2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s
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 a Bachelor’s” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
In 2019-2020, 33,249 people earned their degree in special education, making the major the 39th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, special education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $43,879 and had an average of $28,500 in loans still to pay off.
At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 9,071 special education graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking, we looked at 409 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.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the special education program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
Featured schools near , edit
More Ways to Rank Special Education Schools
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s
The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree special ed students.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Special Education
Out of the 409 schools in the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Brigham Young University - Provo landed the #1 spot on the list. BYU is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Provo, Utah. It awarded 35 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, BYU is in the top on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Brigham Young University - Provo is $13,322 for Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students.
With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Western Governors University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This large school is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and it awarded 769 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, WGU is in the top on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Western Governors University is $9,805 for Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Minot State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s. Minot, North Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s special ed degrees to 12 students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend MSU is $11,898 for Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school handed out 84 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s special ed students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree special ed students list, UW - Eau Claire has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $16,020 for Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students per year to attend UW - Eau Claire.
Read more about Special Education at University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Dakota State University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Madison, South Dakota, this small public school awarded 24 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s special ed students in 2019-2020.
Dakota State excels when it comes to special ed quality. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $17,691 for bachelor’s degree special ed students per year to attend Dakota State.
Martin Luther College landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. New Ulm, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s special ed degrees to 3 students in 2019-2020.
MLC excels when it comes to special ed quality. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Martin Luther College is $19,703 for bachelor’s degree special ed students.
With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 0.5% 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%.
With a ranking of #7, Brigham Young University - Idaho did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s list. BYU - I is a large school located in Rexburg, Idaho that handed out 35 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for BYU - I is $7,167 for bachelor’s degree special ed students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Chadron State College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Chadron State College is located in Chadron, Nebraska and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend Chadron State College is $14,268 for Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students.
Winona State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Winona, Minnesota, this medium-sized public school handed out 40 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s special ed students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Winona State is also in the top of our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $17,656 for bachelor’s degree special ed students per year to attend Winona State University.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Special Education at Winona State University
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is a medium-sized public school situated in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. It awarded 98 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, SRU is also in the top of our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend SRU is $19,926 for bachelor’s degree special ed students.
University of Wisconsin - Whitewater came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. UW - Whitewater is a fairly large public school situated in Whitewater, Wisconsin. It awarded 48 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, UW - Whitewater is in the top on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UW - Whitewater is $15,249 for Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students.
Read full report on Special Education at University of Wisconsin - Whitewater
University of South Dakota landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Vermillion, South Dakota, this medium-sized public school handed out 24 degrees to qualified bachelors’s special ed students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for University of South Dakota is $18,555 for Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #13, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school awarded 58 degrees to qualified bachelors’s special ed students in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, UW Oshkosh also did well on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is $15,463 for Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students.
Northern State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #14. Northern State University is a small public school situated in Aberdeen, South Dakota. It awarded 12 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $15,851 for bachelor’s degree special ed students per year to attend Northern State University.
Read more about Special Education at Northern State University
Wayne State College landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Wayne, Nebraska is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s special ed degrees to 31 students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend WSC is $13,765 for Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students.
University of Wisconsin - Stout ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This medium-sized school is located in Menomonie, Wisconsin, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
UW - Stout also claimed a top spot on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. It costs about $15,839 for Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Stout.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Southwest Minnesota State University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Southwest Minnesota State University is located in Marshall, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 15 bachelors’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend Southwest Minnesota State University is $14,397 for bachelor’s degree special ed students.
Read full report on Special Education at Southwest Minnesota State University
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #18. Kutztown University is a public institution located in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 111 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, Kutztown University is in the top on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Kutztown University is $22,422 for Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students.
Read more about Special Education at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
With a ranking of #19, SUNY Cortland did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s list. SUNY Cortland is located in Cortland, New York and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 71 bachelors’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at SUNY Cortland, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $18,705 for bachelor’s degree special ed students per year to attend SUNY Cortland.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, this medium-sized public school handed out 32 degrees to qualified bachelors’s special ed students in 2019-2020.
Ship excels when it comes to special ed quality. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Ship is $22,054 for bachelor’s degree special ed students.
With a ranking of #20, Illinois State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Illinois State University is a large public school situated in Normal, Illinois. It awarded 156 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
Illinois State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Illinois State is $20,895 for bachelor’s degree special ed students.
The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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 Illinois State University
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s list. University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 32 bachelors’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
UW - Stevens Point also claimed a top spot on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. It costs about $14,465 for Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students per year to attend UW - Stevens Point.
Full University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Special Education Report
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This fairly large school is located in Edwardsville, Illinois, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for SIUE is $14,423 for Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students.
Full Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Special Education Report
With a ranking of #24, Minnesota State University - Mankato did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Minnesota State Mankato is a fairly large public school situated in Mankato, Minnesota. It awarded 39 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
Minnesota State Mankato also claimed a top spot on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. It costs about $16,221 for bachelor’s degree special ed students per year to attend Minnesota State University - Mankato.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Minnesota State University - Mankato Special Education Report
Broward College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, this large public school awarded 46 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s special ed students in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, BC also did well on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. It costs about $12,649 for bachelor’s degree special ed students per year to attend Broward College.
Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s
While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Rank | College | Location |
---|---|---|
51 | Fitchburg State University | Fitchburg, MA |
52 | Kean University | Union, NJ |
53 | Northern Arizona University | Flagstaff, AZ |
54 | York College of Pennsylvania | York, PA |
55 | Towson University | Towson, MD |
55 | Northwestern Oklahoma State University | Alva, OK |
57 | Northwest Missouri State University | Maryville, MO |
58 | Peru State College | Peru, NE |
59 | Lock Haven University | Lock Haven, PA |
60 | Western Michigan University | Kalamazoo, MI |
61 | Northeastern State University | Tahlequah, OK |
61 | SUNY Geneseo | Geneseo, NY |
Narrow Results by Region
Southeast
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Special Education in the Southeast Region
Rocky Mountains
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Special Education in the Rocky Mountains Region
Middle Atlantic
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Special Education in the Middle Atlantic Region
Southwest
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Special Education in the Southwest Region
New England
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Special Education in the New England Region
Plains States
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Special Education in the Plains States Region
Far Western US
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Special Education in the Far Western US Region
Great Lakes
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Special Education in the Great Lakes Region
Switch to a More General Major
Switch to a Similar Major
General Education
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for General Education
Curriculum & Instruction
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Curriculum & Instruction
Instructional Media Design
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Instructional Media Design
International Education
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for International Education
Student Counseling
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Student Counseling
Teacher Education Subject Specific
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Teacher Education Subject Specific
Other Education
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Other Education
Multilingual Education
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Multilingual Education
Educational Administration
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Educational Administration
Educational Assessment
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Educational Assessment
Education Philosophy
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Education Philosophy
Teacher Education Grade Specific
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Teacher Education Grade Specific
Teaching English or French
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Teaching English or French
Switch to a More Focused Major
General Special Education
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for General Special Education
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Emotional Disturbances
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Education/Teaching of Individuals with Emotional Disturbances
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Multiple Disabilities
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Education/Teaching of Individuals with Multiple Disabilities
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Vision Impairments Including Blindness
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Education/Teaching of Individuals with Vision Impairments Including Blindness
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Speech or Language Impairments
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Education/Teaching of Individuals with Speech or Language Impairments
Education/Teaching of Individuals Who are Developmentally Delayed
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Education/Teaching of Individuals Who are Developmentally Delayed
Elementary Special Education
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Elementary Special Education
Education/Teaching of Individuals in Secondary Special Education Programs
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Education/Teaching of Individuals in Secondary Special Education Programs
Education of the Deaf
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Education of the Deaf
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Orthopedic & Other Physical Health Impairments
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Education/Teaching of Individuals with Orthopedic & Other Physical Health Impairments
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Specific Learning Disabilities
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Education/Teaching of Individuals with Specific Learning Disabilities
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Autism
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Education/Teaching of Individuals with Autism
Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs
Education/Teaching of Individuals in Junior High/Middle School Special Education Programs
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Education/Teaching of Individuals in Junior High/Middle School Special Education Programs
Other Special Education & Teaching
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Other Special Education & Teaching
Switch to a Different Ranking Method
Best Special Education Bachelor's Degree Schools
Special Education students
Most Focused Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Special Education
Special Education students
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Online Special Education Schools
Special Education students
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Special Education (Income $0-$30k)
Special Education students with family income less than $30k
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Special Education (Income $48-$75k)
Special Education students with family income $48-$75k
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Special Education (Income Over $110k)
Special Education students with family income exceeding $110k
Highest Paid Bachelor's Degree Special Education Graduates
Special Education students
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Special Education
Special Education students
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Special Education (With Aid)
Special Education students getting aid
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Special Education (Income $30-$48k)
Special Education students with family income $30-$48k
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Special Education (Income $75-$110k)
Special Education students with family income $75-$110k
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Special Education
Special Education students
Notes and References
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
Footnotes
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to woodleywonderworks.
Featured Special Education Schools
Request Info |
Southern New Hampshire University
You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs ... Learn More > |