Special Education and Teaching: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 13.10. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 2,086 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 155 | 990 | $42,428 | $48,019 | $21,746 7 programs |
| Associate's degree | 105 | 1,437 | $34,283 | $37,614 | $20,000 1 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 618 | 8,183 | $46,673 | $50,499 | $25,000 162 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 64 | 0 | $63,469 | $63,623 | $24,948 10 programs |
| Master's degree | 683 | 19,546 | $59,964 | $64,397 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 83 | 248 | $80,667 | $90,739 | Data unavailable |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) | 2 | 1 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 376 | 3,583 | $61,871 | $69,147 | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leeward Community College HI · Public · 27 graduates measured | $67,046 | Data unavailable | $26,000 |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee WI · Public · 18 graduates measured | $46,589 | $57,135 | $20,500 |
| Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College IN · Private, nonprofit · 34 graduates measured | $41,305 | $42,535 | $21,746 |
| University of Cincinnati-Main Campus OH · Public · 62 graduates measured | $40,670 | Data unavailable | $21,500 |
| University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash College OH · Public · 62 graduates measured | $40,670 | Data unavailable | $21,500 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemeketa Community College OR · Public · 33 graduates measured | $38,773 | $42,286 | $20,000 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pace University NY · Private, nonprofit · 33 graduates measured | $68,430 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Roosevelt University IL · Private, nonprofit · 32 graduates measured | $63,729 | Data unavailable | $30,705 |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign IL · Public · 18 graduates measured | $60,781 | $60,685 | $15,126 |
| Northeastern Illinois University IL · Public · 22 graduates measured | $58,972 | Data unavailable | $12,000 |
| Utah State University UT · Public · 95 graduates measured | $58,712 | $74,535 | $23,000 |
| CUNY Medgar Evers College NY · Public · 59 graduates measured | $58,611 | $66,377 | Data unavailable |
| Rowan University NJ · Public · 57 graduates measured | $58,606 | Data unavailable | $19,200 |
| University of Hawaii at Manoa HI · Public · 23 graduates measured | $58,322 | $62,087 | $18,000 |
| Weber State University UT · Public · 17 graduates measured | $57,475 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Syracuse University NY · Private, nonprofit · 27 graduates measured | $55,359 | $62,864 | $25,125 |
| University of Nevada-Las Vegas NV · Public · 25 graduates measured | $55,350 | $60,958 | $19,000 |
| Hood College MD · Private, nonprofit · 17 graduates measured | $55,266 | $50,200 | $25,000 |
| Miami Dade College FL · Public · 62 graduates measured | $55,125 | $59,174 | $10,691 |
| Marist University NY · Private, nonprofit · 17 graduates measured | $55,118 | Data unavailable | $27,000 |
| Towson University MD · Public · 179 graduates measured | $54,964 | $56,971 | $15,000 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Post-baccalaureate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| California State University-Long Beach CA · Public · 26 graduates measured | $74,344 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Alliant International University-San Diego CA · Private, for-profit · 30 graduates measured | $73,040 | Data unavailable | $26,424 |
| University of Hawaii at Manoa HI · Public · 38 graduates measured | $66,837 | $67,076 | $31,125 |
| Augusta University GA · Public · 36 graduates measured | $64,000 | Data unavailable | $27,000 |
| William & Mary VA · Public · 18 graduates measured | $63,904 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Arkansas AR · Public · 16 graduates measured | $59,973 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Cincinnati-Main Campus OH · Public · 17 graduates measured | $59,425 | $70,717 | Data unavailable |
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus PA · Public · 19 graduates measured | $58,812 | $68,642 | $27,000 |
| Bowling Green State University-Main Campus OH · Public · 62 graduates measured | $55,839 | $57,975 | $26,283 |
| Pima Community College AZ · Public · 22 graduates measured | $55,052 | $52,327 | $20,018 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| California State University-Los Angeles CA · Public · 75 graduates measured | $89,011 | $104,208 | Data unavailable |
| Touro University California CA · Private, nonprofit · 21 graduates measured | $84,720 | $84,787 | Data unavailable |
| CUNY City College NY · Public · 102 graduates measured | $84,664 | $94,601 | Data unavailable |
| California State University-Dominguez Hills CA · Public · 38 graduates measured | $82,484 | $95,089 | Data unavailable |
| Fresno Pacific University CA · Private, nonprofit · 17 graduates measured | $82,476 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Notre Dame de Namur University CA · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $82,202 | $94,588 | Data unavailable |
| CUNY Brooklyn College NY · Public · 284 graduates measured | $82,060 | $90,918 | Data unavailable |
| Pace University NY · Private, nonprofit · 214 graduates measured | $81,597 | $91,867 | Data unavailable |
| CUNY Lehman College NY · Public · 166 graduates measured | $81,432 | $84,758 | Data unavailable |
| California State University-Long Beach CA · Public · 35 graduates measured | $81,011 | $91,444 | Data unavailable |
| California State University-Fullerton CA · Public · 78 graduates measured | $80,432 | $95,677 | Data unavailable |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus WA · Public · 45 graduates measured | $79,688 | $69,373 | Data unavailable |
| CUNY Hunter College NY · Public · 405 graduates measured | $78,475 | $88,978 | Data unavailable |
| California Lutheran University CA · Private, nonprofit · 22 graduates measured | $77,344 | $81,041 | Data unavailable |
| SUNY Old Westbury NY · Public · 19 graduates measured | $77,223 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Doctoral degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania PA · Public · 29 graduates measured | $87,176 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Graduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johns Hopkins University MD · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $96,954 | $96,711 | Data unavailable |
| CUNY Lehman College NY · Public · 22 graduates measured | $92,241 | $102,329 | Data unavailable |
| University of Massachusetts-Boston MA · Public · 36 graduates measured | $83,597 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| CUNY Hunter College NY · Public · 30 graduates measured | $83,134 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Relay Graduate School of Education NY · Private, nonprofit · 124 graduates measured | $73,864 | $82,785 | Data unavailable |
| Lamar University TX · Public · 19 graduates measured | $69,056 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| George Mason University VA · Public · 85 graduates measured | $66,870 | $66,463 | Data unavailable |
| Southern New Hampshire University NH · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $64,802 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Southern California CA · Private, nonprofit · 42 graduates measured | $64,156 | $72,559 | Data unavailable |
| Pennsylvania Western University PA · Public · 19 graduates measured | $61,780 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Saint Cloud State University MN · Public · 18 graduates measured | $61,750 | $59,443 | Data unavailable |
| Texas State University TX · Public · 21 graduates measured | $61,660 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte NC · Public · 32 graduates measured | $61,319 | $57,946 | Data unavailable |
| Adelphi University NY · Private, nonprofit · 39 graduates measured | $61,173 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Ball State University IN · Public · 374 graduates measured | $59,582 | $65,194 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Special Education and Teaching
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education teachers, postsecondary | $75,350 | +2.5% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Special education teachers, preschool | $64,830 | +2.4% | Bachelor's degree |
| Special education teachers, middle school | $66,810 | -0.4% | Bachelor's degree |
| Special education teachers, secondary school | $74,260 | -0.2% | Bachelor's degree |
| Special education teachers, all other | $76,580 | +1.9% | Bachelor's degree |
| Interpreters and translators | $60,170 | +2.0% | Bachelor's degree |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (18)
- 13.1001 Special Education and Teaching, General
- 13.1003 Education/Teaching of Individuals with Hearing Impairments Including Deafness
- 13.1004 Education/Teaching of the Gifted and Talented
- 13.1005 Education/Teaching of Individuals with Emotional Disturbances
- 13.1006 Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities
- 13.1007 Education/Teaching of Individuals with Multiple Disabilities
- 13.1008 Education/Teaching of Individuals with Orthopedic and Other Physical Health Impairments
- 13.1009 Education/Teaching of Individuals with Vision Impairments Including Blindness
- 13.1011 Education/Teaching of Individuals with Specific Learning Disabilities
- 13.1012 Education/Teaching of Individuals with Speech or Language Impairments
- 13.1013 Education/Teaching of Individuals with Autism
- 13.1014 Education/Teaching of Individuals Who are Developmentally Delayed
- 13.1015 Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs
- 13.1016 Education/Teaching of Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injuries
- 13.1017 Education/Teaching of Individuals in Elementary Special Education Programs
- 13.1018 Education/Teaching of Individuals in Junior High/Middle School Special Education Programs
- 13.1019 Education/Teaching of Individuals in Secondary Special Education Programs
- 13.1099 Special Education and Teaching, Other