Special Education degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in special education earn a median $51,258 four years after finishing, across 175 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in special needs education earn $48,276, $13,773 less than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is special education teachers (38%).
Median across 175 colleges; middle half $47,592–$55,713.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $36,661–$58,657. 1,042 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "Special Needs Education"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$12,638/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs special education graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in special needs education actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Special Education Teachers | 38% | $67,170 | -0.1% | — | — |
| Elementary And Middle School Teachers | 19% | $64,170 | -0.4% | — | — |
| Secondary School Teachers | 4% | $70,930 | -0.2% | — | — |
| Teaching Assistants | 3% | $37,010 | +0.0% | — | — |
| Preschool And Kindergarten Teachers | 3% | $43,780 | +3.7% | — | — |
| Education And Childcare Administrators | 2% | $102,260 | +0.1% | — | — |
| Secretaries And Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, And Executive | 1% | $47,540 | -6.0% | High school diploma or equivalent | CES |
| Other Teachers And Instructors | 1% | — | — | — | — |
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Special Education earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $50,584 (4) | — |
| Arizona | $53,619 (3) | — |
| Connecticut | $61,066 (7) | — |
| Florida | $57,020 (8) | — |
| Georgia | $52,266 (4) | — |
| Illinois | $52,193 (8) | — |
| Indiana | $50,212 (7) | — |
| Kentucky | $39,777 (5) | — |
| Massachusetts | $55,692 (3) | — |
| Michigan | $50,095 (9) | — |
| Minnesota | $50,727 (4) | — |
| Missouri | $41,004 (6) | — |
| Nebraska | $54,733 (3) | — |
| New Jersey | $63,962 (4) | — |
| New York | $56,168 (15) | — |
| North Carolina | $48,856 (6) | — |
| Ohio | $48,124 (19) | — |
| Pennsylvania | $53,356 (13) | — |
| Rhode Island | $56,477 (3) | — |
| South Dakota | $46,095 (3) | — |
| Tennessee | $47,239 (5) | — |
| Utah | $52,090 (3) | — |
| Washington | $58,772 (3) | — |
| Wisconsin | $49,463 (9) | — |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Colleges where special education graduates earn the most
In the states we cover so far (Florida, Virginia, California): 29 in Florida, 14 in Virginia, 5 in California offer this major. Open a college to see cost to finish and payback for your income.
| # | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of North FloridaFL | $59,429 | $13,509 |
| 2 | Broward CollegeFL | $59,330 | — |
| 3 | Miami Dade CollegeFL | $59,174 | $9,671 |
| 4 | Florida State UniversityFL | $57,573 | $22,709 |
| 5 | Florida Gulf Coast UniversityFL | $56,467 | $22,931 |
| 6 | California State University-SacramentoCA | $55,146 | $16,750 |
| 7 | St Petersburg CollegeFL | $53,393 | — |
| 8 | University of South FloridaFL | $51,759 | — |
| 9 | University of West FloridaFL | $47,968 | $29,750 |
| 10 | Liberty UniversityVA | $47,241 | $29,875 |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Related degrees
Special Education degree questions
How much do Special Education graduates make?
Special Education graduates earn a median $51,258 four years after finishing, across 175 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $47,592 to $55,713; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in special needs education, the median is $48,276 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Special Education degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in special needs education earn a median $48,276: $13,773 less than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $12,638 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Special Education graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in special needs education, the most common jobs are special education teachers (38%), elementary and middle school teachers (19%), secondary school teachers (4%). Special Education Teachers earn a U.S. median $67,170.
How much do Special Education graduates earn in Florida?
Across 8 Florida colleges reporting, Special Education graduates earn a median $57,020 four years after graduating.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
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Cite this: “Special Education degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/special-education.