by our College Data Analytics Team
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
In 2021-2022, 35,973 people earned their degree in special education, making the major the 29th most popular in the United States. In , special education graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $45,680 and had an average of $27,516 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 6,161 special education graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,394 and $26,769 respectively.
For this year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking, we looked at 154 colleges that offer a degree in special education. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in special education.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region” list to help you make the college decision.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.
The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region special ed students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Ball State University. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region. Located in Muncie, Indiana, this fairly large public school handed out 1,841 diplomas to qualified ’s special ed students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Out of the 154 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Notre Dame College landed the #2 spot on the list. NDC is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cleveland, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 22 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Out of the 154 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Trinity Christian College landed the #3 spot on the list. Trinity Christian College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Palos Heights, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 34 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Out of the 154 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Muskingum University landed the #4 spot on the list. Muskingum is a small private not-for-profit school situated in New Concord, Ohio. It awarded 57 ’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% 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 Muskingum University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. The school came in at #5 for the Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region. SMWC is located in Saint Mary of the Woods, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 48 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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.
Full Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College Special Education Report
Mount Vernon Nazarene University ranked #6 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Mount Vernon, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 35 degrees to qualified ’s special ed students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.3% 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 Wisconsin - Superior ranked #7 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Superior, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s special ed degrees to 41 students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Special Education at University of Wisconsin - Superior
Cardinal Stritch University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #8. Cardinal Stritch is a private not-for-profit institution located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 18 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
With a ranking of #9, University of Rio Grande did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Rio Grande is a small school located in Rio Grande, Ohio that handed out 23 ’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
National Louis University ranked #10 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 84 degrees to qualified ’s special ed students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%.
Concordia University, Ann Arbor landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Concordia University, Ann Arbor is a small school located in Ann Arbor, Michigan that handed out 3 ’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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.
Full Concordia University, Ann Arbor Special Education Report
Bluffton University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Bluffton University is located in Bluffton, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 11 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
With a ranking of #13, Marietta College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Marietta is a small school located in Marietta, Ohio that handed out 12 ’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Bowling Green State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #14. BGSU is located in Bowling Green, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 246 ’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Malone University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Canton, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s special ed degrees to 8 students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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%.
Ashland University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #16. Ashland is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Ashland, Ohio. It awarded 56 ’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% 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%.
With a ranking of #17, University of Saint Francis - Fort Wayne did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. This small school is located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and it awarded 53 ’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Saint Francis - Fort Wayne Special Education Report
Marian University ranked #18 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. This small school is located in Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin, and it awarded 16 ’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Carroll University ranked #19 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Waukesha, Wisconsin, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 26 degrees to qualified ’s special ed students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%.
Shawnee State University ranked #20 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Shawnee State University is a public institution located in Portsmouth, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 24 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Greenville University ranked #21 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Greenville, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s special ed degrees to 4 students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Special Education at Greenville University
American College of Education landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, this fairly large private for-profit school awarded 243 degrees to qualified ’s special ed students in 2021-2022.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read full report on Special Education at American College of Education
Hope College ranked #23 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Holland, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s special ed degrees to 34 students in 2021-2022.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Dominican University ranked #24 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Dominican U is a small private not-for-profit school situated in River Forest, Illinois. It awarded 37 ’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Youngstown State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #25. This fairly large school is located in Youngstown, Ohio, and it awarded 73 ’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 full report on Special Education at Youngstown State University
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
