Special Education graduates earn $50,499 four years out. The middle 50% of earners fall between $41,442 and $60,070. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and how far you advance in the field.
This page covers Special Education as a course of study: what it costs, where it is taught, and what graduates go on to earn. It sits inside the wider field of Education and how it pays overall, which is the better comparison if you are still choosing between subjects.
Special Education is a focused area of study within Education. Pick this and you can expect to earn around $50,499 four years out, a solid return for a focused credential. You will not have trouble finding it: 1,010 colleges offer this program, from community colleges to research universities. About 34,843 students complete it each year, most walking away with a master's. Coursework pairs research methods with the applied study of people and institutions.
Median Earnings · 1yr
$44,185
Median Earnings · 4yr
$50,499
Colleges Offering
1,010
Graduates / Year
34,843
Avg Net Price / yr
$17,776
How Much Do Special Education Graduates Earn?
Four years after finishing Special Education, a typical graduate earns $50,499, below average for bachelor's degree holders. Half of earners land somewhere between $41,442 and $60,070, so where you end up depends on the job and the employer. Source: College Scorecard.
Earnings in this field tend to be stable early on. Expect the four-year median to closely reflect your long-term starting point.
$50,499
4-Year National Median
Below average for bachelor's degree holders.
$51,258
4-Year Institutional Median
Median of per-school medians. Each reporting college counts equally, regardless of size.
Earnings Range
Not every Special Education graduate ends up in the same place. Earnings spread out a moderate amount, so know what pushes people to one end or the other. Degree level and sector drive the gap. Graduate-level government and research roles anchor the top; entry-level social services and nonprofit roles anchor the bottom.
$41,44225th pct.
$50,499Median
$60,07075th pct.
A Solid Financial Return
Solid ROI. At median 4-year earnings of $50,499 and an estimated $71,104 four-year net cost, the typical graduate reaches earnings breakeven in roughly 3.5 years.
Based on outcomes from 602 schools.
Colleges with fewer than 30 graduates are excluded from national averages.
Who Studies This? Credential Breakdown
Of the 34,843 students who complete Special Education programs each year, the majority (58%) earn a master's degree.
The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.
26%58%
Master's58%
Bachelor's26%
Post-Bacc Cert.8%
What Can You Do With a Special Education Degree?
This degree does not lock you into one job. Special Education graduates show up in 5 different occupations, and Education Teachers pay the most at $75,350/yr median. Expand any card below to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.
Teach courses pertaining to education, such as counseling, curriculum, guidance, instruction, teacher education, and teaching English as a second language. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
Teach academic, social, and life skills to secondary school students with learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. Includes teachers who specialize and work with students who are blind or have visual impairments; students who are deaf or have hearing impairments; and students with intellectual disabilities.
Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.
Maintain accurate and complete student records, and prepare reports on children and activities, as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, or other professionals to develop individual educational plans (IEPs) for students' educational, physical, and social development.
Teach academic, social, and life skills to middle school students with learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. Includes teachers who specialize and work with students who are blind or have visual impairments; students who are deaf or have hearing impairments; and students with intellectual disabilities.
Develop or write Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students.
Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.
Develop and implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of handicapping conditions.
Teach academic, social, and life skills to preschool-aged students with learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. Includes teachers who specialize and work with students who are blind or have visual impairments; students who are deaf or have hearing impairments; and students with intellectual disabilities.
Employ special educational strategies or techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, or memory.
Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement.
Communicate nonverbally with children to provide them with comfort, encouragement, or positive reinforcement.
Interpret oral or sign language, or translate written text from one language into another.
Follow ethical codes that protect the confidentiality of information.
Translate messages simultaneously or consecutively into specified languages, orally or by using hand signs, maintaining message content, context, and style as much as possible.
Listen to speakers' statements to determine meanings and to prepare translations, using electronic listening systems as necessary.
Top Colleges for Special Education
Not sure where to study Special Education? These 20 colleges graduate the most students in it each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.
Ranked by Special Education graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats.
Read our methodology →
Related Education Programs
Special Education is not the only path through Education: 14 other specializations sit alongside it. The comparison below ranks them by 4-year median earnings so you can see where this one lands.
Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page
into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of a Special Education program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find
schools that match your profile.
The data on Special Education shows 2 measurable strengths and 3 real trade-offs. All points are sourced from College Scorecard earnings, BLS projections, and IPEDS graduate counts.
PROS
Strong hiring volumeRelated occupations generate more than 29,700 job openings per year combined, creating consistent demand for graduates.
Wide availabilityOffered at 1,010 colleges nationwide, with options at every price point and institution type.
CONS
Modest median earningsFour-year median of $50,499 lags STEM and business fields, affecting ROI at higher-cost programs.
Advanced degree often expectedTop roles in this field typically expect a master's degree or higher. A bachelor's may be a starting point rather than a terminal credential for the most competitive positions.
Declining roles in some areas2 related careers show negative 10-year employment projections. Research specific roles before committing.
Special Education Degree: Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Special Education graduates earn?
$50,499 four years after finishing the program. Half of graduates land between $41,442 and $60,070, so employer, role, and location move that number more than the degree itself. Source: College Scorecard.
What is the starting salary for a Special Education degree?
$44,185 in the first year out. That grows to $50,499 by year four, so do not judge this field on the entry-level number alone. Most of the gain shows up once you clear the first few years and move past entry-level roles. Source: College Scorecard.
What jobs can you get with a Special Education degree?
Education Teachers are one path, and it pays a median of $75,350 a year. It is not the only one: the Career Paths section below lists every occupation graduates actually go into, with wages and 10-year growth for each.
How long does a Special Education program take?
Four years for the bachelor's, plus one to two more if you continue on to a master's, which many Special Education students do. Some schools shorten that with an accelerated 5-year combined program.
How many colleges offer Special Education?
1,010 colleges and universities, so you are not short on options. That range runs from community colleges granting certificates and associate degrees to research universities with full doctoral tracks. Source: IPEDS.
Is a Special Education degree worth it?
$50,499 median earnings four years out against $17,776 a year in average net price. That is a reasonable payback window, best at lower-cost schools and in high-demand roles. Use the Top Colleges section below to compare specific schools before deciding. Source: College Scorecard.
What is the difference between Special Education and Education?
Special Education is the narrower of the two: Education covers the full discipline, while this program limits the curriculum to Special Education-specific courses, skills, and career tracks. Pick the specialization once you already know this is the direction you want; it gets you a more targeted credential, not a broader one.
What skills do employers look for in Special Education graduates?
Coursework alone will not get you hired. Employers hiring Special Education graduates consistently look for research methodology, interpersonal communication, and policy understanding. Experience with surveys, qualitative interviews, or statistical tools is often a differentiator in government, nonprofit, and research roles. Build those into your coursework and internships now, and the job search later gets easier.
What is the job outlook for Special Education graduates?
Outlook is slow overall: related occupations average +1.3% projected job growth over the next 10 years. Education Teachers are among the strongest-growth roles at +2.5%. That average hides real differences by role and location, so check the Career Paths section below for the projection on each specific occupation before you count on any single number.
Related Education Programs
Other programs in Education. Compare earnings, credentials, and career paths before committing to a specialization.
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