by our College Data Analytics Team
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. 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 in the Southeast Region” ranking is part of that endeavor.
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.
Across the Southeast region, there were 5,866 special education graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,190 and $24,022 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking looked at 149 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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 in the Southeast Region” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast region special ed students.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of the Cumberlands. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Southeast Region list. This fairly large school is located in Williamsburg, Kentucky, and it awarded 112 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend University of the Cumberlands is $13,476 for southeast region special ed students.
Read more about Special Education at University of the Cumberlands
Out of the 149 schools in the Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Arkansas State University - Main Campus landed the #2 spot on the list. Arkansas State University - Main Campus is located in Jonesboro, Arkansas and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 197 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
A-State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Special Education Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $14,189 for southeast region special ed students per year to attend A-State.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Special Education at Arkansas State University - Main Campus
Out of the 149 schools in the Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Liberty University landed the #3 spot on the list. Liberty University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Lynchburg, Virginia. It awarded 494 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
Liberty University also took the #17 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Liberty University is $29,382 for Southeast Region Special Ed students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Harding University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Southeast Region. Harding University is a small school located in Searcy, Arkansas that handed out 19 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $19,456 for southeast region special ed students per year to attend Harding.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Out of the 149 schools in the Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Memphis landed the #5 spot on the list. University of Memphis is a public institution located in Memphis, Tennessee. The school has a large population, and it awarded 69 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UofM is also in the top of our “Best Special Education Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Special Education Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Memphis is $13,904 for southeast region special ed students.
William Carey University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #6. William Carey University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 85 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend William Carey University is $14,284 for southeast region special ed students.
Read more about Special Education at William Carey University
Mississippi College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. This small school is located in Clinton, Mississippi, and it awarded 59 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend MC is $18,190 for southeast region special ed students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.8% 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%.
John Brown University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #8. JBU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $21,957 for southeast region special ed students per year to attend JBU.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #9, University of West Alabama did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Southeast Region list. University of West Alabama is a medium-sized school located in Livingston, Alabama that handed out 135 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for University of West Alabama is $16,747 for southeast region special ed students.
Read more about Special Education at University of West Alabama
Georgia Southern University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Statesboro, Georgia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s special ed degrees to 18 students in 2020-2021.
GaSou also claimed a top spot on our “Best Special Education Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Special Education Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Georgia Southern University is $15,571 for southeast region special ed students.
With a ranking of #11, Piedmont College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Southeast Region list. Located in Demorest, Georgia, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 13 diplomas to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Piedmont College is $18,796 for southeast region special ed students.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
University of North Carolina at Charlotte ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Southeast Region list. University of North Carolina at Charlotte is a large public school situated in Charlotte, North Carolina. It awarded 84 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNC Charlotte, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Special Education Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UNC Charlotte is $17,634 for Southeast Region Special Ed students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Florida State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #13. This large school is located in Tallahassee, Florida, and it awarded 30 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our southeast region special ed students list, Florida State has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Special Education Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Florida State University is $9,946 for southeast region special ed students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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%.
Read full report on Special Education at Florida State University
With a ranking of #14, Lee University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Southeast Region list. Lee University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Cleveland, Tennessee. It awarded 14 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Lee University is $18,219 for Southeast Region Special Ed students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Freed-Hardeman University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. FHU is located in Henderson, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend FHU is $17,152 for Southeast Region Special Ed students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Broward College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Southeast Region list. Located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, this large public school handed out 66 diplomas to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $12,351 for Southeast Region Special Ed students per year to attend BC.
Nicholls State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Thibodaux, Louisiana, this medium-sized public school handed out 21 diplomas to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $12,755 for southeast region special ed students per year to attend Nicholls State University.
Read full report on Special Education at Nicholls State University
With a ranking of #18, Converse College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Southeast Region list. Converse College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Spartanburg, South Carolina. It awarded 21 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Converse is $25,534 for Southeast Region Special Ed students.
Xavier University of Louisiana ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Southeast Region list. Located in New Orleans, Louisiana, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 9 degrees to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $20,108 for southeast region special ed students per year to attend Xavier University of Louisiana.
Full Xavier University of Louisiana Special Education Report
Western Carolina University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Cullowhee, North Carolina, this fairly large public school awarded 21 diplomas to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Western Carolina University is $13,924 for Southeast Region Special Ed students.
University of North Carolina at Greensboro came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Greensboro, North Carolina, this fairly large public school awarded 60 degrees to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.
UNC Greensboro also made our “Best Special Education Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for University of North Carolina at Greensboro is $11,629 for Southeast Region Special Ed students.
With a ranking of #22, University of Southern Mississippi did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Southeast Region list. Hattiesburg, Mississippi is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s special ed degrees to 26 students in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for University of Southern Mississippi is $14,032 for Southeast Region Special Ed students.
Read more about Special Education at University of Southern Mississippi
Eastern Kentucky University landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Eastern Kentucky University is a fairly large public school situated in Richmond, Kentucky. It awarded 121 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $13,763 for southeast region special ed students per year to attend Eastern.
Appalachian State University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Southeast Region list. Located in Boone, North Carolina, this large public school handed out 117 diplomas to qualified ’s special ed students in 2020-2021.
Appalachian State also made our “Best Special Education Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #15. It costs about $13,989 for Southeast Region Special Ed students per year to attend Appalachian State University.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
East Carolina University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Ed Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. East Carolina University is a large public school situated in Greenville, North Carolina. It awarded 67 ’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.
ECU also made our “Best Special Education Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #10. The yearly cost to attend East Carolina University is $16,550 for southeast region special ed students.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
