Special Education Associate Degrees
A associate degree in Special Education is offered at 886 colleges in the United States, where you can earn aassociate degree in Special Education. Among those who recently graduated from the schools offering this degree, the majority were women, and76% were students from underrepresented racial-ethnic groups. Also, 0.7% of Special Education graduates were international students.
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Education Levels of Special Education Majors
In the most recent year for which data is available, 33,988 degrees were awarded toSpecial Education majors across all award levels. The following table shows the number of diplomas awarded in Special Education at each degree level.
| Education Level | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Certificate | 177 |
| Associate’s Degree (this page) | 1,437 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 8,183 |
| Master’s Degree | 23,928 |
| Doctor’s Degree | 249 |
Earnings of Special Education Majors With Associate Degrees (All Award Levels)
Federal data tracks the median salary for graduates with aassociate degree in Special Education of $54,220 four years after graduation. These figures are reported program-wide, across all award levels.
However, this can depend on a number of factors, such as where you live and the number of years of experience you have.
| Years After Graduation | 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 (program-wide, all award levels).
Student Debt (All Award Levels)
We do not have the data to estimate the median debt for graduates with this degree.
Student Diversity
This degree is more popular with female students. About 91.2% of graduates with this degree are women.
| Gender | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Men | 126 |
| Women | 1,311 |
The racial-ethnic distribution of Special Education graduates is as follows:
| Race / Ethnicity | Number of Grads | Share |
|---|---|---|
| White | 331 | 23.0% |
| Asian | 110 | 7.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 852 | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 36 | 2.5% |
| American Indian / Alaska Native | 17 | 1.2% |
| Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander | 3 | 0.2% |
| Two or More Races | 48 | 3.3% |
| Race Unknown | 30 | 2.1% |
| International Students | 10 | 0.7% |
This degree is not very popular with international students. Only 0.7% of graduates fall into this category.
See the minority definition in the References below.
Most Popular Special Education Programs for Associate Degrees
There are 1,022 colleges that offer a associate degree in Special Education. Learn more about the most popular below:
Ball State University tops the list of the most popular schools in the U.S. for Special Education majors seeking their associate degree. During the most recent year for which we have data, 1,723 people received their associate degree in Special Education from this school. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
Grand Canyon University comes in at #2 on our list of the most popular colleges offering associate degrees in Special Education. During the most recent year for which we have data, 1,564 people received their associate degree in Special Education from this school. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
Arizona State University Digital Immersion is a popular choice for Special Education majors seeking their associate degree. This school awarded 1,555 associate degrees in Special Education in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their associate degree in Special Education here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
Western Governors University comes in at #4 on our list of the most popular colleges offering associate degrees in Special Education. During the most recent year for which we have data, 898 people received their associate degree in Special Education from this school. Graduates who complete their associate degree in Special Education here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
Touro University is a popular choice for Special Education majors seeking their associate degree. This school awarded 754 associate degrees in Special Education in the most recent reporting year. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
Lamar University is a popular choice for Special Education majors seeking their associate degree. During the most recent year for which we have data, 492 people received their associate degree in Special Education from this school. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
American College of Education is a popular choice for Special Education majors seeking their associate degree. During the most recent year for which we have data, 397 people received their associate degree in Special Education from this school. Graduates who complete their associate degree in Special Education here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
National University is a popular choice for Special Education majors seeking their associate degree. During the most recent year for which we have data, 352 people received their associate degree in Special Education from this school. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
Liberty University comes in at #9 on our list of the most popular colleges offering associate degrees in Special Education. This school awarded 351 associate degrees in Special Education in the most recent reporting year. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
CUNY Hunter College is a popular choice for Special Education majors seeking their associate degree. During the most recent year for which we have data, 338 people received their associate degree in Special Education from this school. Graduates who complete their associate degree in Special Education here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
University of West Florida is a popular choice for Special Education majors seeking their associate degree. This school awarded 322 associate degrees in Special Education in the most recent reporting year. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
George Mason University is a popular choice for Special Education majors seeking their associate degree. This school awarded 313 associate degrees in Special Education in the most recent reporting year. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
University of the Cumberlands is a popular choice for Special Education majors seeking their associate degree. During the most recent year for which we have data, 304 people received their associate degree in Special Education from this school. Graduates who complete their associate degree in Special Education here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
Illinois State University comes in at #14 on our list of the most popular colleges offering associate degrees in Special Education. This school awarded 263 associate degrees in Special Education in the most recent reporting year. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
St. Joseph's University-New York is a popular choice for Special Education majors seeking their associate degree. During the most recent year for which we have data, 263 people received their associate degree in Special Education from this school. Graduates who complete their associate degree in Special Education here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
CUNY Brooklyn College comes in at #16 on our list of the most popular colleges offering associate degrees in Special Education. During the most recent year for which we have data, 259 people received their associate degree in Special Education from this school. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
CUNY Lehman College comes in at #17 on our list of the most popular colleges offering associate degrees in Special Education. This school awarded 214 associate degrees in Special Education in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their associate degree in Special Education here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania comes in at #18 on our list of the most popular colleges offering associate degrees in Special Education. During the most recent year for which we have data, 213 people received their associate degree in Special Education from this school. Graduates who complete their associate degree in Special Education here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
Niagara University is a popular choice for Special Education majors seeking their associate degree. This school awarded 209 associate degrees in Special Education in the most recent reporting year. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus is a popular choice for Special Education majors seeking their associate degree. During the most recent year for which we have data, 208 people received their associate degree in Special Education from this school. Graduates who complete their associate degree in Special Education here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
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Related Majors
Below are some popular majors similar to Special Education that also offer associate degrees.
| Major | Annual Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 108,054 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 42,255 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 39,881 |
| Education, General | 27,481 |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 21,331 |
References
The racial-ethnic minority student count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the percentage of racial-ethnic minorities.
- College Factual
- National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
- O*NET Online
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
More about our data sources and methodologies.