2026 Best Special Education Schools in Iowa
Special Education programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. 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.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Special Education in Iowa
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall special education education in Iowa.
Top Schools in Special Education
Our analysis ranked Northwestern College Iowa the best school in the country for a degree in special education. Located in the town of Orange City, Northwestern College Iowa is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. About 66% of students finish within six years. Northwestern College Iowa awarded about 95 special education degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, special education degree recipients from Northwestern College Iowa generally make around $54,845. Typical student debt for the program is $25,415.
See the full special education program report for Northwestern College Iowa
University Of Northern Iowa is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in special education, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Cedar Falls, University Of Northern Iowa is a large public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 68%. About 61 special education degrees were awarded at University Of Northern Iowa in the most recent year. Special Education graduates of University Of Northern Iowa earn a median of $60,588 early in their careers. University Of Northern Iowa graduates carry a median of $22,635 in student loans.
Read more about the special education program at University Of Northern Iowa
A rank of #3 makes Buena Vista University one of the top schools for special education. Located in the town of Storm Lake, Buena Vista University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. About 62% of students finish within six years. Buena Vista University awarded about 61 special education degrees in the most recent data year. Special Education graduates of Buena Vista University earn a median of $44,780 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $29,317 to complete this degree.
Read more about the special education program at Buena Vista University
Morningside College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best special education schools. Located in the city of Sioux City, Morningside College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. About 50% of students finish within six years. Morningside College awarded about 96 special education degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the special education program make about $55,760 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $27,281 to complete this degree.
See the full special education program report for Morningside College
Upper Iowa University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in special education, ranking #5. Upper Iowa University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Fayette. The six-year graduation rate is 33%. About 45 special education degrees were awarded at Upper Iowa University in the most recent year. Students who receive their special education degree from Upper Iowa University earn around $50,052 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $35,455.
More information about a degree in special education from Upper Iowa University
More Special Education Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, 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.
