2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Special Education
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s” ranking is part of that endeavor.
Special Education is the 39th most popular major in the country with 33,249 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. 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 master’s degree level specifically, there were 19,550 special education graduates with average earnings and debt of $56,398 and $43,194 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s” ranking looked at 489 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.
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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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One Size Does Not Fit All
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 Master’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. 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 Master’s
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s.
Top 26 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Special Education
Out of the 489 schools in the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Western Governors University landed the #1 spot on the list. WGU is located in Salt Lake City, Utah and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 337 masters’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on this list, WGU is in the top on our “Best Special Education Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. Average graduate tuition and fees at Western Governors University are $7,790, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Special Education at Western Governors University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Morningside College. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s. Located in Sioux City, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 112 degrees to qualified masters’s special ed students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, Morningside is in the top on our “Best Special Education Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. Average graduate tuition and fees at Morningside are $5,400, but some majors have different tuition rates.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Arizona State University - Skysong. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s list. Arizona State University - Skysong is located in Scottsdale, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 441 masters’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on this list, ASU - Skysong is in the top on our “Best Special Education Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at ASU - Skysong are $6,724.
Full Arizona State University - Skysong Special Education Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Illinois State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s. This large school is located in Normal, Illinois, and it awarded 19 masters’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Illinois State is also in the top of our “Best Special Education Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. Average graduate tuition and fees at Illinois State are $11,069, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Out of the 489 schools in the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Minnesota State University - Mankato landed the #5 spot on the list. Minnesota State University - Mankato is a fairly large public school situated in Mankato, Minnesota. It awarded 34 masters’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, Minnesota State Mankato is in the top on our “Best Special Education Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Special Education Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Minnesota State Mankato are $8,788, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about Special Education at Minnesota State Mankato
Touro College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s ranking. Touro College is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 571 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Touro also made our “Best Special Education Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #17. Average graduate tuition and fees at Touro are $13,138, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
With a ranking of #7, Brigham Young University - Provo did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s list. BYU is located in Provo, Utah and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 masters’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Brigham Young University - Provo are $7,510.
With a ranking of #8, Fitchburg State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s list. Fitchburg State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. It awarded 113 masters’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Fitchburg State are $6,012, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Concordia University, Nebraska landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s ranking. Seward, Nebraska is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s special ed degrees to 16 students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Concordia University, Nebraska are $8,650, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Special Education at Concordia University, Nebraska
Westfield State University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s list. Westfield is located in Westfield, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 20 masters’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Westfield State University are $6,696, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Hunter College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #11. Hunter is a large public school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 315 masters’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
Hunter did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Special Education Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Hunter are $20,828, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of the Cumberlands came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s ranking. Cumberlands is a private not-for-profit institution located in Williamsburg, Kentucky. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 126 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of the Cumberlands are $4,582.
Ashland University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #13. Ashland University is a small school located in Ashland, Ohio that handed out 25 masters’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Ashland University are $6,444.
Providence College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s ranking. Located in Providence, Rhode Island, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 4 degrees to qualified masters’s special ed students in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, Providence also did well on our “Best Special Education Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. Average graduate tuition and fees at Providence are $9,750, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Minot State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #15. Minot, North Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s special ed degrees to 12 students in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Minot State University are $9,936.
With a ranking of #16, Whitworth University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s list. Whitworth is a small school located in Spokane, Washington that handed out 21 masters’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, Whitworth also did well on our “Best Special Education Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. Average graduate tuition and fees at Whitworth University are $12,312, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Special Education at Whitworth University
Grand Canyon University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s list. Grand Canyon University is a large school located in Phoenix, Arizona that handed out 1,202 masters’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Grand Canyon University are $11,436.
Read more about Special Education at Grand Canyon University
Concordia University, Saint Paul landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s ranking. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 58 degrees to qualified masters’s special ed students in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Concordia University, Saint Paul are $8,550.
Read full report on Special Education at Concordia University, Saint Paul
Endicott College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s ranking. Endicott College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Beverly, Massachusetts. It awarded 162 masters’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
Endicott also made our “Best Special Education Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #18. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Endicott College are $12,666.
The College of New Jersey came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s ranking. TCNJ is located in Ewing, New Jersey and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 63 masters’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at TCNJ, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Special Education Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at TCNJ are $15,883, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Cabrini University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s list. Radnor, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s special ed degrees to 22 students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Cabrini University are $2,250, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Fresno Pacific University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s ranking. Located in Fresno, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 10 degrees to qualified masters’s special ed students in 2019-2020.
Fresno Pacific excels when it comes to special ed quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Special Education Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Fresno Pacific are $15,000.
Harding University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s ranking. This small school is located in Searcy, Arkansas, and it awarded 21 masters’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Harding are $11,928, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Saint Cloud State University landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s ranking. Saint Cloud, Minnesota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s special ed degrees to 12 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, St. Cloud State University is in the top on our “Best Special Education Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. Average graduate tuition and fees at St. Cloud State University are $12,904, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Special Education at St. Cloud State University
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s list. SMU MN is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Winona, Minnesota. It awarded 70 masters’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at SMU MN are $10,260, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Special Education at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
Wilmington University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s ranking. Wilmington University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in New Castle, Delaware. It awarded 78 masters’s special ed degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Wilmington University are $8,834.
Rest of the Best 49 in Best Value Special Ed Schools for a Master’s
Not only did these schools make the top 49 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 Master’s
While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Xavier University | Cincinnati, OH |
| 52 | Greenville University | Greenville, IL |
| 53 | Canisius College | Buffalo, NY |
| 54 | Lewis University | Romeoville, IL |
| 55 | Xavier University of Louisiana | New Orleans, LA |
| 56 | Lindenwood University | Saint Charles, MO |
| 57 | Bridgewater State University | Bridgewater, MA |
| 58 | Carroll University | Waukesha, WI |
| 59 | Webster University | Saint Louis, MO |
| 60 | Freed-Hardeman University | Henderson, TN |
| 61 | Elon University | Elon, NC |
| 62 | Mount Vernon Nazarene University | Mount Vernon, OH |
| 63 | Cardinal Stritch University | Milwaukee, WI |
| 64 | Trinity Christian College | Palos Heights, IL |
| 65 | Baldwin Wallace University | Berea, OH |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | Northern Illinois University | Dekalb, IL |
| 67 | Missouri State University - Springfield | Springfield, MO |
| 68 | Wayne State College | Wayne, NE |
| 69 | University of South Dakota | Vermillion, SD |
| 70 | Mississippi College | Clinton, MS |
| 70 | Otterbein University | Westerville, OH |
| 72 | Towson University | Towson, MD |
| 73 | University of St Thomas Minnesota | Saint Paul, MN |
| 74 | Gonzaga University | Spokane, WA |
| 74 | St. Joseph’s College - New York | Brooklyn, NY |
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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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