U.S. median for this major: $51,258.
College Scorecard field of study; 23 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 51% 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 $22,756. College Scorecard.
UWM 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 UWM'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 | $10,329 | $46,894 | 3.2 years |
| $30–48k | $10,709 | $48,619 | 3.3 years |
| $48–75k | $12,344 | $56,042 | 3.8 years |
| $75–110k | $19,315 | $87,690 | 6.0 years |
| $110k+ | $21,477 | $97,506 | 6.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (28% 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 ($52,142) minus $37,564 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $14,578 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 Wisconsin colleges
Every Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin-Milwaukee | $52,142 | $26,375 | $15,014 | 49% |
| 2 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | $51,908 | $27,000 | $14,158 | 59% |
| 3 | Carroll University | $50,570 | — | $15,193 | 71% |
| 4 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | $50,302 | $22,863 | $17,354 | 90% |
| 5 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | $49,463 | — | $36,201 | 68% |
| 6 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | $48,444 | $30,000 | $17,490 | 55% |
| 7 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | $47,877 | $27,000 | $16,550 | 64% |
| 8 | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | $47,828 | $27,000 | $14,305 | 46% |
| 9 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point | $46,315 | $23,607 | $14,559 | 51% |
6 more Wisconsin 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 UWM, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About UWM
- Acceptance rate: 91% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 49% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $54,990
- Full cost breakdown · all 89 majors · overview
Related majors at UWM
- Education$49,228
- Education (Subject Teaching)$44,776
UWM Special Education questions
How much do UWM Special Education graduates earn?
Special Education graduates of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee earn a median $52,142 four years after graduating and $48,378 one year after. The U.S. median for Special Education graduates across 175 colleges is $51,258.
How much debt do UWM Special Education graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Special Education graduates of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is $26,375, about 51% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,602.
Is UWM a good school for Special Education in Wisconsin?
On pay, Special Education graduates of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee earn $52,142 four years out, $2,679 above the median for the same major across 9 Wisconsin colleges ($49,463) and $884 above the U.S. median ($51,258). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does UWM rank for Special Education in Wisconsin?
Of 9 Wisconsin colleges reporting Special Education graduate earnings, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Special Education graduates get?
A common career is special education teacher, with a median wage of $62,110 in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI 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: “University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Special Education: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-wisconsin-milwaukee/majors/special-education (College Scorecard and BLS data).