by our College Data Analytics Team
[Special Education](/majors/education/special-education/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 100 schools on the early-career earnings of their special education graduates.
What’s on this page:
The right special education school can pay off in your paycheck for years to come. That is why we developed our Highest Paid Special Education Graduates ranking. It looks at the median early-career salaries graduates earn, so you can find the schools whose special education degrees pay off the most.
Read more about our methodology
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Highest Paid Special Education Graduates list, to help you choose. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
Want to compare schools head to head? Try our College Combat tool to weigh the factors that matter most to you.
Below are the schools whose special education graduates go on to earn the most.
California State University Los Angeles earned the #1 spot for highest-paid special education graduates in the United States. California State University Los Angeles is a public school located in the city of Los Angeles. Early-career special education graduates from California State University Los Angeles make a median of around $94,553 per year.
A rank of #2 makes California State University San Bernardino one of the highest-paying schools for special education. Set in the city of San Bernardino, California State University San Bernardino is a public institution. Early-career special education graduates from California State University San Bernardino make a median of around $87,254 per year.
Notre Dame De Namur University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying special education schools. Notre Dame De Namur University is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Belmont. Students who complete the special education program here go on to a median salary of roughly $95,703.
Strong graduate earnings at Cuny Brooklyn College earned it the #4 place for special education. Cuny Brooklyn College is a public school located in the city of Brooklyn. After graduating, special education degree recipients from Cuny Brooklyn College typically earn about $91,781 annually.
Strong graduate earnings at California State University Fullerton earned it the #5 place for special education. Located in the suburb of Fullerton, California State University Fullerton is a public institution. Special Education graduates of California State University Fullerton earn a median of about $88,354 a year early in their careers.
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California State University San Marcos ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying special education schools. Located in the suburb of San Marcos, California State University San Marcos is a public institution. Early-career special education graduates from California State University San Marcos make a median of around $82,494 per year.
Pace University New York placed #7 among the highest-paying schools for special education. Set in the city of New York, Pace University New York is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career special education graduates from Pace University New York make a median of around $83,536 per year.
Fresno Pacific University came in at #8 for special education graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Fresno, Fresno Pacific University is a private not-for-profit institution. Special Education graduates of Fresno Pacific University earn a median of about $80,696 a year early in their careers.
Cuny Hunter College placed #9 among the highest-paying schools for special education. Located in the city of New York, Cuny Hunter College is a public institution. Early-career special education graduates from Cuny Hunter College make a median of around $85,456 per year.
California State University Dominguez Hills ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying special education schools. Set in the city of Carson, California State University Dominguez Hills is a public institution. Early-career special education graduates from California State University Dominguez Hills make a median of around $89,320 per year.
Cuny City College ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying special education schools. Located in the city of New York, Cuny City College is a public institution. Special Education graduates of Cuny City College earn a median of about $84,866 a year early in their careers.
Cuny Lehman College placed #12 among the highest-paying schools for special education. Cuny Lehman College is a public school located in the city of Bronx. Students who complete the special education program here go on to a median salary of roughly $85,537.
St Johns University New York earned the #13 position for special education graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Queens, St Johns University New York is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career special education graduates from St Johns University New York make a median of around $85,605 per year.
Cuny College Of Staten Island earned the #14 position for special education graduate earnings this year. Cuny College Of Staten Island is a public school located in the city of Staten Island. After graduating, special education degree recipients from Cuny College Of Staten Island typically earn about $85,086 annually.
Touro University California earned the #15 position for special education graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Vallejo, Touro University California is a private not-for-profit institution. Special Education graduates of Touro University California earn a median of about $78,975 a year early in their careers.
Cuny Queens College came in at #16 for special education graduate earnings this year. Cuny Queens College is a public school located in the city of Queens. Early-career special education graduates from Cuny Queens College make a median of around $85,138 per year.
Long Island University C W Post Campus ranked #17 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying special education schools. Set in the suburb of Brookville, Long Island University C W Post Campus is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the special education program here go on to a median salary of roughly $83,011.
Manhattan College came in at #18 for special education graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Riverdale, Manhattan College is a private not-for-profit institution. Special Education graduates of Manhattan College earn a median of about $79,540 a year early in their careers.
California State University Long Beach placed #19 among the highest-paying schools for special education. Set in the city of Long Beach, California State University Long Beach is a public institution. Early-career special education graduates from California State University Long Beach make a median of around $77,631 per year.
California State University East Bay landed the #20 spot for special education salaries this year. Located in the suburb of Hayward, California State University East Bay is a public institution. Early-career special education graduates from California State University East Bay make a median of around $77,402 per year.
Hofstra University landed the #21 spot for special education salaries this year. Hofstra University is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Hempstead. After graduating, special education degree recipients from Hofstra University typically earn about $75,676 annually.
University Of Illinois At Chicago came in at #22 for special education graduate earnings this year. University Of Illinois At Chicago is a public school located in the city of Chicago. Early-career special education graduates from University Of Illinois At Chicago make a median of around $80,063 per year.
University Of Washington Seattle Campus came in at #23 for special education graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a public institution. Special Education graduates of University Of Washington Seattle Campus earn a median of about $77,707 a year early in their careers.
California State University Fresno came in at #24 for special education graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Fresno, California State University Fresno is a public institution. Special Education graduates of California State University Fresno earn a median of about $80,228 a year early in their careers.
Fordham University ranked #25 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying special education schools. Set in the city of Bronx, Fordham University is a private not-for-profit institution. Special Education graduates of Fordham University earn a median of about $79,207 a year early in their careers.
Not far behind, these schools also produced high-earning special education graduates:
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A few more high-earning special education schools worth a look:
| Rank | College | Location | Avg Salary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #51 | University Of Maryland College Park | College Park, MD | $69,894 | Full Report |
| #52 | Depaul University | Chicago, IL | $67,561 | Full Report |
| #53 | Brandman University Part Of The Chapman University System | Aliso Viejo, CA | $67,222 | Full Report |
| #54 | Kean University | Union, NJ | $68,971 | Full Report |
| #55 | Towson University | Towson, MD | $70,090 | Full Report |
| #56 | Montclair State University | Montclair, NJ | $63,727 | Full Report |
| #57 | University Of Massachusetts Boston | Boston, MA | $68,260 | Full Report |
| #58 | Caldwell College | Caldwell, NJ | $66,332 | Full Report |
| #59 | Holy Family University | Philadelphia, PA | $68,256 | Full Report |
| #60 | University Of Utah | Salt Lake City, UT | $65,971 | Full Report |
| #61 | State University Of New York At New Paltz | New Paltz, NY | $69,881 | Full Report |
| #62 | William Paterson University Of New Jersey | Wayne, NJ | $71,625 | Full Report |
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their special education graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 100 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.