Best Schools for Special Education and Teaching

Special Education and Teaching graduates earn a median of $51,375 within four years of graduating, ranking #128 out of 283 tracked majors — 18% below the median across all fields. There are 232 colleges nationwide with tracked earnings for this major, producing 8,689 recent graduates.

Where you study matters: Manhattan University graduates earn $83,932 while University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras graduates earn $30,145 — a $53,787 difference. Factors like location, employer networks, co-op programs, and curriculum focus drive this gap. Across all fields, though, which major you pick separates earnings more than which college does.

Early career salary growth is modest: Special Education and Teaching graduates see an average -1% increase between year 1 and year 2 post-graduation, reflecting career advancement and skill development in the first years after college.

232
Schools
$51,375
Avg. 2yr Earnings
#128
of 283 Majors
8,689
Graduates

Public vs Private: Special Education and Teaching

Public (152 schools)
$51,315
avg. 2yr earnings
Private (79 schools)
$51,545
avg. 2yr earnings

Private schools produce $230 more in early earnings on average for Special Education and Teaching graduates. Factor in tuition difference to calculate which offers better ROI.

Special Education and Teaching by State

Also by state: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Washington

Top Special Education and Teaching Schools by Graduate Earnings

#1
Manhattan University logo

Manhattan University

Riverdale, NY · Private

$83,932
4yr Earnings
30 grads · small sample
1yr: $42,413 (19)
Acceptance: 78.5%
#2
Utah State University logo

Utah State University

Logan, UT · Public

$74,535
4yr Earnings
110 grads
2yr: $38,878 (52)
1yr: $42,876 (40)
Acceptance: 93.6%
#3
State University of New York at Cortland logo

State University of New York at Cortland

Cortland, NY · Public

$74,079
4yr Earnings
19 grads · small sample
2yr: $46,087 (31)
1yr: $43,864 (32)
Acceptance: 50.7%
#4
Seton Hall University logo

Seton Hall University

South Orange, NJ · Private

$72,067
4yr Earnings
36 grads
Acceptance: 78.9%
#5
Molloy University logo

Molloy University

Rockville Centre, NY · Private

$71,781
4yr Earnings
16 grads · small sample
2yr: $35,416 (21)
Acceptance: 75.6%
#6
The College of New Jersey logo

The College of New Jersey

Ewing, NJ · Public

$66,767
4yr Earnings
79 grads
Acceptance: 62.1%
#7
CUNY Medgar Evers College logo

CUNY Medgar Evers College

Brooklyn, NY · Public

$66,377
4yr Earnings
24 grads · small sample
1yr: $43,960 (37)
Acceptance: 83.4%
#8
Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia logo

Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia

Philadelphia, PA · Private

$64,827
4yr Earnings
38 grads
1yr: $46,850 (17)
Acceptance: 86.4%
#9
Western Washington University logo

Western Washington University

Bellingham, WA · Public

$64,780
4yr Earnings
90 grads
2yr: $45,826 (61)
1yr: $49,253 (92)
Acceptance: 91.3%
#10
Nevada State University logo

Nevada State University

Henderson, NV · Public

$64,201
4yr Earnings
17 grads · small sample
Acceptance: 86.2%
#11
La Salle University logo

La Salle University

Philadelphia, PA · Private

$63,434
4yr Earnings
24 grads · small sample
2yr: $43,240 (17)
1yr: $43,095 (26)
Acceptance: 86.2%
#12
Syracuse University logo

Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY · Private

$62,864
4yr Earnings
37 grads
2yr: $57,318 (11)
1yr: $47,988 (35)
Acceptance: 41.7%
#13
SUNY Old Westbury logo

SUNY Old Westbury

Old Westbury, NY · Public

$62,389
4yr Earnings
27 grads · small sample
2yr: $32,711 (26)
1yr: $46,821 (28)
Acceptance: 84.6%
#14
University of Hawaii at Manoa logo

University of Hawaii at Manoa

Honolulu, HI · Public

$62,087
4yr Earnings
20 grads · small sample
2yr: $46,673 (37)
1yr: $45,781 (25)
Acceptance: 69.7%
#15
Kean University logo

Kean University

Union, NJ · Public

$61,158
4yr Earnings
135 grads
2yr: $49,855 (114)
1yr: $49,445 (108)
Acceptance: 76.9%
#16
University of Connecticut logo

University of Connecticut

Storrs, CT · Public

$61,066
4yr Earnings
25 grads · small sample
Acceptance: 53.9%
#17
University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus logo

University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus

Waterbury, CT · Public

$61,066
4yr Earnings
25 grads · small sample
Acceptance: 87.0%
#18
University of Connecticut-Avery Point logo

University of Connecticut-Avery Point

Groton, CT · Public

$61,066
4yr Earnings
25 grads · small sample
Acceptance: 86.5%
#19
University of Connecticut-Stamford logo

University of Connecticut-Stamford

Stamford, CT · Public

$61,066
4yr Earnings
25 grads · small sample
Acceptance: 80.2%
#20
University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus logo

University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus

Hartford, CT · Public

$61,066
4yr Earnings
25 grads · small sample
Acceptance: 86.5%
#21
University of Nevada-Las Vegas logo

University of Nevada-Las Vegas

Las Vegas, NV · Public

$60,958
4yr Earnings
23 grads · small sample
2yr: $41,789 (20)
1yr: $43,025 (19)
Acceptance: 96.3%
#22
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign logo

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL · Public

$60,685
4yr Earnings
19 grads · small sample
2yr: $44,170 (27)
1yr: $44,023 (26)
Acceptance: 43.7%
#23
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania logo

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania

East Stroudsburg, PA · Public

$60,391
4yr Earnings
36 grads
2yr: $43,240 (55)
1yr: $40,703 (54)
Acceptance: 92.9%
#24
Southern Connecticut State University logo

Southern Connecticut State University

New Haven, CT · Public

$60,365
4yr Earnings
34 grads
2yr: $46,738 (27)
1yr: $45,526 (51)
Acceptance: 81.1%
#25
University of North Florida logo

University of North Florida

Jacksonville, FL · Public

$59,429
4yr Earnings
21 grads · small sample
2yr: $40,017 (21)
1yr: $40,699 (22)
Acceptance: 62.3%
#26
University of Hartford logo

University of Hartford

West Hartford, CT · Private

$59,185
4yr Earnings
24 grads · small sample
2yr: $41,007 (24)
1yr: $36,947 (27)
Acceptance: 83.0%
#27
New Mexico State University-Main Campus logo

New Mexico State University-Main Campus

Las Cruces, NM · Public

$58,953
4yr Earnings
41 grads
2yr: $32,467 (28)
1yr: $28,160 (31)
Acceptance: 75.7%
#28
Gonzaga University logo

Gonzaga University

Spokane, WA · Private

$58,772
4yr Earnings
18 grads · small sample
2yr: $45,618 (27)
1yr: $49,990 (22)
Acceptance: 76.0%
#29
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities logo

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN · Public

$58,675
4yr Earnings
23 grads · small sample
Acceptance: 77.0%
#30
Michigan State University logo

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI · Public

$58,522
4yr Earnings
40 grads
2yr: $39,729 (17)
Acceptance: 83.9%
#31
Wayne State University logo

Wayne State University

Detroit, MI · Public

$58,182
4yr Earnings
22 grads · small sample
2yr: $37,208 (32)
1yr: $40,585 (27)
Acceptance: 82.0%
#32
Salve Regina University logo

Salve Regina University

Newport, RI · Private

$57,837
4yr Earnings
18 grads · small sample
2yr: $43,426 (25)
1yr: $44,791 (22)
Acceptance: 69.9%
#33
Florida State University logo

Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL · Public

$57,573
4yr Earnings
40 grads
Acceptance: 25.4%
#34
Boston University logo

Boston University

Boston, MA · Private

$57,294
4yr Earnings
17 grads · small sample
2yr: $50,606 (18)
1yr: $46,446 (22)
Acceptance: 10.8%
#35
SUNY Buffalo State University logo

SUNY Buffalo State University

Buffalo, NY · Public

$57,096
4yr Earnings
106 grads
2yr: $33,281 (33)
1yr: $20,151 (37)
Acceptance: 75.9%
#36
Towson University logo

Towson University

Towson, MD · Public

$56,971
4yr Earnings
78 grads
2yr: $46,991 (84)
1yr: $46,717 (124)
Acceptance: 82.8%
#37
Rhode Island College logo

Rhode Island College

Providence, RI · Public

$56,477
4yr Earnings
34 grads
2yr: $41,565 (41)
1yr: $41,687 (36)
Acceptance: 81.1%
#38
Florida Gulf Coast University logo

Florida Gulf Coast University

Fort Myers, FL · Public

$56,467
4yr Earnings
24 grads · small sample
2yr: $44,102 (30)
1yr: $43,114 (23)
Acceptance: 76.8%
#39
Arizona State University Campus Immersion logo

Arizona State University Campus Immersion

Tempe, AZ · Public

$56,311
4yr Earnings
108 grads
2yr: $38,937 (128)
1yr: $41,151 (141)
Acceptance: 90.2%
#40
Elmira College logo

Elmira College

Elmira, NY · Private

$56,168
4yr Earnings
16 grads · small sample
Acceptance: 90.8%
#41
Keuka College logo

Keuka College

Keuka Park, NY · Private

$55,992
4yr Earnings
18 grads · small sample
Acceptance: 93.9%
#42
St. Joseph's University-New York logo

St. Joseph's University-New York

Brooklyn, NY · Private

$55,812
4yr Earnings
176 grads
2yr: $34,450 (127)
1yr: $34,150 (116)
Acceptance: 71.4%
#43
Trinity Christian College logo

Trinity Christian College

Palos Heights, IL · Private

$55,713
4yr Earnings
23 grads · small sample
2yr: $40,458 (17)
1yr: $44,363 (30)
Acceptance: 88.6%
#44
Bridgewater State University logo

Bridgewater State University

Bridgewater, MA · Public

$55,692
4yr Earnings
20 grads · small sample
2yr: $36,938 (62)
1yr: $40,859 (27)
Acceptance: 89.2%
#45
University of Nebraska at Omaha logo

University of Nebraska at Omaha

Omaha, NE · Public

$55,665
4yr Earnings
49 grads
1yr: $31,326 (25)
Acceptance: 86.9%
#46
Auburn University logo

Auburn University

Auburn, AL · Public

$55,544
4yr Earnings
58 grads
2yr: $34,526 (22)
1yr: $35,666 (37)
Acceptance: 50.5%
#47
SUNY at Fredonia logo

SUNY at Fredonia

Fredonia, NY · Public

$55,441
4yr Earnings
31 grads
2yr: $31,799 (21)
1yr: $41,047 (23)
Acceptance: 79.2%
#48
Purdue University-Main Campus logo

Purdue University-Main Campus

West Lafayette, IN · Public

$55,308
4yr Earnings
16 grads · small sample
1yr: $39,276 (21)
Acceptance: 50.3%
#49
Eastern Washington University logo

Eastern Washington University

Cheney, WA · Public

$55,244
4yr Earnings
17 grads · small sample
2yr: $42,682 (23)
1yr: $41,502 (23)
Acceptance: 91.8%
#50
C

Cabrini University

Radnor, PA · Private

$55,232
4yr Earnings
20 grads · small sample
2yr: $36,941 (20)
1yr: $40,708 (24)
Acceptance: 69.2%

Showing top 50 of 232 schools. View all or filter by state above.

Majors with Similar Earnings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Special Education and Teaching?
Manhattan University ranks #1 for Special Education and Teaching with median graduate earnings of $83,932 within four years of graduating. There are 232 schools nationwide offering this major with tracked earnings data.
How much do Special Education and Teaching graduates earn?
Special Education and Teaching graduates earn an average of $51,375 within four years of graduating. This is 18% below the median across all majors. Earnings range from $30,145 to $83,932 depending on the school.
How hard is it to get into a top Special Education and Teaching program?
The average acceptance rate across Special Education and Teaching programs is 78.6%. The most selective program is at Boston University with a 10.8% acceptance rate. Competitive programs value strong math/analytical skills and relevant coursework.
Is a public or private school better for Special Education and Teaching?
Private Special Education and Teaching programs average $51,545 in early earnings vs $51,315 at public schools. Private schools lead in earnings, but cost significantly more — calculate net price before deciding.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median 2 years after graduation for bachelor's degree holders, from the field-of-study file last updated June 2026. Institution-level figures elsewhere on the site come from the June 2026 release — Scorecard publishes the two separately.

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