid per year to attend Brooklyn College.

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%.

Full Brooklyn College Special Education Report

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The City College of New York. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid. This fairly large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 143 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, CCNY is also in the top of our “Best Special Education Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $2,805 for Special Ed students with aid per year to attend The City College of New York.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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%.

Full CCNY Special Education Report

4
Lehman crest
Lehman College
Bronx, New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Lehman College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid. Lehman is a public institution located in Bronx, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 87 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, Lehman is in the top on our “Best Special Education Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $2,614 for Special Ed students with aid per year to attend Lehman College.

Read full report on Special Education at Lehman

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Los Angeles. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid. 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.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Cal State LA is also in the top of our “Best Special Education Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $3,302 for Special Ed students with aid per year to attend Cal State LA.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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%.

Full Cal State LA Special Education Report

6
QC crest
Queens College
Queens, New York

With a ranking of #6, Queens College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Queens College is a fairly large school located in Queens, New York that handed out 111 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, QC also did well on our “Best Special Education Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $3,469 for Special Ed students with aid per year to attend Queens College.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Special Education at Queens College

7
WGU crest
Western Governors University
Salt Lake City, Utah

Western Governors University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Salt Lake City, Utah is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s special ed degrees to 1,256 students in 2020-2021.

WGU excels when it comes to special ed quality. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for WGU is $9,969 for special ed students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.0% 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 Western Governors University

8

University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Seattle, Washington, this large public school awarded 32 degrees to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

UW Seattle did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Special Education Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UW Seattle is $12,017 for Special Ed students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Special Education at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

9
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. UF is a large school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 87 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

UF also claimed a top spot on our “Best Special Education Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for UF is $5,135 for Special Ed students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read more about Special Education at University of Florida

10
MDC crest
Miami Dade College
Miami, Florida

Miami Dade College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #10. MDC is a large school located in Miami, Florida that handed out 103 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Miami Dade College is $4,870 for special ed students with aid.

Full MDC Special Education Report

11
Ball State crest
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana

Ball State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #11. Ball State is located in Muncie, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,870 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our special ed students with aid list, Ball State has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Special Education Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Ball State University is $14,765 for special ed students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Special Education at Ball State University

12
Indian River State College crest
Indian River State College
Fort Pierce, Florida

With a ranking of #12, Indian River State College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Indian River State College is a fairly large school located in Fort Pierce, Florida that handed out 12 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $3,786 for special ed students with aid per year to attend Indian River State College.

Read more about Special Education at Indian River State College

13

The University of West Florida ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid list. UWF is a public institution located in Pensacola, Florida. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 303 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $7,089 for special ed students with aid per year to attend The University of West Florida.

Read full report on Special Education at The University of West Florida

14

Indiana University - Bloomington ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large school located in Bloomington, Indiana that handed out 38 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our special ed students with aid list, IU Bloomington has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Special Education Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - Bloomington is $14,619 for Special Ed students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read more about Special Education at Indiana University - Bloomington

15

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #15. This large school is located in Edinburg, Texas, and it awarded 142 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is $3,743 for Special Ed students with aid.

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%.

Full UT Rio Grande Valley Special Education Report

16
Towson crest
Towson University
Towson, Maryland

With a ranking of #16, Towson University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Towson is located in Towson, Maryland and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 231 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Towson, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools” ranking. It costs about $18,105 for Special Ed students with aid per year to attend Towson.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Special Education at Towson

17
CSI crest
College of Staten Island CUNY
Staten Island, New York

College of Staten Island CUNY landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Staten Island, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s special ed degrees to 54 students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend CSI is $5,872 for special ed students with aid.

Read more about Special Education at CSI

18

Texas A&M International University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Texas A&M International University is a medium-sized public school situated in Laredo, Texas. It awarded 10 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Texas A&M International University is $3,908 for special ed students with aid.

Full Texas A&M International University Special Education Report

19
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Purdue University - Main Campus is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 27 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, Purdue is in the top on our “Best Special Education Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Special Education Schools” list. It costs about $13,377 for Special Ed students with aid per year to attend Purdue.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. 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%.

Read full report on Special Education at Purdue University - Main Campus

20

California State University - Fresno did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #20. Fresno State is a large school located in Fresno, California that handed out 42 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $6,230 for Special Ed students with aid per year to attend California State University - Fresno.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full California State University - Fresno Special Education Report

21
Appalachian State crest
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina

Appalachian State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #21. Appalachian State is a public institution located in Boone, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 117 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Appalachian State also claimed a top spot on our “Best Special Education Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $13,989 for Special Ed students with aid per year to attend Appalachian State.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, 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 86%.

Full Appalachian State Special Education Report

22

Utah State University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Logan, Utah is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s special ed degrees to 84 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, USU is also in the top of our “Best Special Education Schools” ranking. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Utah State University is $13,257 for Special Ed students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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 USU

23

University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. UW - Madison is a large public school situated in Madison, Wisconsin. It awarded 69 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our special ed students with aid list, UW - Madison has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Special Education Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW - Madison is $17,234 for special ed students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Special Education Report

24

With a ranking of #24, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school awarded 52 degrees to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

UIUC also made our “Best Special Education Schools” list, coming in at #23. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $14,321 for Special Ed students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national 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.

Read more about Special Education at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

25

University of North Carolina at Greensboro came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Greensboro, North Carolina is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s special ed degrees to 60 students in 2020-2021.

UNC Greensboro excels when it comes to special ed quality. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for University of North Carolina at Greensboro is $11,629 for Special Ed students with aid.

Read more about Special Education at UNC Greensboro

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida
27
28
29
30
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Minot State University
Minot, North Dakota
31
32
33
34
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University of North Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
35
36
37
38
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Medgar Evers College
Brooklyn, New York
39
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University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia
40
41
42
43
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St Petersburg College
Clearwater, Florida
44
45
46
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Western Washington University
Bellingham, Washington
47
48
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Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, Arizona
49
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Rhode Island College
Providence, Rhode Island
50
St. Cloud State University crest
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Special Ed Schools For Those Getting Aid

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51East Carolina UniversityGreenville, NC
52University of Wisconsin - OshkoshOshkosh, WI
53Florida State College at JacksonvilleJacksonville, FL
54College of Southern NevadaLas Vegas, NV
55University of Minnesota - Twin CitiesMinneapolis, MN
56University of North Carolina at CharlotteCharlotte, NC
57Georgia State UniversityAtlanta, GA
58Augusta UniversityAugusta, GA
59SUNY Old WestburyOld Westbury, NY
60Texas Woman’s UniversityDenton, TX
61William Carey UniversityHattiesburg, MS
62Florida Atlantic UniversityBoca Raton, FL
63University of Wisconsin - Stevens PointStevens Point, WI
64Arizona State University - SkysongScottsdale, AZ
65University of Nebraska at OmahaOmaha, NE
RankCollegeLocation
66University of Wisconsin - WhitewaterWhitewater, WI
67Arkansas State University - Main CampusJonesboro, AR
68University of Maryland - College ParkCollege Park, MD
69The University of Texas at El PasoEl Paso, TX
70Broward CollegeFort Lauderdale, FL
71University of Missouri - St LouisSaint Louis, MO
72Youngstown State UniversityYoungstown, OH
73Bowling Green State University - Main CampusBowling Green, OH
74University of UtahSalt Lake City, UT
75New Mexico State University - Main CampusLas Cruces, NM
76University of Nebraska - LincolnLincoln, NE
76Lamar UniversityBeaumont, TX
78University of North DakotaGrand Forks, ND
79Utah Valley UniversityOrem, UT
80Central Washington UniversityEllensburg, WA
81Winona State UniversityWinona, MN
82University of MemphisMemphis, TN
83Central Michigan UniversityMount Pleasant, MI
84The University of Texas at AustinAustin, TX
85Northeastern State UniversityTahlequah, OK
86Boise State UniversityBoise, ID
87California State University - East BayHayward, CA
88Michigan State UniversityEast Lansing, MI
89Rutgers University - New BrunswickNew Brunswick, NJ
90University of Wisconsin - StoutMenomonie, WI
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