2026 Best Value Education/Teaching of Individuals with Autism Schools in the Southwest Region

[Education/Teaching of Individuals with Autism](/majors/education/special-education/teaching-individuals-with-autism/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for education/teaching of individuals with autism students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Education/Teaching of Individuals with Autism Schools in the Southwest Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in education/teaching of individuals with autism, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Education/Teaching of Individuals with Autism Schools
Leading the list is New Mexico State University Main Campus, our #1 best value for education/teaching of individuals with autism in the Southwest Region. New Mexico State University Main Campus is a large public school located in the suburb of Las Cruces. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,183, while out-of-state students pay about $25,307. Typical student debt for education/teaching of individuals with autism graduates is $19,000. Education/teaching Of Individuals With Autism graduates of New Mexico State University Main Campus earn a median of $46,548 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,000 median debt. New Mexico State University Main Campus admits about 89% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Northeastern State University one of the best values for education/teaching of individuals with autism. Set in the town of Tahlequah, Northeastern State University is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $7,810 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $17,290. Education/teaching Of Individuals With Autism graduates carry a median of $23,465 in student loans. Early-career education/teaching of individuals with autism graduates make about $46,045. That is a strong return on a $23,465 median debt. The acceptance rate is 100%.
Students looking for strong value in education/teaching of individuals with autism will find it at University Of New Mexico Main Campus, which ranked #3. University Of New Mexico Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Albuquerque. In-state tuition and fees average $10,140, with out-of-state students paying around $33,060. Students borrow a median of $22,250 to complete the education/teaching of individuals with autism program here. Education/teaching Of Individuals With Autism graduates of University Of New Mexico Main Campus earn a median of $45,509 early in their careers. Set against $22,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 95%.
Grand Canyon University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value education/teaching of individuals with autism schools. Grand Canyon University is a very large private for-profit school located in the city of Phoenix. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,508. Education/teaching Of Individuals With Autism graduates carry a median of $47,180 in student loans. Education/teaching Of Individuals With Autism graduates of Grand Canyon University earn a median of $48,745 early in their careers. Set against $47,180 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Grand Canyon University admits about 79% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
- 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.