2023 Best Value Special Education Schools
Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices
Finding the Best Special Education 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.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Value Special Education Schools ranking. This report analyzed 694 schools in the United States to see which ones offered the best value programs for special ed students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.
This ranking is not just a list of inexpensive schools. We also consider each school's quality, since we believe a low-quality school may not be a 'bargain' at any price. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.
For nationwide and regional rankings, we use out-of-state tuition and fees in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
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2023 Best Value Special Education Schools in the United States
Check out the special ed programs at these schools if you want to get the best value for your educational dollar.
Top 25 Best Schools for Affordable Quality in Special Education
Our 2023 rankings named La Salle University the best value school in the United States for special education students. La Salle is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Philadelphia.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at La Salle are $33,150 per year. While working on their degree, special ed majors at La Salle accumulate an average of around $27,000 in student debt.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Cabrini University. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Value Special Education Schools list. Located in the large suburb of Radnor, Cabrini University is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
Cabrini University undergraduate students pay an average of $33,845 in tuition and fees each year. While working on their degree, special ed majors at Cabrini University accumulate an average of around $27,000 in student debt.
The excellent programs at Santa Fe Community College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best special education schools in the United States. SFCC is a small public school located in the small suburb of Santa Fe.
SFCC undergraduate students pay an average of $4,995 in tuition and fees each year.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Special Education Schools list. NWC is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Orange City.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at NWC are $33,590 per year.
NWC excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Special Education Schools list.
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Brigham Young University - Idaho is a great value for special education students. Located in the town of Rexburg, BYU - I is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at BYU - I are $4,416 a year.
Read full report on Special Education at Brigham Young University - Idaho
Brigham Young University - Provo landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value special education programs. Located in the city of Provo, BYU is a private not-for-profit school with a very large student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at BYU are $6,120 per year.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, BYU also is in the top 20% of our Best Special Education Schools ranking.
Read full report on Special Education at Brigham Young University - Provo
Western Governors University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for special education students. It came in at #7 on the list. WGU is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Salt Lake City.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at WGU are $7,452 a year. The average amount in student loans that special ed majors at WGU take out is $26,383.
WGU also claimed a spot on our Best Special Education Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.
Read full report on Special Education at Western Governors University
Chadron State College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Education Schools ranking. Chadron State College is a small public school located in the town of Chadron.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Chadron State College are $7,206 per year.
University of the Cumberlands did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for special education students. It came in at #9 on the list. Located in the town of Williamsburg, Cumberlands is a private not-for-profit school with a large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Cumberlands are $9,875 a year.
Morningside College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Special Education Schools list. Morningside is a small private not-for-profit school located in the small city of Sioux City.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Morningside are $35,270 per year.
With a ranking of #11, Itawamba Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for special education students. ICC is a small public school located in the town of Fulton.
ICC undergraduate students pay an average of $5,360 in tuition and fees each year.
Minot State University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Special Education Schools ranking. Located in the town of Minot, MSU is a public college with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at MSU are $8,163 a year.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, MSU also is in the top 20% of our Best Special Education Schools ranking.
Worcester State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for special education students. It came in at #13 on the list. Worcester State is a moderately-sized public school located in the medium-sized city of Worcester.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Worcester State are $16,666 per year.
Pima Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for special education students. It came in at #14 on the list. Located in the large city of Tucson, Pima County Community College District is a public school with a fairly large student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Pima County Community College District are $7,566 per year. Special Ed majors at Pima County Community College District take out an average of $15,125 in student loans while working on their egree.
Read full report on Special Education at Pima Community College
Waukesha County Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for special education students. It came in at #15 on the list. WCTC is a moderately-sized public school located in the large suburb of Pewaukee.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at WCTC are $6,603 per year.
Read full report on Special Education at Waukesha County Technical College
Concordia University, Irvine did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for special education students. It came in at #16 on the list. Located in the city of Irvine, Concordia University, Irvine is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Concordia University, Irvine are $38,740 a year.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Concordia University, Irvine also is in the top 15% of our Best Special Education Schools ranking.
With a ranking of #17, Central Methodist University - College of Graduate & Extended Studies did quite well on this year’s best value schools for special education students. Located in the distant town of Fayette, CMU CGES is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at CMU CGES are $6,720 a year.
In addition to its great value ranking, CMU CGES is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Special Education Schools list.
Minnesota State University - Mankato did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for special education students. It came in at #18 on the list. Located in the city of Mankato, Minnesota State Mankato is a public college with a fairly large student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Minnesota State Mankato are $18,200 per year. After completing their degree, special ed graduates from Minnesota State Mankato carry an average student debtload of $27,000.
Minnesota State Mankato excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Special Education Schools list.
With a ranking of #19, Wayne State College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for special education students. WSC is a small public school located in the distant town of Wayne.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at WSC are $7,458 a year.
WSC excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Special Education Schools list.
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for special education students. It came in at #20 on the list. Located in the midsize city of Green Bay, NWTC is a public school with a large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at NWTC are $6,849 a year.
In addition to its great value ranking, NWTC is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Special Education Schools list.
Broward College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for special education students. It came in at #21 on the list. Located in the city of Fort Lauderdale, BC is a public college with a fairly large student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at BC are $8,952 per year. The average amount in student loans that special ed majors at BC take out is $15,237.
Southwest Minnesota State University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Special Education Schools list. Southwest Minnesota State University is a medium-sized public school located in the town of Marshall.
Southwest Minnesota State University undergraduate students pay an average of $9,482 in tuition and fees each year.
Hamline University landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value special education programs. Hamline is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Saint Paul.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Hamline are $46,221 per year.
In addition to its great value ranking, Hamline is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Special Education Schools list.
Fitchburg State University landed the #24 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value special education programs. Fitchburg State is a medium-sized public school located in the medium-sized suburb of Fitchburg.
Fitchburg State undergraduate students pay an average of $16,735 in tuition and fees each year.
University of Scranton landed the #25 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value special education programs. University of Scranton is a small private not-for-profit school located in the small city of Scranton.
University of Scranton undergraduate students pay an average of $48,462 in tuition and fees each year.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, University of Scranton also did well on our Best Special Education Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Rest of the Top 50 Best Value Special Education Schools
Remaining Award Winners
This section represents the rest of the schools awarded a Best Value Special Education Schools badge. Showing in this list means the college was ranked in the top 15% of the 694 different United States special education schools we analyzed.
Additional Noteworthy Schools
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Value Special Education Schools award.
Special Education by Region
View the Best Value Special Education Schools for a specific region near you.
| Region |
|---|
| Southeast |
| New England |
| Rocky Mountains |
| Plains States |
| Middle Atlantic |
| Far Western US |
| Southwest |
| Great Lakes |
More Special Education Rankings
Special Education Related Majors for Special Ed
Special Education is one of 14 different types of programs to choose from.
Most Popular Majors Related to Special Ed
| 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.
- 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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