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2026 Highest Paid Special Education Grads in South Dakota

[Special Education](/majors/education/special-education/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The schools below stand out for the salaries their special education graduates go on to command.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 schools on the early-career earnings of their special education graduates.

What’s on this page:

• Highest Paid Special Education Grads in South Dakota

2026 Highest Paid Special Education Grads in South Dakota

Below are the schools whose special education graduates go on to earn the most.

Highest Paid Special Education Graduates

1

Black Hills State University
Spearfish, SD

$49,089 Average Early-Career Salary

Black Hills State University earned the #1 spot for highest-paid special education graduates in South Dakota. Black Hills State University is a public school located in the town of Spearfish. Early-career special education graduates from Black Hills State University make a median of around $49,089 per year.

2

Dakota State University
Madison, SD

$42,986 Average Early-Career Salary

Strong graduate earnings at Dakota State University earned it the #2 place for special education. Dakota State University is a public school located in the town of Madison. Special Education graduates of Dakota State University earn a median of about $42,986 a year early in their careers.

3

University Of South Dakota
Vermillion, SD

$50,278 Average Early-Career Salary

Students chasing top earnings in special education will find them at University Of South Dakota, which ranked #3. Set in the town of Vermillion, University Of South Dakota is a public institution. Early-career special education graduates from University Of South Dakota make a median of around $50,278 per year.

View All Special Education Rankings >

Notes and References

The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their special education graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).

Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 3 schools evaluated.

*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.

• 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.
• Graduate earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard) field-of-study earnings.

More about our data sources and methodologies.