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College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2025 Best Special Education Master's Degree Schools in Florida

8 Colleges in Florida
572 Master's Degrees
$54,987 Avg Early-Career Salary
Ranked #8 in popularity, special education is one of the most sought-after master's degree programs in the nation. This makes choosing the right school a hard decision.

For its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools in Florida to determine which ones were the best for special education students pursuing a master's degree. Combined, these schools handed out 572 master's degrees in special education to qualified students.

What's on this page: * Our Methodology

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Choosing a Great Special Education School for Your Master's Degree

Best Special Education Master's Degree Schools in Florida The special ed master's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality special ed program can vary widely even among the top schools. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:

Quality Overall Is Important

The overall quality of a master's degree school is important to ensure a good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To take this into account we consider a college's overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking which itself looks at a host of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.

Average Earnings

To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their master's degree from the school. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their master's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.

Other Factors We Consider

The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.

Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for special education students working on their master's degree.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Special Ed Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The special ed school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Special Education Master's Degree Schools in Florida.

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Best Schools for Master’s Students to Study Special Education in Florida

The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in special education.

Top Florida Schools for a Master's in Special Ed

1
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL

University of Florida is a wonderful option for students interested in a master's degree in special education. UF is a very large public university located in the midsize city of Gainesville.

After graduating, special ed master's recipients generally make about $51,147 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a master’s in special education from University of Florida

2

It's difficult to beat The University of West Florida if you wish to pursue a master's degree in special education. UWF is a fairly large public university located in the rural area of Pensacola.

After graduation, special ed master's recipients usually make an average of $56,136 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a master’s in special education from The University of West Florida

3

University of South Florida - Main Campus is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a master's degree in special education. Located in the city of Tampa, USF Tampa is a public university with a very large student population.

Master's graduates who receive their degree from the special ed program make around $52,101 for their early career.

More information about a master’s in special education from University of South Florida - Main Campus

4

University of Central Florida is a wonderful option for individuals pursuing a master's degree in special education. Located in the suburb of Orlando, UCF is a public university with a fairly large student population.

Those special education students who get their master's degree from University of Central Florida receive $3,492 more than the average special ed grad.

More information about a master’s in special education from University of Central Florida

5

Located in the large suburb of Miami, FIU is a public university with a fairly large student population.

Master's recipients from the special education degree program at Florida International University earn $6,576 more than the typical graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.

More information about a master’s in special education from Florida International University

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6
33 Annual Graduates

Located in the suburb of Fort Myers, FGCU is a public university with a large student population.More information about a master’s in special education from Florida Gulf Coast University

7

UNF is a fairly large public university located in the city of Jacksonville.

After graduation, special ed master's recipients usually make about $55,333 in their early careers.

More information about a master’s in special education from University of North Florida

8

Located in the medium-sized city of Lakeland, SEU is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.

Students who graduate with their master's from the special ed program report average early career earnings of $39,595.

More information about a master’s in special education from Southeastern University

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Best Special Education Colleges in the Southeast Region

Explore all the Best Special Education Schools in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Georgia 190 265
Virginia 182 863
North Carolina 178 83
Tennessee 166 127
Alabama 151 210
Kentucky 147 391
Louisiana 147 47
South Carolina 146 102
Mississippi 145 216
Arkansas 121 227
West Virginia 112 41
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One of 14 majors within the Education area of study, Special Education has other similar majors worth exploring.

Special Ed Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
General Special Education 507
Education/Teaching of the Gifted & Talented 36
Other Special Education & Teaching 14
Education of the Deaf 7
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Autism 6
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Specific Learning Disabilities 1
Education/Teaching of Individuals in Secondary Special Education Programs 1
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Related Major Annual Graduates
Educational Administration 1,128
Curriculum & Instruction 603
Teacher Education Subject Specific 465
Student Counseling 379
Instructional Media Design 320
Teacher Education Grade Specific 233
General Education 49
Teaching English or French 37
Educational Assessment 10
International Education 5

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Notes and References

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