U.S. median for this major: $51,258.
College Scorecard field of study; 24 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 54% 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 $59,557. College Scorecard.
Mercyhurst University 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 Mercyhurst University'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 | $22,626 | $93,898 | 6.8 years |
| $30–48k | $22,429 | $93,080 | 6.7 years |
| $48–75k | $17,197 | $71,368 | 5.2 years |
| $75–110k | $21,665 | $89,910 | 6.5 years |
| $110k+ | $16,748 | $69,504 | 5.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (57% 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 ($49,638) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $13,841 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 Pennsylvania colleges
Every Pennsylvania 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 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | $64,827 | $27,000 | $29,689 | 79% |
| 2 | La Salle University | $63,434 | $27,000 | $19,409 | 57% |
| 3 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | $60,391 | $27,000 | $18,134 | 43% |
| 4 | Neumann University | $54,846 | $27,000 | $27,804 | 54% |
| 5 | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | $54,845 | $27,000 | $21,331 | 54% |
| 6 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania | $53,494 | $27,000 | $16,804 | 56% |
| 7 | Millersville University of Pennsylvania | $53,356 | $29,737 | $20,787 | 58% |
| 8 | Thiel College | $52,302 | — | $22,347 | 49% |
| 9 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania | $51,949 | $27,000 | $15,699 | 54% |
| 10 | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | $50,069 | $28,500 | $23,726 | 56% |
| 11 | Mercyhurst University | $49,638 | $27,000 | $19,444 | 60% |
| 12 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | $48,796 | $27,000 | $19,608 | 66% |
| 13 | Pennsylvania Western University | $48,497 | — | $18,256 | 52% |
30 more Pennsylvania 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 Mercyhurst University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Mercyhurst University
- Acceptance rate: 81% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 60% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $47,452
- Full cost breakdown · all 60 majors · overview
Related majors at Mercyhurst University
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)—
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
Mercyhurst University Special Education questions
How much do Mercyhurst University Special Education graduates earn?
Special Education graduates of Mercyhurst University earn a median $49,638 four years after graduating and $46,636 one year after. The U.S. median for Special Education graduates across 175 colleges is $51,258.
How much debt do Mercyhurst University Special Education graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Special Education graduates of Mercyhurst University is $27,000, about 54% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,602.
Is Mercyhurst University a good school for Special Education in Pennsylvania?
On pay, Special Education graduates of Mercyhurst University earn $49,638 four years out, $3,718 below the median for the same major across 13 Pennsylvania colleges ($53,356) and $1,620 below the U.S. median ($51,258). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Mercyhurst University rank for Special Education in Pennsylvania?
Of 13 Pennsylvania colleges reporting Special Education graduate earnings, Mercyhurst University ranks 11th. The highest is Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia at $64,827.
What jobs do Special Education graduates get?
A common career is special education teacher, with a median wage of $61,160 in the Erie, PA area 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: “Mercyhurst University Special Education: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/mercyhurst-university/majors/special-education (College Scorecard and BLS data).