Special Education Doctor’s Degrees
There are 886 colleges and universities across the nation that offer adoctor’s degree in Special Education. In recent years, the majority of students earning degrees in this area were women, and about24% were students from underrepresented racial-ethnic groups. Also, 13.7% of Special Education graduates were international students.
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Education Levels of Special Education Majors
In the most recent reporting year, 33,988 students earned theirSpecial 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 | 1,437 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 8,183 |
| Master’s Degree | 23,928 |
| Doctor’s Degree (this page) | 249 |
Earnings of Special Education Majors With Doctor’s Degrees (All Award Levels)
The U.S. Department of Education reports a median salary for graduates with adoctor’s 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)
The data on debt ranges for Special Education majors who have their doctor’s degree is not currently available.
Student Diversity
This degree is more popular with female students. About 84.7% of graduates with this degree are women.
| Gender | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Men | 38 |
| Women | 210 |
The racial-ethnic distribution of Special Education graduates is as follows:
| Race / Ethnicity | Number of Grads | Share |
|---|---|---|
| White | 155 | 62.5% |
| Asian | 9 | 3.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 19 | 7.7% |
| Black or African American | 11 | 4.4% |
| Two or More Races | 7 | 2.8% |
| Race Unknown | 13 | 5.2% |
| International Students | 34 | 13.7% |
This degree is very popular with international students. Around 13.7% of graduates are in this category.
See the minority definition in the References below.
Most Popular Special Education Programs for Doctor’s Degrees
There are 1,022 colleges that offer a doctor’s 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 doctor's degree. During the most recent year for which we have data, 1,723 people received their doctor's degree in Special Education from this school. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Special Education here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
Grand Canyon University comes in at #2 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Special Education. During the most recent year for which we have data, 1,564 people received their doctor's degree in Special Education from this school. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Special Education here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
Arizona State University Digital Immersion comes in at #3 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Special Education. This school awarded 1,555 doctor's degrees in Special Education in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their doctor's 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 doctor's degrees in Special Education. This school awarded 898 doctor's degrees in Special Education in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Special Education here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
Touro University comes in at #5 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Special Education. During the most recent year for which we have data, 754 people received their doctor's degree in Special Education from this school. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Special Education here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
Lamar University comes in at #6 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Special Education. This school awarded 492 doctor's degrees in Special Education in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Special Education here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
American College of Education comes in at #7 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Special Education. During the most recent year for which we have data, 397 people received their doctor's 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.
National University is a popular choice for Special Education majors seeking their doctor's degree. This school awarded 352 doctor's 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.
Liberty University is a popular choice for Special Education majors seeking their doctor's degree. This school awarded 351 doctor's degrees in Special Education in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Special Education here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
CUNY Hunter College is a popular choice for Special Education majors seeking their doctor's degree. This school awarded 338 doctor's 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 West Florida is a popular choice for Special Education majors seeking their doctor's degree. During the most recent year for which we have data, 322 people received their doctor's degree in Special Education from this school. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Special Education here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
George Mason University comes in at #12 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Special Education. During the most recent year for which we have data, 313 people received their doctor's degree in Special Education from this school. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Special Education here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
University of the Cumberlands is a popular choice for Special Education majors seeking their doctor's degree. During the most recent year for which we have data, 304 people received their doctor's degree in Special Education from this school. Graduates who complete their doctor's 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 doctor's degrees in Special Education. This school awarded 263 doctor's 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 comes in at #15 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Special Education. This school awarded 263 doctor's 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 Brooklyn College is a popular choice for Special Education majors seeking their doctor's degree. This school awarded 259 doctor's degrees in Special Education in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Special Education here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
CUNY Lehman College is a popular choice for Special Education majors seeking their doctor's degree. During the most recent year for which we have data, 214 people received their doctor's 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.
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is a popular choice for Special Education majors seeking their doctor's degree. This school awarded 213 doctor's degrees in Special Education in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their doctor's 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 doctor's degree. This school awarded 209 doctor's degrees in Special Education in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their doctor's degree in Special Education here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus comes in at #20 on our list of the most popular colleges offering doctor's degrees in Special Education. This school awarded 208 doctor's 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.
Special Education Majors to Study
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Related Majors
Below are some popular majors similar to Special Education that also offer doctor’s 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.
