U.S. median for this major: $51,258.
College Scorecard field of study; 50 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 40% 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 $28,851. College Scorecard.
Northern Illinois 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 Northern Illinois 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 | $10,126 | $44,453 | 2.6 years |
| $30–48k | $9,854 | $43,259 | 2.5 years |
| $48–75k | $12,797 | $56,179 | 3.2 years |
| $75–110k | $17,612 | $77,317 | 4.5 years |
| $110k+ | $21,834 | $95,851 | 5.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (33% 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 ($53,148) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $17,351 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 Northern Illinois University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Northern Illinois University
- Acceptance rate: 70% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 49% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $57,808
- Full cost breakdown · all 57 majors · overview
Related majors at Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University Special Education questions
How much do Northern Illinois University Special Education graduates earn?
Special Education graduates of Northern Illinois University earn a median $53,148 four years after graduating and $46,578 one year after. The U.S. median for Special Education graduates across 175 colleges is $51,258.
How much debt do Northern Illinois University Special Education graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Special Education graduates of Northern Illinois University is $21,452, about 40% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,602.
Is Northern Illinois University a good school for Special Education in Illinois?
On pay, Special Education graduates of Northern Illinois University earn $53,148 four years out, $955 above the median for the same major across 8 Illinois colleges ($52,193) and $1,890 above the U.S. median ($51,258). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Northern Illinois University rank for Special Education in Illinois?
Of 8 Illinois colleges reporting Special Education graduate earnings, Northern Illinois University ranks 3rd. 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 $79,690 in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 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: “Northern Illinois University Special Education: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/northern-illinois-university/majors/special-education (College Scorecard and BLS data).