Special Education · California

Special Education colleges in California

CampusPin lists 262 U.S. colleges in California that offer Special Education programs. Compare tuition, acceptance rate, and enrollment in the table below, every figure links back to the institution's official IPEDS data.

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

Schools in California that offer Special Education

Special Education programs in California: by the numbers

A quick comparison of the 50 schools (of 262 total) listed above, drawn from each institution's published IPEDS data.

Schools listed

262

Public / private

15 / 35

Universities / 2-year

40 / 10

Cities represented

35

In-state tuition range

$1,124–$63,255

Median in-state tuition

$15,977

Lowest published in-state tuition

Antelope Valley Community College District

$1,124

Most selective

California Institute of Technology

3% acceptance

Largest by enrollment

California State University-Fullerton

41,793 students

Figures reflect the schools currently listed and each institution's most recent reported data. Verify current tuition and admissions details with the school before applying.

What you'll study in a Special Education program

  • 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

Where a Special Education degree can lead

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

Typical pay: Early-career wages vary by employer, region, and experience (BLS, 2024 special education teachers, all other median $67,430).

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.

Special Education in other states

Other majors in California

Find more Special Education schools

Use CampusPin's filter-first search to narrow 262+ Special Education programs in California by tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting.

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