2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Special Education in the Plains States Region
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
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.
Across the Plains States region, there were 2,615 special education graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,100 and $26,291 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 728 special education graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region” ranking, we looked at 46 colleges that offer a degree in special education. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great special education programs and 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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One Size Does Not Fit All
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 for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region
The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region bachelor’s degree special ed students.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Special Education in the Plains States Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Minot State University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. 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.
MSU also made our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #15. The estimated yearly cost for Minot State University is $11,898 for plains states region bachelor’s degree special ed students.
Out of the 46 schools in the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Dakota State University landed the #2 spot on the list. Dakota State University is a small school located in Madison, South Dakota that handed out 24 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
Dakota State also took the #10 spot in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Dakota State is $17,691 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Martin Luther College. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Located in New Ulm, Minnesota, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 3 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s special ed students in 2019-2020.
MLC also made our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend MLC is $19,703 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Special Education at Martin Luther College
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Chadron State College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region. Chadron State College is a public institution located in Chadron, Nebraska. The school has a small population, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Chadron State College also took the #24 spot in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $14,268 for plains states region bachelor’s degree special ed students per year to attend Chadron State College.
Read full report on Special Education at Chadron State College
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Winona State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region. Located in Winona, Minnesota, this medium-sized public school handed out 40 degrees to qualified bachelors’s special ed students in 2019-2020.
Winona State also made our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #5. The estimated yearly cost for Winona State University is $17,656 for plains states region bachelor’s degree special ed students.
The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 more about Special Education at Winona State University
University of South Dakota landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. University of South Dakota is a public institution located in Vermillion, South Dakota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
USD not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend USD is $18,555 for plains states region 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%.
Northern State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. NSU is located in Aberdeen, South Dakota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree special ed students list, NSU has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northern State University is $15,851 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students.
With a ranking of #8, Wayne State College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. WSC is a public institution located in Wayne, Nebraska. The school has a small population, and it awarded 31 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at WSC, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wayne State College is $13,765 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students.
With a ranking of #9, Southwest Minnesota State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. This medium-sized school is located in Marshall, Minnesota, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
Southwest Minnesota State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $14,397 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students per year to attend Southwest Minnesota State University.
Full Southwest Minnesota State University Special Education Report
Minnesota State University - Mankato landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Minnesota State Mankato is located in Mankato, Minnesota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 39 bachelors’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
Minnesota State Mankato did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $16,221 for Plains States Region 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
Saint Cloud State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #11. Saint Cloud, Minnesota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s special ed degrees to 22 students in 2019-2020.
St. Cloud State University also took the #12 spot in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for St. Cloud State University is $14,267 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students.
Read more about Special Education at Saint Cloud State University
With a ranking of #12, Mayville State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Mayville State University is a small public school situated in Mayville, North Dakota. It awarded 2 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $12,378 for plains states region bachelor’s degree special ed students per year to attend Mayville State University.
Read full report on Special Education at Mayville State University
With a ranking of #13, University of Mary did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Located in Bismarck, North Dakota, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 11 degrees to qualified bachelors’s special ed students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree special ed students list, UMary has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UMary is $17,410 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students.
The low student loan default rate of 4.7% 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%.
Black Hills State University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. BHSU is a small school located in Spearfish, South Dakota that handed out 9 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $16,641 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students per year to attend Black Hills State University.
Read full report on Special Education at Black Hills State University
University of Nebraska at Kearney ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. UNK is a medium-sized school located in Kearney, Nebraska that handed out 16 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
UNK also took the #19 spot in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $16,017 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students per year to attend UNK.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Nebraska at Kearney Special Education Report
With a ranking of #16, Northwest Missouri State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Located in Maryville, Missouri, this medium-sized public school awarded 28 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s special ed students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $12,354 for plains states region bachelor’s degree special ed students per year to attend Northwest.
With a ranking of #17, Peru State College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Peru State College is a small school located in Peru, Nebraska that handed out 5 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Peru State is $14,058 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students.
Missouri State University - Springfield came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Missouri State University - Springfield is a large school located in Springfield, Missouri that handed out 42 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $16,725 for plains states region bachelor’s degree special ed students per year to attend Missouri State.
With a ranking of #19, Minnesota State University - Moorhead did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Minnesota State University - Moorhead is a medium-sized public school situated in Moorhead, Minnesota. It awarded 5 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $16,893 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students per year to attend Minnesota State University - Moorhead.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Special Education at Minnesota State University - Moorhead
Southeast Missouri State University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Southeast Missouri State University is a fairly large public school situated in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. It awarded 35 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $12,774 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students per year to attend Southeast Missouri State University.
Full Southeast Missouri State University Special Education Report
University of Central Missouri landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Warrensburg, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s special ed degrees to 23 students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for UCM is $13,677 for plains states region bachelor’s degree special ed students.
University of Sioux Falls landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. This small school is located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $19,893 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students per year to attend University of Sioux Falls.
The low student loan default rate of 4.2% 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%.
Read full report on Special Education at University of Sioux Falls
With a ranking of #23, College of Saint Mary did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. College of Saint Mary is a small school located in Omaha, Nebraska that handed out 1 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Saint Mary is $14,325 for plains states region bachelor’s degree special ed students.
The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%.
University of Nebraska - Lincoln ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. UNL is a large public school situated in Lincoln, Nebraska. It awarded 43 bachelors’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
UNL also made our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #3. The estimated yearly cost for University of Nebraska - Lincoln is $17,208 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The 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 University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Mount Marty University landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Mount Marty University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Yankton, South Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Mount Marty, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Mount Marty is $19,422 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Special Ed students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
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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.
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- Credit for the banner image above goes to woodleywonderworks.
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