2027 Best Special Education Schools in Tennessee
Special Education degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
For its 2027 ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for special education students pursuing a degree.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Special Education in Tennessee
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
No school ranked higher than Vanderbilt University this year for special education. This large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Nashville. Roughly 94% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 53 special education degrees were awarded at Vanderbilt University in the most recent year. Students who receive their special education degree from Vanderbilt University earn around $71,679 in the first couple years of their career. Vanderbilt University graduates carry a median of $13,975 in student loans.
Read more about the special education program at Vanderbilt University
Lipscomb University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in special education, landing the #2 spot this year. This moderately-sized private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Nashville. The six-year graduation rate is 72%. There were roughly 70 special education students who graduated with this degree at Lipscomb University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their special education degree from Lipscomb University earn around $51,798 in the first couple years of their career. Lipscomb University graduates carry a median of $23,529 in student loans.
See the full special education program report for Lipscomb University
The University Of Tennessee came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best special education schools. Located in the city of Knoxville, The University Of Tennessee is a very large public university. Roughly 74% of students complete a degree within six years here. The University Of Tennessee awarded about 19 special education degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their special education degree from The University Of Tennessee earn around $49,826 in the first couple years of their career. The University Of Tennessee graduates carry a median of $22,859 in student loans.
Get the full special education details for The University Of Tennessee
University Of Memphis is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in special education, ranking #4. This very large public university is located in the city of Memphis. University Of Memphis graduates 51% of students within six years. About 52 special education degrees were awarded at University Of Memphis in the most recent year. Special Education graduates of University Of Memphis earn a median of $44,664 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $23,397.
More information about a degree in special education from University Of Memphis
More Special Education Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 4 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.
