2026 Best Elementary Special Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region

Elementary Special Education is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.

College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best elementary special education schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best Elementary Special Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region

Best Schools for Elementary Special Education in the Great Lakes Region

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall elementary special education education in the Great Lakes Region.

Top Schools in Elementary Special Education

1

Marietta College
Marietta, OH

Associate's Degree Highest Degree Type

11 Elementary Special Education Degrees Awarded

$79,641 Median Starting Salary

Leading the list is Marietta College, our #1 school for elementary special education. Located in the town of Marietta, Marietta College is a small private not-for-profit university. About 61% of students finish within six years. Marietta College awarded about 11 elementary special education degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their elementary special education degree from Marietta College earn around $79,641 in the first couple years of their career. Marietta College graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Read more about the elementary special education program at Marietta College

2

Ball State University
Muncie, IN

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

31 Elementary Special Education Degrees Awarded

$54,096 Median Starting Salary

Students looking for a strong elementary special education program will find one at Ball State University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Muncie, Ball State University is a very large public institution. About 62% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 31 elementary special education students who graduated with this degree at Ball State University in the most recent data year. Elementary Special Education graduates of Ball State University earn a median of $54,096 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $23,250. Read more about the elementary special education program at Ball State University

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 8 schools evaluated.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.