New Jersey · Special Education and Teaching

Best colleges for Special Education and Teaching in New Jersey

Ranked by graduate earnings

The College of New Jersey, William Paterson University of New Jersey and Rowan University award the most Special Education and Teaching degrees and certificates in New Jersey: 138, 107 and 91 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 18 New Jersey colleges offer Special Education and Teaching and award 725 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Special Education and Teaching program prepares students to work with individuals who have a range of disabilities and special needs. This program is ideal for those who are passionate about making a difference in the lives of students…

Institutions
18
offering CIP 13.10
States & territories
54
with a program page
Degrees / yr
725
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$48,628
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
1
College Scorecard
Median net price
$21,902
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
60%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Special Education Teachers, Preschool
$96,730
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top institution, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Kean University
Union Public · Bachelor's degree
$48,6284747%—$27,000

Colleges awarding the most Special Education and Teaching degrees in New Jersey

Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1The College of New Jersey
Ewing Public
138Not reported
2William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne Public
107Not reported
3Rowan University
Glassboro Public
91Not reported
4Ramapo College of New Jersey
Mahwah Public
84Not reported
5Kean University
Union Public
47$48,628
6New Jersey City University
Jersey City Public
45Not reported
7Rider University
Lawrenceville Private not-for-profit
45Not reported
8Rutgers University - New Brunswick
New Brunswick Public
44Not reported
9Montclair State University
Montclair Public
34Not reported
10Monmouth University
West Long Branch Private not-for-profit
20Not reported
Show the other 8 New Jersey colleges offering Special Education and Teaching
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Felician UniversityLodiPrivate not-for-profit17
Saint Peter's UniversityJersey CityPrivate not-for-profit15
Seton Hall UniversitySouth OrangePrivate not-for-profit15
Centenary UniversityHackettstownPrivate not-for-profit11
Georgian Court UniversityLakewoodPrivate not-for-profit6
Caldwell UniversityCaldwellPrivate not-for-profit2
Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan CampusTeaneckPrivate not-for-profit2
Saint Elizabeth UniversityMorristownPrivate not-for-profit2

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Special Education Teachers, Preschool (SOC 25-2051).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+1.4%
Little or no change
Openings / yr (US)
~2,100
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$62,190
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

SpeakingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingMonitoringWriting

What Special Education Teachers, Preschool earn in New Jersey

Jobs in New Jersey
1,720
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$96,730
median $92,060
Best-paying metro
$84,410
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ

Related careers

Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
$88,760 avg · 7,520 jobs
Special Education Teachers, Middle School
$82,680 avg · 5,660 jobs
Education Teachers, Postsecondary
$79,490 avg · 2,580 jobs
Special Education Teachers, Preschool
$96,730 avg · 1,720 jobs
Interpreters and Translators
$80,040 avg · 870 jobs
Special Education Teachers, All Other
$72,910 avg · 610 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Special Education and Teaching programs in New Jersey.

Which New Jersey colleges award the most Special Education and Teaching degrees?+

The College of New Jersey (138 graduates a year), William Paterson University of New Jersey (107 graduates a year) and Rowan University (91 graduates a year) award the most Special Education and Teaching degrees and certificates in New Jersey, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 18 New Jersey colleges offer Special Education and Teaching.

Which Special Education and Teaching program in New Jersey has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Kean University tops the list at $48,628. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Special Education Teachers, Preschool earn in New Jersey?+

The average annual wage for Special Education Teachers, Preschool in New Jersey is $96,730 (median $92,060), across about 1,720 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Special Education and Teaching program?+

The Special Education and Teaching program prepares students to work with individuals who have a range of disabilities and special needs. This program is ideal for those who are passionate about making a difference in the lives of students…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop speaking, active listening, reading comprehension, critical thinking, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Special Education Teachers, Preschool?+

The national job outlook is about +1.4% growth with around 2,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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