2026 Best Value Special Education Schools in Hawaii
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in special education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Special Education Schools
Our analysis ranked Leeward Community College the best value for a degree in special education in Hawaii. Leeward Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Pearl City. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,214, compared with $8,350 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for special education graduates is $10,776. Early-career special education graduates make about $21,784. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
University Of Hawaii At Manoa came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value special education schools. University Of Hawaii At Manoa is a very large public school located in the city of Honolulu. Students from in state pay about $12,186 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $34,218. Special Education graduates carry a median of $22,250 in student loans. Special Education graduates of University Of Hawaii At Manoa earn a median of $66,637 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,250 median debt. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
Chaminade University Of Honolulu came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value special education schools. Set in the city of Honolulu, Chaminade University Of Honolulu is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $30,874. Typical student debt for special education graduates is $25,096. Early-career special education graduates make about $48,383. That is a strong return on a $25,096 median debt. The acceptance rate is 91%.
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
[Special Education](/majors/education/special-education/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
