U.S. median for this major: $51,258.
College Scorecard field of study; 30 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 55% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $26,602.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $26,996. College Scorecard.
EIU Special Education: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Special Education nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses EIU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $9,828 | $43,243 | 3.7 years |
| $30–48k | $8,619 | $37,924 | 3.2 years |
| $48–75k | $11,412 | $50,213 | 4.3 years |
| $75–110k | $15,665 | $68,926 | 5.9 years |
| $110k+ | $21,027 | $92,519 | 7.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (29% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Special Education graduates 4 years after graduating ($47,566) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $11,769 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Special Education at Illinois colleges
Every Illinois college we cover that reports Special Education graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $60,685 | $18,925 | $14,355 | 85% |
| 2 | Trinity Christian College | $55,713 | $35,611 | $19,125 | 58% |
| 3 | Northern Illinois University | $53,148 | $21,452 | $13,391 | 49% |
| 4 | Illinois State University | $52,864 | $20,436 | $19,398 | 65% |
| 5 | Lewis University | $51,522 | $25,000 | $17,028 | 67% |
| 6 | Eastern Illinois University | $47,566 | $26,046 | $12,786 | 47% |
| 7 | Western Illinois University | $45,395 | $25,986 | $12,937 | 45% |
| 8 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | $43,928 | $19,850 | $14,889 | 57% |
22 more Illinois colleges offer Special Education but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Special Education graduates
Special education teacher
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.4% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Interpreters and Translators
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +2.0% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at EIU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About EIU
- Acceptance rate: 65% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 47% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $51,989
- Full cost breakdown · all 56 majors · overview
Related majors at EIU
EIU Special Education questions
How much do EIU Special Education graduates earn?
Special Education graduates of Eastern Illinois University earn a median $47,566 four years after graduating and $43,955 one year after. The U.S. median for Special Education graduates across 175 colleges is $51,258.
How much debt do EIU Special Education graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Special Education graduates of Eastern Illinois University is $26,046, about 55% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,602.
Is EIU a good school for Special Education in Illinois?
On pay, Special Education graduates of Eastern Illinois University earn $47,566 four years out, $4,627 below the median for the same major across 8 Illinois colleges ($52,193) and $3,692 below the U.S. median ($51,258). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does EIU rank for Special Education in Illinois?
Of 8 Illinois colleges reporting Special Education graduate earnings, Eastern Illinois University ranks 6th. The highest is University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign at $60,685.
What jobs do Special Education graduates get?
A common career is special education teacher, with a median wage of $77,960 in Illinois and $65,120 nationally. Others include interpreters and translators.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Eastern Illinois University Special Education: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/eastern-illinois-university/majors/special-education (College Scorecard and BLS data).