by our College Data Analytics TeamA degree in Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities covers Education/teaching Of Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities. A Program That Focuses On The Design Of Educational Services For Children Or Adults With Intellectual Disabilities Which Adversely Affect Their Educational Performance And That May Prepare Individuals To Teach Such Students. Includes Instruction In Identifying Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Developing Individual Education Plans, Teaching And Supervising Mentally Handicapped Students, Counseling, And Applicable Laws And Policies. Continue reading for the essential details every education/teaching of individuals with intellectual disabilities student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering education/teaching of individuals with intellectual disabilities programs.
Across the country, education/teaching of individuals with intellectual disabilities is a popular field of study, with 81 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities Schools ranking analyzes these 12 schools to determine the best overall colleges for education/teaching of individuals with intellectual disabilities students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of education/teaching of individuals with intellectual disabilities programs later in this article.
Programs in Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations education/teaching of individuals with intellectual disabilities graduates commonly enter.
Skills built by a education/teaching of individuals with intellectual disabilities program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a education/teaching of individuals with intellectual disabilities major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several education/teaching of individuals with intellectual disabilities degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 56 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 25 |
People currently working in careers related to education/teaching of individuals with intellectual disabilities tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 35.2% |
| Doctoral degree | 27.7% |
| Master’s degree | 21.9% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 13.0% |
| First professional degree | 1.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.5% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 0.4% |
| Some college courses | 0.2% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.1% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in education/teaching of individuals with intellectual disabilities careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in education/teaching of individuals with intellectual disabilities opens doors to numerous career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to education/teaching of individuals with intellectual disabilities.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to education/teaching of individuals with intellectual disabilities.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Special Education Teachers, All Other | 1,501,521 | 9.2% |
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,441,246 | 2.4% |
| Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten | 1,257,499 | 14.0% |
| Adapted Physical Education Specialists | 1,064,121 | 10.9% |
| Special Education Teachers, Middle School | 913,965 | 4.8% |
| Special Education Teachers, Preschool | 636,033 | 6.1% |
| Special Education Teachers, Secondary School | 570,170 | 8.8% |
| Special Education Teachers, Elementary School | 199,198 | -0.2% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of education/teaching of individuals with intellectual disabilities graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $54,981 |
| 4 years | $54,220 |
| 5 years | $59,983 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for education/teaching of individuals with intellectual disabilities graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers education/teaching of individuals with intellectual disabilities grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary | $98,329 |
| Special Education Teachers, All Other | $86,208 |
| Special Education Teachers, Middle School | $80,694 |
| Special Education Teachers, Secondary School | $79,680 |
| Adapted Physical Education Specialists | $77,976 |
| Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten | $73,597 |
| Special Education Teachers, Elementary School | $50,045 |
| Special Education Teachers, Preschool | $35,173 |
With 12 different education/teaching of individuals with intellectual disabilities programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased education/teaching of individuals with intellectual disabilities school rankings to help you.
Students interested in education/teaching of individuals with intellectual disabilities, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
