2026 Best Value General Special Education Schools in Michigan

[General Special Education](/majors/education/special-education/general-special-education/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general special education education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 16 schools to find the best return on investment for general special education students.
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2026 Best Value General Special Education Schools in Michigan
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general special education degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Special Education Schools
Oakland University tops our 2026 list of the best value general special education schools in Michigan. Oakland University is a large public school located in the suburb of Rochester Hills. Students from in state pay about $17,167 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $24,735. Typical student debt for general special education graduates is $25,972. General Special Education graduates of Oakland University earn a median of $61,223 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,972 median debt. Oakland University admits about 88% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in general special education will find it at Saginaw Valley State University, which ranked #2. Set in the suburb of University Center, Saginaw Valley State University is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,930, compared with $30,450 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general special education graduates is $29,873. Early-career general special education graduates make about $48,209. Set against $29,873 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 72%.
Wayne State University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value general special education schools. Set in the city of Detroit, Wayne State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,159, while out-of-state students pay about $34,650. Typical student debt for general special education graduates is $43,500. Early-career general special education graduates make about $51,917. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Wayne State University admits about 81% of applicants.
Central Michigan University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general special education, landing the #4 spot this year. Central Michigan University is a large public school located in the town of Mount Pleasant. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,480. Typical student debt for general special education graduates is $31,000. General Special Education graduates of Central Michigan University earn a median of $46,522 early in their careers. Set against $31,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Eastern Michigan University earned it the #5 place for general special education. Set in the suburb of Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,990. Typical student debt for general special education graduates is $31,000. General Special Education graduates of Eastern Michigan University earn a median of $50,476 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $31,000 median debt. Eastern Michigan University admits about 80% of applicants.
Grand Valley State University placed #6 among the best values for general special education. Set in the town of Allendale, Grand Valley State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,502, while out-of-state students pay about $21,894. Students borrow a median of $30,350 to complete the general special education program here. Early-career general special education graduates make about $53,335. Set against $30,350 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 83%.
Western Michigan University earned the #7 position for value in general special education this year. Set in the city of Kalamazoo, Western Michigan University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,987, with out-of-state students paying around $19,952. Students borrow a median of $31,000 to complete the general special education program here. Soon after graduation, general special education degree recipients from Western Michigan University generally make around $51,967. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 85%.
Michigan State University came in at #8 for value in general special education this year. Located in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $18,079, with out-of-state students paying around $44,850. Students borrow a median of $26,375 to complete the general special education program here. General Special Education graduates of Michigan State University earn a median of $57,308 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Michigan State University admits about 85% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 ranked schools only.
- 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.