Special Education major

Special Education: courses, careers, and where to study

Special Education prepares you to teach students with disabilities and diverse learning needs, designing individualized instruction and support across grade levels and settings.

Nationally, bachelor's graduates in Special Education earn a median $50,499 four years after graduating; the middle half of programs ranges from $41,442 to $60,070 (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). By credential and college

Special Education focuses on teaching students whose learning differs from typical patterns because of disabilities, developmental delays, or other identified needs. Students learn how to assess where a learner is struggling, write and carry out individualized education plans, and adapt lessons in reading, math, and behavior so each student can make progress. Coursework covers how disabilities affect learning, evidence-based teaching methods, classroom and behavior management, assistive technology, and the federal and state laws that govern services for students with disabilities. Unlike a general elementary or secondary teaching major, which centers on grade-level content for a typical class, Special Education centers on differentiating instruction, collaborating with families and specialists, and serving students one-on-one, in small groups, or alongside general-education teachers in inclusive classrooms.

The typical path is a bachelor's degree, and most programs build in supervised student teaching, a practicum, or a culminating clinical placement in schools so candidates work directly with students before graduating. Teaching in public schools requires a state license or certification, and the specific tests, fieldwork hours, and endorsement areas vary by state and should be verified; some states also expect programmatic accreditation of the preparation program. Graduates work in elementary, middle, and high schools as well as early-intervention settings, resource rooms, self-contained classrooms, and inclusion programs, with related work in tutoring, transition planning, and early childhood services for young children with developmental needs.

In federal data for the closely related occupation of special education teachers, all other, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a 2024 median wage of $67,430 and projects employment to grow about 1.1% from 2024 to 2034; a bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for that occupation. National figures are occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages or graduate outcomes.

Academic classification (CIP)

In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Special Education maps to CIP 13.1001, Special Education and Teaching, General, within the EDUCATION family. The official definition:

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.

Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov

What credential Special Education is awarded as

Of the 35,046 Special Education credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2024-25:

  • Certificate: 3%, 989 credentials.
  • Associate: 5%, 1,699 credentials.
  • Bachelor's: 22%, 7,770 credentials.
  • Graduate: 70%, 24,588 credentials.

This mix is fairly consistent nationally: across the 46 states reporting it, the certificate share moves by about 19 percentage points between the 10th and 90th percentile state, so the credential is more a property of the field than of where you study it. See the full study.

Credentials conferred in 2024-25, U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions. A certificate is a different credential from a degree, not a lesser one, and this counts what was awarded rather than what a college currently offers.

What you'll study

  • Characteristics of learning, intellectual, and developmental disabilities
  • Writing and managing individualized education plans
  • Special education law, due process, and disability rights policy
  • Assessment and progress monitoring of specific learning needs
  • Behavior management and positive behavioral interventions
  • Differentiated and explicit instruction in reading and math
  • Assistive technology and accommodations for diverse learners
  • Collaboration with families, general educators, and related-service staff
  • Supervised practicum and student teaching in school settings

Typical careers

  • Special Education Teacher
  • Resource Room Teacher
  • Inclusion Specialist
  • Early Intervention Specialist
  • IEP Coordinator
  • Behavior Interventionist

Typical salary range: Early-career wages vary by employer, region, and experience (BLS, 2024 special education teachers, all other median $67,430).Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.

How much do Special Education graduates earn?

Nationally, bachelor's graduates in Special Education earn a median $50,499 four years after graduating; the middle half of programs ranges from $41,442 to $60,070 (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard).

National median earnings four years after graduating for Special Education, by credential
CredentialNational medianMiddle half of programs
Bachelor's$50,499$41,442 to $60,070
Associate's$37,614$27,097 to $51,102
Master's$64,397$52,390 to $79,764
Graduate certificate$69,147$53,853 to $82,489
Post-baccalaureate certificate$63,623$51,615 to $75,642

Compare Special Education programs in your state

Highest-earning bachelor's Special Education programs

Ordered by median earnings: one federal measure, not a ranking of program quality. Federal program group: Special Education and Teaching. Earnings: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, earnings measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars, for graduates who received federal aid, worked and were not enrolled. Programs need at least 30 graduates in the earnings cohort to be listed; multi-state systems whose figures pool campuses are not listed. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, 10 June 2026. How much the college matters, by major. Graduate programs over the new federal loan caps.

Related occupations

Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Special Education, with what each one pays and how many openings it is projected to average each year. Ordered by projected annual openings, largest first. Linked titles open the full CampusPin career page.

Occupations associated with Special Education by the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk, with median annual wage, projected annual openings, projected employment change, and the education most entrants typically hold.
OccupationMedian payOpenings / yrProjected changeMost entrants hold
Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$69,59011,100-1.6%Bachelor's degree
Special Education Teachers, Middle School$64,8806,300-1.9%Bachelor's degree
Special Education Teachers, All Other$67,4302,900+1.1%Bachelor's degree
Special Education Teachers, Preschool$62,1902,100+1.4%Bachelor's degree
Special Education Teachers, Elementary SchoolNot reportedNot reportedNot reportedNot reported
Special Education Teachers, KindergartenNot reportedNot reportedNot reportedNot reported
Teaching Assistants, Special EducationNot reportedNot reportedNot reportedNot reported

Crosswalk: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. Pay, openings and projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024 wages, Employment Projections). 4 of these 7 occupations report a median wage.

“Most entrants hold” is what BLS observes about people already working in the occupation. It is not a legal requirement, not an admission rule, and not a guarantee of entry. Studying Special Education does not guarantee any specific occupation, and many of these roles are entered from several different fields. Projected openings are a projection, not jobs promised.

Before you commit to a Special Education major

CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Special Education program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.

Ask the Special Education department

  • Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
  • What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
  • What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
  • Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?

Ask current students & check the curriculum

  • How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
  • What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
  • Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
  • How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Accreditation & licensure: Teacher-preparation programs are typically state-approved and may hold CAEP accreditation; licensure requirements are set by each state. Verify that a Special Education program leads to licensure in the state where you plan to teach.
Degree level & graduate study: Many Special Education careers are open with a bachelor's degree, but some, such as research, advanced-practice, or licensure-track roles, require a master's or doctorate. Check the typical entry-level education on each linked career page above before assuming a bachelor's is enough.

Find a Special Education program

CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.

Colleges that awarded the most Special Education credentials

Largest by credentials conferred in 2024-25. This measures the size of the graduating class, not quality, and it is not a ranking.

Based on credentials this institution reported conferring in the federal IPEDS completions collection for 2024-25. It confirms the field was awarded that year, not that the program currently accepts students, and it covers only the fields CampusPin tracks. Confirm current offerings with the institution.

Search Special Education schools

Where Special Education credentials were awarded

22 states have a distinct enough set of Special Education colleges to be worth its own page.

Special Education by state

Every Special Education program with its own CampusPin page

98 programs in 35 states, A to Z by state and then by college. Each page gives what the program's graduates earned four years after finishing, what they borrowed in federal loans, the monthly payment, and how the program compares with others in its state and the nation. The figure beside each college is the median for its largest credential with at least 30 graduates (U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23). The list is alphabetical; it is not a ranking.

Special Education programs in Alabama, 2 programs
Special Education programs in Arizona, 3 programs
Special Education programs in Arkansas, 1 program
Special Education programs in California, 5 programs
Special Education programs in Colorado, 1 program
Special Education programs in Connecticut, 2 programs
Special Education programs in Delaware, 1 program
Special Education programs in District of Columbia, 1 program
Special Education programs in Florida, 1 program
Special Education programs in Georgia, 3 programs
Special Education programs in Illinois, 2 programs
Special Education programs in Indiana, 1 program
Special Education programs in Iowa, 1 program
Special Education programs in Kansas, 4 programs
Special Education programs in Kentucky, 1 program
Special Education programs in Maryland, 1 program
Special Education programs in Massachusetts, 5 programs
Special Education programs in Michigan, 3 programs
Special Education programs in Minnesota, 3 programs
Special Education programs in Mississippi, 1 program
Special Education programs in Nebraska, 1 program
Special Education programs in Nevada, 1 program
Special Education programs in New Jersey, 4 programs
Special Education programs in New York, 15 programs
Special Education programs in North Carolina, 3 programs
Special Education programs in North Dakota, 1 program
Special Education programs in Ohio, 5 programs
Special Education programs in Oregon, 2 programs
Special Education programs in Pennsylvania, 9 programs
Special Education programs in Tennessee, 2 programs
Special Education programs in Texas, 4 programs
Special Education programs in Utah, 2 programs
Special Education programs in Virginia, 4 programs
Special Education programs in West Virginia, 1 program
Special Education programs in Wisconsin, 2 programs

Related majors

Put this major in context

The salary above is an occupation-wide median from federal data, not a starting wage or a guarantee. These CampusPin guides and reports help you read it well, see where a Special Education degree can lead, and weigh it against cost and program quality.

Explore Education & Library careers

Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.

How one major leads to many careers

Why a single Special Education degree can open more than one path, and how to read the occupations above.

Why a median wage is not a starting salary

How to read a BLS median, and why early-career pay usually sits below it.

When accreditation and licensure matter

How program accreditation and state licensure can shape a Special Education path before you enroll.

Does a pricier college pay off?

How college cost lines up with graduation and earnings, an association, not a ranking.

Does picking a major narrow your college list?

Across the federal completions data, most fields barely change which colleges are on the table. Which ones genuinely do.

Certificate or degree?

What credential a field is usually awarded as is mostly set by the field itself, not by the state, with a short list of exceptions.

How this guide is sourced

This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.