ProgramsEducation

    Special Education and Teaching

    CIP13.10

    630 colleges offer Special Education and Teaching. See what it covers, which degree levels are available and what graduates earn and borrow.

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Colleges offering it
    630
    at its most common level
    Bachelor's earnings
    $51,258
    median, 4 years after
    Bachelor's debt
    $23,412
    median federal loans
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    Colleges offering it, by degree level

    Certificate
    149
    Associate's
    100
    Bachelor's
    574
    Master's
    630
    Post-baccalaureate certificate
    60
    Doctoral
    75
    First professional
    2
    Graduate/professional certificate
    350
    Published colleges reporting the program. College Scorecard field of study, 2025.

    What it covers

    About Special Education and Teaching

    A general program that focuses on the design and provision of teaching and other educational services to children or adults with special learning needs or disabilities, and that may prepare individuals to function as special education teachers in a collaborative or team environment. Includes instruction in diagnosing learning disabilities, developing individual education plans, teaching and supervising special education students, special education counseling, and applicable laws and policies.

    Definition: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs 2020, code 13.10.

    Programs in this field

    Colleges report these specific programs under CIP 13.10.

    • Special Education and Teaching, General
    • Education/Teaching of Individuals with Hearing Impairments Including Deafness
    • Education/Teaching of the Gifted and Talented
    • Education/Teaching of Individuals with Emotional Disturbances
    • Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities
    • Education/Teaching of Individuals with Multiple Disabilities
    • Education/Teaching of Individuals with Orthopedic and Other Physical Health Impairments
    • Education/Teaching of Individuals with Vision Impairments Including Blindness
    • Education/Teaching of Individuals with Specific Learning Disabilities
    • Education/Teaching of Individuals with Speech or Language Impairments
    • Education/Teaching of Individuals with Autism
    • Education/Teaching of Individuals Who are Developmentally Delayed

    By degree level

    Earnings and debt by degree level

    Medians across colleges of each college's own program median. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working.

    Colleges offering Special Education and Teaching and median graduate earnings and debt at each degree level
    Degree levelCollegesMedian earningsMedian debt
    Certificate149$49,8354 yrs after · 2 colleges$20,5004 colleges
    Associate's100$41,1414 yrs after · 2 colleges$9,0001 college
    Bachelor's574$51,2584 yrs after · 169 colleges$23,412144 colleges
    Master's630$63,0584 yrs after · 267 colleges$30,000187 colleges
    Post-baccalaureate certificate60$67,0764 yrs after · 7 colleges$24,6912 colleges
    Doctoral75$98,0124 yrs after · 1 collegeNot reported
    First professional2Not reportedNot reported
    Graduate/professional certificate350$68,4374 yrs after · 16 colleges$29,78612 colleges

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Colleges with too few graduates have their earnings and debt suppressed, so the number of colleges reporting is smaller than the number offering the program.

    Bachelor's programs

    Where Special Education and Teaching graduates earn the most

    Median earnings four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates in the latest year. Earnings are one measure; cost and graduation rate matter too.

    1. 1

      Manhattan College

      Riverdale, NY · Private nonprofit · 16 graduates

      $83,932

      debt not reported

    2. 2Utah State University logo

      Utah State University

      Logan, UT · Public · 66 graduates

      $74,535

      debt $17,379

    3. 3SUNY Cortland logo

      SUNY Cortland

      Cortland, NY · Public · 88 graduates

      $74,079

      debt $24,250

    4. 4Seton Hall University-New Jersey logo

      Seton Hall University-New Jersey

      South Orange, NJ · Private nonprofit · 10 graduates

      $72,067

      debt not reported

    5. 5Molloy College logo

      Molloy College

      Rockville Centre, NY · Private nonprofit · 35 graduates

      $71,781

      debt $27,000

    6. 6The College of New Jersey logo

      The College of New Jersey

      Ewing, NJ · Public · 66 graduates

      $66,767

      debt $26,000

    7. 7

      CUNY Medgar Evers College

      Brooklyn, NY · Public · 24 graduates

      $66,377

      debt not reported

    8. 8Saint Joseph's University logo

      Saint Joseph's University

      Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofit · 20 graduates

      $64,827

      debt $26,261

    9. 9Western Washington University logo

      Western Washington University

      Bellingham, WA · Public · 102 graduates

      $64,780

      debt $22,564

    10. 10Syracuse University logo

      Syracuse University

      Syracuse, NY · Private nonprofit · 31 graduates

      $62,864

      debt $24,750

    Careers

    Careers this program leads to

    Occupations linked to Special Education and Teaching by the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for each occupation.

    All 10 in the career explorer

    Other programs in the same area of study, by how many colleges offer them.

    Every program in this area

    Questions about Special Education and Teaching

    How many colleges offer Special Education and Teaching?

    Published colleges on CollegesRef report Special Education and Teaching at these degree levels: certificate (149 colleges), associate's (100 colleges), bachelor's (574 colleges), master's (630 colleges), post-baccalaureate certificate (60 colleges), doctoral (75 colleges), first professional (2 colleges), graduate/professional certificate (350 colleges). Counts are from College Scorecard field-of-study data (2025).

    What do Special Education and Teaching graduates earn?

    At the median college, bachelor's graduates in Special Education and Teaching earn $51,258 a year four years after finishing, across 169 colleges that report earnings. Figures cover graduates who received federal aid.

    Where do Special Education and Teaching graduates earn the most?

    Manhattan College reports the highest median earnings for bachelor's graduates in Special Education and Teaching: $83,932 four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates.