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

63 Ranked Colleges
1,597 Degrees Awarded
$46,221 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region” ranking.

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 Plains States region, there were 2,681 special education graduates with average earnings and debt of $43,541 and $26,703 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,597 special education graduates with average earnings and debt of $55,401 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region” ranking looked at 63 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in special education. That schools that top this list have a program in special education in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region”.

Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Special Education in the Plains States Region

1
Morningside crest
Morningside College
Sioux City, Iowa

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Morningside College. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region. Located in Sioux City, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 95 degrees to qualified masters’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

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%.

Read full report on Special Education at Morningside

2
Drury University crest
Drury University
Springfield, Missouri

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Drury University. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region. Drury University is a small school located in Springfield, Missouri that handed out 32 masters’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Drury University Special Education Report

3
Fontbonne University crest
Fontbonne University
Saint Louis, Missouri

Out of the 63 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Fontbonne University landed the #3 spot on the list. This small school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 20 masters’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Fontbonne University Special Education Report

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwest Missouri State University. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region. Maryville, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s special ed degrees to 86 students in 2020-2021.

Full Northwest Missouri State University Special Education Report

5
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University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota

Out of the 63 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Dakota landed the #5 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and it awarded 126 masters’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of North Dakota Special Education Report

6

Minnesota State University - Moorhead landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Moorhead, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s special ed degrees to 48 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.0% 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%.

Read full report on Special Education at Minnesota State University - Moorhead

7

With a ranking of #7, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region list. Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is located in Winona, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 58 masters’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% 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%.

Read more about Special Education at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota

8
Bethel University Minnesota crest
Bethel University Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Bethel University Minnesota came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Saint Paul, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s special ed degrees to 37 students 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 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Special Education at Bethel University Minnesota

9
UST MN crest
University of St Thomas Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota

University of St Thomas Minnesota came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region ranking. UST MN is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 92 masters’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national 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.

Full UST MN Special Education Report

10

With a ranking of #10, Fort Hays State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region list. Fort Hays State University is a fairly large public school situated in Hays, Kansas. It awarded 117 masters’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Full FHSU Special Education Report

11
ESU crest
Emporia State University
Emporia, Kansas

Emporia State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #11. Emporia, Kansas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s special ed degrees to 46 students in 2020-2021.

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 full report on Special Education at ESU

12
Baker crest
Baker University
Baldwin City, Kansas

With a ranking of #12, Baker University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region list. Baker University is a small school located in Baldwin City, Kansas that handed out 17 masters’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

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 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%.

Read full report on Special Education at Baker

13

With a ranking of #13, University of Nebraska at Kearney did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region list. Kearney, Nebraska is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s special ed degrees to 35 students in 2020-2021.

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%.

Read more about Special Education at University of Nebraska at Kearney

14
NWC crest
Northwestern College
Orange City, Iowa

Northwestern College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Orange City, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 9 diplomas to qualified masters’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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%.

Read full report on Special Education at Northwestern College

15
WSC crest
Wayne State College
Wayne, Nebraska

Wayne State College landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Wayne State College is a public institution located in Wayne, Nebraska. The school has a small population, and it awarded 20 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full WSC Special Education Report

16
Pitt State crest
Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg, Kansas

With a ranking of #16, Pittsburg State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region list. Located in Pittsburg, Kansas, this medium-sized public school awarded 38 diplomas to qualified masters’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

Full Pittsburg State University Special Education Report

17
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Buena Vista University
Storm Lake, Iowa

Buena Vista University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Storm Lake, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s special ed degrees to 12 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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.

Full Buena Vista University Special Education Report

18
Bemidji State University crest
Bemidji State University
Bemidji, Minnesota

Bemidji State University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Bemidji State University is located in Bemidji, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 25 masters’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% 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 Bemidji State University

19
Lindenwood University crest
Lindenwood University
Saint Charles, Missouri

Lindenwood University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #19. Located in Saint Charles, Missouri, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 39 degrees to qualified masters’s special ed students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Lindenwood University Special Education Report

20
Friends University crest
Friends University
Wichita, Kansas

With a ranking of #20, Friends University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region list. Friends University is a small school located in Wichita, Kansas that handed out 10 masters’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Special Education at Friends University

21
Concordia University, Saint Paul crest
Concordia University, Saint Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota

With a ranking of #21, Concordia University, Saint Paul did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region list. Saint Paul, Minnesota 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 37 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Special Education at Concordia University, Saint Paul

22
UMary crest
University of Mary
Bismarck, North Dakota

University of Mary landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region ranking. UMary is located in Bismarck, North Dakota and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 20 masters’s special ed degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.0% 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%.

Read more about Special Education at University of Mary

23
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Southwestern College
Winfield, Kansas

Southwestern College landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Southwestern College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Winfield, Kansas. It awarded 9 masters’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

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.

Read more about Special Education at Southwestern College

24

Minnesota State University - Mankato ranked #24 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region list. Minnesota State University - Mankato is a fairly large public school situated in Mankato, Minnesota. It awarded 52 masters’s special ed degrees in 2020-2021.

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%.

Read more about Special Education at Minnesota State Mankato

25
MSU crest
Minot State University
Minot, North Dakota

Minot State University ranked #25 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in the Plains States Region list. Minot, North Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s special ed degrees to 10 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Special Education at Minot State University

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