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2023 Best Special Education Master's Degree Schools

510 Colleges
$49,761 Avg Salary

Finding the Best Special Education Master's Degree School for You

In 2020-2021, 36,792 people earned a degree or certificate in special education, making the major the #29 most popular in the United States.

When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for students. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.

Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Course Advisor has created the Best Special Education Master's Degree Schools to help you in your search for the best school for you. This report analyzed 510 schools in the United States to see which ones offered the best master's degree programs for students. The factors used to develop this ranking include those related to how in-demand the school is, the overall quality of the school, and post-graduation wages, and more.

View our full ranking methodology.

2023 Best Special Education Master’s Degree Schools in the United States

Check out the special ed master's degree programs at these schools if you want to get the best education that money can buy.

Top 25 Top Schools for a Master's in Special Education

Our analysis found Bank Street College of Education to be the best school for special education students who want to pursue a master’s degree in the United States. Located in the city of New York, Bank Street College of Education is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly small student population.

Read full report on Special Education at Bank Street College of Education

A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Teachers College at Columbia University is a great place for special education students working on their master’s degree. Teachers College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York.

Full Special Education at Teachers College at Columbia University Report

#3

Gonzaga University

Spokane, WA

Out of the 510 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, Gonzaga University landed the # 3 spot on the list. Gonzaga is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the midsize city of Spokane.

Full Special Education at Gonzaga University Report

#4

Brandman University

Irvine, CA

Out of the 510 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, Brandman University landed the # 4 spot on the list. Located in the city of Irvine, Brandman is a private not-for-profit college with a moderately-sized student population.

Full Special Education at Brandman University Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend The College of New Jersey. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Special Education Master’s Degree Schools list. Located in the suburb of Ewing, TCNJ is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.

Read full report on Special Education at The College of New Jersey

Fresno Pacific University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for special education students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #6 on the list. Fresno Pacific is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Fresno.

Read More…

University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for special education students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #7 on the list. UW Seattle is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Seattle.

Read full report on Special Education at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

Point Loma Nazarene University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Special Education Master’s Degree Schools ranking. Located in the large city of San Diego, PLNU is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.

Full Special Education at Point Loma Nazarene University Report

#9

University of Scranton

Scranton, PA

University of Scranton landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best master’s degree special education programs. University of Scranton is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Scranton.

Full Special Education at University of Scranton Report

#10

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD

Johns Hopkins University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Special Education Master’s Degree Schools list. Johns Hopkins is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Baltimore.

Full Special Education at Johns Hopkins University Report

#11

Elizabethtown College

Elizabethtown, PA

Elizabethtown College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for special education students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #11 on the list. Located in the large suburb of Elizabethtown, Etown is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.

Read More…

#12

Manhattan College

Riverdale, NY

Manhattan College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for special education students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #12 on the list. Manhattan is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Riverdale.

Full Special Education at Manhattan College Report

California State University - Los Angeles ranked #13 on this year’s Best Special Education Master’s Degree Schools list. Cal State LA is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Los Angeles.

Full Special Education at California State University - Los Angeles Report

#14

Seattle University

Seattle, WA

Seattle University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Special Education Master’s Degree Schools ranking. Seattle U is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Seattle.

Read full report on Special Education at Seattle University

#15

Westminster College Pennsylvania

New Wilmington, PA

Westminster College Pennsylvania landed the #15 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best master’s degree special education programs. Westminster New Wilmington is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of New Wilmington.

Full Special Education at Westminster College Pennsylvania Report

#16

Carroll University

Waukesha, WI

Carroll University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Special Education Master’s Degree Schools list. Carroll U is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Waukesha.

Full Special Education at Carroll University Report

#17

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN

Vanderbilt University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Special Education Master’s Degree Schools list. Located in the large city of Nashville, Vanderbilt is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.

Read More…

#18

Wisconsin Lutheran College

Milwaukee, WI

With a ranking of #18, Wisconsin Lutheran College did quite well on this year’s best schools for special education students working on their master’s degree. Located in the large city of Milwaukee, WLC is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.

Read More…

With a ranking of #19, University of St Thomas Minnesota did quite well on this year’s best schools for special education students working on their master’s degree. UST MN is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Saint Paul.

Read full report on Special Education at University of St Thomas Minnesota

Notre Dame de Namur University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Special Education Master’s Degree Schools list. Located in the suburb of Belmont, NDNU is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly small student population.

Read full report on Special Education at Notre Dame de Namur University

#21

Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, CA

Loyola Marymount University landed the #21 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best master’s degree special education programs. Loyola Marymount is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Los Angeles.

Read full report on Special Education at Loyola Marymount University

University of Wisconsin - Madison ranked #22 on this year’s Best Special Education Master’s Degree Schools list. Located in the city of Madison, UW - Madison is a public school with a fairly large student population.

Full Special Education at University of Wisconsin - Madison Report

#23

Northwestern College

Orange City, IA

Northwestern College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Special Education Master’s Degree Schools ranking. NWC is a small private not-for-profit school located in the distant town of Orange City.

Read full report on Special Education at Northwestern College

#24

Winona State University

Winona, MN

With a ranking of #24, Winona State University did quite well on this year’s best schools for special education students working on their master’s degree. Located in the distant town of Winona, Winona State is a public school with a medium-sized student population.

Read More…

#25

Saint Joseph's University

Philadelphia, PA

Saint Joseph’s University landed the #25 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best master’s degree special education programs. Located in the city of Philadelphia, St. Joe's is a private not-for-profit college with a medium-sized student population.

Full Special Education at Saint Joseph’s University Report

Rest of the Top 50 Best Special Education Master's Degree Schools

#26

Towson University

Towson, MD
#27

Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA
#29

University of Redlands

Redlands, CA
#30

Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY
#31

Whitworth University

Spokane, WA
#33

George Mason University

Fairfax, VA
#36

University of Delaware

Newark, DE
#37

Centenary University

Hackettstown, NJ
#38

George Washington University

Washington, DC
#39

Lewis University

Romeoville, IL
#40

Texas Christian University

Fort Worth, TX
#41

Carthage College

Kenosha, WI
#42

National University

La Jolla, CA
#43

Pace University - New York

New York, NY
#44

University of Mary

Bismarck, ND
#46

Ball State University

Muncie, IN
#47

New York University

New York, NY
#49

Bethel University Minnesota

Saint Paul, MN

Remaining Award Winners

This list shows the remainder of the schools awarded a Best Special Education Master's Degree Schools badge. Showing in this list means the college was ranked in the top 15% of the 510 different United States special education schools we analyzed.

Rank College Location
51 Hunter College New York, NY
52 University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL
53 Washington State University Pullman, WA
54 St John’s University - New York Queens, NY
55 Dominican College of Blauvelt Orangeburg, NY
56 California State University - San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA
57 University of San Francisco San Francisco, CA
58 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL
59 Rowan University Glassboro, NJ
60 Millersville University of Pennsylvania Millersville, PA
61 Dominican University of California San Rafael, CA
62 Dominican University River Forest, IL
63 Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Shippensburg, PA
64 University of Dayton Dayton, OH
65 California Lutheran University Thousand Oaks, CA
66 The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX
67 Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TX
68 Fairfield University Fairfield, CT
69 Minot State University Minot, ND
70 Indiana University - Bloomington Bloomington, IN
71 American University Washington, DC
72 Kean University Union, NJ
73 The City College of New York New York, NY
74 West Chester University of Pennsylvania West Chester, PA
75 Manhattanville College Purchase, NY
76 University of Wisconsin - Whitewater Whitewater, WI

Additional Noteworthy Schools

Here are some additional great schools for Special Education students that almost earned our Best Special Education Master's Degree Schools award.

Rank College Location
77 LIU Post Brookville, NY
78 University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MD
79 University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA
80 Fordham University Bronx, NY
81 Monmouth University West Long Branch, NJ
82 University of Georgia Athens, GA
83 Seton Hall University South Orange, NJ
84 Brigham Young University - Provo Provo, UT
85 California State University - East Bay Hayward, CA
86 McDaniel College Westminster, MD
87 John Brown University Siloam Springs, AR
88 Ramapo College of New Jersey Mahwah, NJ
89 University of St Francis Joliet, IL
90 University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND
91 Rider University Lawrenceville, NJ
92 Minnesota State University - Mankato Mankato, MN
93 Montclair State University Montclair, NJ
94 Boston University Boston, MA
95 William Paterson University of New Jersey Wayne, NJ
96 University of Nebraska - Lincoln Lincoln, NE
97 Aurora University Aurora, IL
98 Brooklyn College Brooklyn, NY
99 Elmhurst University Elmhurst, IL
100 Ithaca College Ithaca, NY
101 University of South Dakota Vermillion, SD
102 Buena Vista University Storm Lake, IA

Special Education by Region

View the Best Special Education Master's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Great Lakes

Special Education is one of 14 different types of programs to choose from.

Related Major Annual Graduates
Teacher Education Grade Specific 110,226
Educational Administration 46,469
Teacher Education Subject Specific 43,297
General Education 29,810
Curriculum & Instruction 19,832

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.

  • Read more about our ranking methodology.
  • 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 the rest 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).
  • Credit for the banner image above goes to woodleywonderworks.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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