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2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region

96 Ranked Colleges
3,080 Degrees Awarded
$48,365 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Special Education is the 29th most popular major in the country with 36,792 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. 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 Great Lakes region, there were 6,264 special education graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,394 and $26,337 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 3,080 special education graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,892 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking, we looked at 96 colleges that offer a degree in special education. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their special education program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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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 for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region” list to help you make the college 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. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region master’s degree special ed students.

Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Special Education in the Great Lakes Region

1
Ball State crest
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana

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 for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region. Ball State is a public institution located in Muncie, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1,369 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Special Education at Ball State

2
NDC crest
Notre Dame College
Cleveland, Ohio

Out of the 96 schools in the Schools for a Master’s 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. This small school is located in Cleveland, Ohio, and it awarded 26 masters’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Special Education at Notre Dame College

3
Muskingum crest
Muskingum University
New Concord, Ohio

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Muskingum University. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region. Muskingum University is a small school located in New Concord, Ohio that handed out 32 masters’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Special Education at Muskingum

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Superior. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Wisconsin - Superior is a public institution located in Superior, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 46 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Special Education at UW - Superior

5
Cardinal Stritch crest
Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Out of the 96 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Cardinal Stritch University landed the #5 spot on the list. Cardinal Stritch University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 31 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.

Read more about Special Education at Cardinal Stritch

6

With a ranking of #6, Mount Vernon Nazarene University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. MVNU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Mount Vernon, Ohio. It awarded 35 masters’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Special Education at Mount Vernon Nazarene University

7
NLU crest
National Louis University
Chicago, Illinois

National Louis University landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. NLU is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 116 masters’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

Full NLU Special Education Report

8

University of Saint Francis - Fort Wayne ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Saint Francis - Fort Wayne is located in Fort Wayne, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 31 masters’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% 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%.

Full University of Saint Francis - Fort Wayne Special Education Report

9
Carroll U crest
Carroll University
Waukesha, Wisconsin

Carroll University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Carroll U is a small school located in Waukesha, Wisconsin that handed out 36 masters’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Carroll University Special Education Report

10
American College of Education crest
American College of Education
Indianapolis, Indiana

With a ranking of #10, American College of Education did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. American College of Education is a medium-sized school located in Indianapolis, Indiana that handed out 139 masters’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Full American College of Education Special Education Report

11

Concordia University, Ann Arbor ranked #11 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Concordia University, Ann Arbor is a small school located in Ann Arbor, Michigan that handed out 7 masters’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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%.

Read full report on Special Education at Concordia University, Ann Arbor

12
Marian crest
Marian University
Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin

Marian University ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s 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 12 masters’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Special Education at Marian

13
Dominican U crest
Dominican University
River Forest, Illinois

Dominican University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Dominican University is located in River Forest, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 26 masters’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, 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.

Read full report on Special Education at Dominican University

14
Trinity Christian crest
Trinity Christian College
Palos Heights, Illinois

Trinity Christian College landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Trinity Christian is located in Palos Heights, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 10 masters’s special ed degrees to qualified 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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% 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%.

Read full report on Special Education at Trinity Christian

15
Greenville crest
Greenville University
Greenville, Illinois

Greenville University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #15. This small school is located in Greenville, Illinois, and it awarded 9 masters’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Greenville Special Education Report

16
Lourdes crest
Lourdes University
Sylvania, Ohio

Lourdes University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #16. Lourdes is a small school located in Sylvania, Ohio that handed out 7 masters’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Special Education at Lourdes

17
Malone crest
Malone University
Canton, Ohio

Malone University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #17. Malone is located in Canton, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 11 masters’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

Read more about Special Education at Malone University

18
Marian crest
Marian University
Indianapolis, Indiana

Marian University ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 24 degrees to qualified masters’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% 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%.

Read full report on Special Education at Marian

19
Aurora crest
Aurora University
Aurora, Illinois

Aurora University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #19. Aurora University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Aurora, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 42 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.2% 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%.

Read full report on Special Education at Aurora University

20
Xavier crest
Xavier University
Cincinnati, Ohio

Xavier University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Cincinnati, Ohio is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s special ed degrees to 35 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 85%.

Read more about Special Education at Xavier

21
Concordia University, Chicago crest
Concordia University, Chicago
River Forest, Illinois

Concordia University, Chicago landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Concordia University, Chicago is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in River Forest, Illinois. It awarded 32 masters’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

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%.

Read more about Special Education at Concordia University, Chicago

22
CSU crest
Chicago State University
Chicago, Illinois

Chicago State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #22. Chicago State University is a small public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 8 masters’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Special Education at CSU

23
Spring Arbor crest
Spring Arbor University
Spring Arbor, Michigan

With a ranking of #23, Spring Arbor University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. This small school is located in Spring Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 17 masters’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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 Spring Arbor University

24

Baldwin Wallace University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #24. Baldwin Wallace College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Berea, Ohio. It awarded 16 masters’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. 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%.

Read more about Special Education at Baldwin Wallace College

25
Ashland crest
Ashland University
Ashland, Ohio

Ashland University ranked #25 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Ashland, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s special ed degrees to 19 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Special Education at Ashland University

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