2026 Best Special Education Schools in Connecticut
Special Education degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
College Factual analyzed 11 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best special education schools.
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Best Schools for Special Education in Connecticut
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the special education degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Special Education
Our analysis ranked University Of Connecticut the best school in the country for a degree in special education. This very large public university is located in the town of Storrs. Roughly 83% of students complete a degree within six years here. University Of Connecticut awarded about 58 special education degrees in the most recent data year. Special Education graduates of University Of Connecticut earn a median of $58,784 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $23,637 to complete this degree.
Get the full special education details for University Of Connecticut
A rank of #2 makes University Of Hartford one of the top schools for special education. Set in the city of West Hartford, University Of Hartford is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. University Of Hartford graduates 58% of students within six years. University Of Hartford awarded about 78 special education degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, special education degree recipients from University Of Hartford generally make around $54,418. University Of Hartford graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans.
Read more about the special education program at University Of Hartford
Southern Connecticut State University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in special education, landing the #3 spot this year. Southern Connecticut State University is a large public school located in the city of New Haven. Roughly 50% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 57 special education students who graduated with this degree at Southern Connecticut State University in the most recent data year. Special Education graduates of Southern Connecticut State University earn a median of $54,330 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $27,000.
See the full special education program report for Southern Connecticut State University
Quinnipiac University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best special education schools. Located in the suburb of Hamden, Quinnipiac University is a large private not-for-profit university. About 76% of students finish within six years. About 25 special education degrees were awarded at Quinnipiac University in the most recent year. Students who receive their special education degree from Quinnipiac University earn around $55,238 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $25,926.
More information about a degree in special education from Quinnipiac University
Saint Joseph College is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in special education, landing the #5 spot this year. Saint Joseph College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of West Hartford. About 64% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 70 special education students who graduated with this degree at Saint Joseph College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their special education degree from Saint Joseph College earn around $56,400 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $27,798 to complete this degree.
Get the full special education details for Saint Joseph College
Central Connecticut State University came in at #6 for special education this year. This large public university is located in the suburb of New Britain. About 48% of students finish within six years. About 20 special education degrees were awarded at Central Connecticut State University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, special education degree recipients from Central Connecticut State University generally make around $60,665. Typical student debt for the program is $24,340.
More information about a degree in special education from Central Connecticut State University
More Special Education Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 11 schools evaluated.
- 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.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.