2026 Best Elementary Special Education Schools in Iowa

Elementary Special Education degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 schools to find the best for elementary special education students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Elementary Special Education Schools in Iowa

Best Schools for Elementary Special Education in Iowa

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall elementary special education education in Iowa.

Top Schools in Elementary Special Education

1

University Of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA

61 Elementary Special Education Degrees Awarded

$60,588 Median Starting Salary

No school ranked higher than University Of Northern Iowa this year for elementary special education. University Of Northern Iowa is a large public school located in the city of Cedar Falls. Roughly 68% of students complete a degree within six years here. University Of Northern Iowa awarded about 61 elementary special education degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their elementary special education degree from University Of Northern Iowa earn around $60,588 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $22,635 to complete this degree. Get the full elementary special education details for University Of Northern Iowa

2

Buena Vista University
Storm Lake, IA

Associate's Degree Highest Degree Type

21 Elementary Special Education Degrees Awarded

$44,780 Median Starting Salary

Buena Vista University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in elementary special education, ranking #2. Buena Vista University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Storm Lake. About 62% of students finish within six years. Buena Vista University awarded about 21 elementary special education degrees in the most recent data year. Elementary Special Education graduates of Buena Vista University earn a median of $44,780 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $29,317 to complete this degree. Read more about the elementary special education program at Buena Vista University

Notes and References

The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 3 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.