Best Special Education and Teaching Programs in the West
Updated
Regional list from Special Education and Teaching Programs Ranked by Earnings
This page ranks the 17 Special Education and Teaching programs in the West by median earnings of Special Education and Teaching graduates four years after completing, highest first. Western Washington University leads the list at $64,780, with Nevada State University close behind at $64,201.
Across the listed programs, the median is $53,619, and the figures span from $64,780 to $25,774, a spread of $39,006. For 3 of the 17 programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
The list is overwhelmingly public: 15 of the 17 schools are public, a share of 88%. New Mexico State University-Main Campus posts the lowest average net price on the page, at $8,889.
Arizona State University Campus Immersion ranks 21st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, the strongest showing on this list.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Washington University · Bellingham, WA | $64,780 | $21,193 | $12,915 | 93.3% |
| Western Washington University ranks 1st on this list, with median earnings of $64,780 for its Special Education and Teaching graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 2 | Nevada State University · Henderson, NV | $64,201 | $14,068 | $11,438 | 86.8% |
| A public university in Henderson, Nevada State University reports an average net price of $14,068 and median earnings of $64,201 for its Special Education and Teaching graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 3 | University of Hawaii at Manoa · Honolulu, HI | $62,087 | $15,664 | $10,675 | 86.6% |
| University of Hawaii at Manoa posts median earnings of $62,087 for its Special Education and Teaching graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $10,675 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 4 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas · Las Vegas, NV | $60,958 | $10,359 | $8,526 | 96.2% |
| With an admission rate of 96%, University of Nevada-Las Vegas reports median earnings of $60,958 for its Special Education and Teaching graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM | $58,953 | $8,889 | $6,648 | 89.0% |
| New Mexico State University-Main Campus reports median earnings of $58,953 for its Special Education and Teaching graduates four years after completing and median federal debt of $17,095 across all of the school's borrowers who completed. | |||||
| 6 | Gonzaga University · Spokane, WA | $58,772 | $35,119 | $20,833 | 81.7% |
| Gonzaga University, a private nonprofit university in Spokane, reports median earnings of $58,772 for its Special Education and Teaching graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $35,119. | |||||
| 7 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion · Tempe, AZ | $56,311 | $14,967 | $9,070 | 89.9% |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion ranks 21st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $56,311 for its Special Education and Teaching graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 8 | Eastern Washington University · Cheney, WA | $55,244 | $13,886 | $9,547 | 90.8% |
| Eastern Washington University reports median earnings of $55,244 for its Special Education and Teaching graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $9,547 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 9 | Northern Arizona University · Flagstaff, AZ | $53,619 | $14,158 | $9,709 | 89.6% |
| With 115 graduates in the earnings cohort, Northern Arizona University reports median earnings of $53,619 for its Special Education and Teaching graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 10 | University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM | $53,429 | $15,489 | $11,938 | 95.2% |
| University of New Mexico-Main Campus reports median earnings of $53,429 for its Special Education and Teaching graduates four years after completing and median federal debt of $18,450 across all of the school's borrowers who completed. | |||||
| 11 | University of Arizona · Tucson, AZ | $52,173 | $16,674 | $13,353 | 86.1% |
| Ranking 75th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, University of Arizona reports median earnings of $52,173 for its Special Education and Teaching graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 12 | Metropolitan State University of Denver · Denver, CO | $51,786 | $15,327 | $12,481 | 98.8% |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver admits 99% of applicants and reports median earnings of $51,786 for its Special Education and Teaching graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 13 | University of Northern Colorado · Greeley, CO | $51,008 | $17,760 | $12,695 | 85.9% |
| University of Northern Colorado reports median earnings of $51,008 for its Special Education and Teaching graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $17,760. | |||||
| 14 | Brigham Young University · Provo, UT | $39,325 | $15,564 | $10,444 | 67.8% |
| A private nonprofit university in Provo, Brigham Young University admits 68% of applicants and ranks 27th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 15 | Boise State University · Boise, ID | $35,772 | $21,610 | $18,165 | 87.2% |
| Boise State University ranks 15th on this list, with an average net price of $18,165 for families earning under $30,000 and an 87% admission rate. | |||||
| 16 | New Mexico Highlands University · Las Vegas, NM | $32,711 | $14,838 | $13,511 | Not reported |
| With 18 graduates in the earnings cohort, New Mexico Highlands University posts median earnings of $32,711 for its Special Education and Teaching graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 17 | Montana State University Billings · Billings, MT | $25,774 | $16,524 | $13,927 | Not reported |
| Montana State University Billings ranks 17th on this list and 770th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Special Education and Teaching graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the West appear. The figures are medians for federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 3 of the 17 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The gap between Western Washington University and Nevada State University is $579, and the spread from the top of the list to the bottom is $39,006.
Related rankings
- Special Education and Teaching Programs Ranked by Earnings
- Best Colleges in the West
- Top Special Education and Teaching Programs in the Midwest
- Special Education and Teaching Programs in the Northeast
- Best Special Education and Teaching Programs in the South
- Education Colleges in the West for Social Mobility
- Education Colleges in the West
- Teacher Education Colleges in the West for Social Mobility