New York · Special Education and Teaching

Best colleges for Special Education and Teaching in New York

Ranked by graduate earnings

Pace University, Syracuse University and SUNY Old Westbury are the top bachelor's Special Education and Teaching programs in New York by graduate earnings. Pace University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $62,346, College Scorecard. Touro University, CUNY Hunter College and University of Mount Saint Vincent award the most Special Education and Teaching degrees in New York: 753, 271 and 263 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 65 New York colleges offer Special Education and Teaching and award 4,141 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
65
offering CIP 13.10
States & territories
54
with a program page
Degrees / yr
4,141
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$38,978
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
7
College Scorecard
Median net price
$24,177
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
63%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Special Education Teachers, Preschool
$95,570
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 7 bachelor's programs, 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
1Pace University
New York Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$62,3468860%$29,994$24,000
2Syracuse University
Syracuse Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$55,8816484%$28,851$27,000
3SUNY Old Westbury
Old Westbury Public · Bachelor's degree
$38,9785045%—$24,145
4SUNY College at Geneseo
Geneseo Public · Bachelor's degree
$37,2295671%—$23,250
5St. Joseph's University - New York
Brooklyn Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$35,04124369%$17,134$27,000
6SUNY Buffalo State University
Buffalo Public · Bachelor's degree
$16,7377033%—$22,610
7CUNY Medgar Evers College
Brooklyn Public · Bachelor's degree
$49,4132920%—$5,500

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

Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, 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)
1Touro University
New York Private not-for-profit
753Not reported
2CUNY Hunter College
New York Public
271Not reported
3University of Mount Saint Vincent
Bronx Private not-for-profit
263Not reported
4St. Joseph's University - New York
Brooklyn Private not-for-profit
243$35,041
5Niagara University
Niagara University Private not-for-profit
210Not reported
6CUNY City College
New York Public
125Not reported
7CUNY Lehman College
Bronx Public
120Not reported
8CUNY Brooklyn College
Brooklyn Public
112Not reported
9SUNY Brockport
Brockport Public
108Not reported
10State University of New York at Plattsburgh
Plattsburgh Public
104Not reported
Show the other 55 New York colleges offering Special Education and Teaching
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Daemen UniversityAmherstPrivate not-for-profit103
Molloy UniversityRockville CentrePrivate not-for-profit94
State University of New York at CortlandCortlandPublic94
Roberts Wesleyan UniversityRochesterPrivate not-for-profit89
Pace UniversityNew YorkPrivate not-for-profit88
Bank Street College of Education (Graduate only)New YorkPrivate not-for-profit72
SUNY Buffalo State UniversityBuffaloPublic70
College of Staten Island CUNYStaten IslandPublic65
CUNY Queens CollegeQueensPublic65
Syracuse UniversitySyracusePrivate not-for-profit64
SUNY College at GeneseoGeneseoPublic56
Fordham UniversityBronxPrivate not-for-profit51
SUNY Old WestburyOld WestburyPublic50
Manhattanville UniversityPurchasePrivate not-for-profit49
Long Island UniversityBrookvillePrivate not-for-profit46
Adelphi UniversityGarden CityPrivate not-for-profit41
St. John's University - New YorkQueensPrivate not-for-profit41
SUNY College at PotsdamPotsdamPublic41
Marist UniversityPoughkeepsiePrivate not-for-profit39
Teachers College at Columbia University (Graduate only)New YorkPrivate not-for-profit39
Hofstra UniversityHempsteadPrivate not-for-profit37
Manhattan UniversityRiverdalePrivate not-for-profit36
University at AlbanyAlbanyPublic34
St. Thomas Aquinas CollegeSparkillPrivate not-for-profit31
State University of New York at New PaltzNew PaltzPublic30
CUNY Medgar Evers CollegeBrooklynPublic29
Canisius UniversityBuffaloPrivate not-for-profit28
Metropolitan College of New York (Online)New YorkPrivate not-for-profit25
University of RochesterRochesterPrivate not-for-profit25
Empire State University (Degree completion)Saratoga SpringsPublic25
Iona UniversityNew RochellePrivate not-for-profit24
Mount Saint Mary CollegeNewburghPrivate not-for-profit24
Binghamton UniversityVestalPublic24
Keuka CollegeKeuka ParkPrivate not-for-profit23
Nazareth UniversityRochesterPrivate not-for-profit18
St Bonaventure UniversitySaint BonaventurePrivate not-for-profit18
Mercy UniversityDobbs FerryPrivate not-for-profit17
SUNY at FredoniaFredoniaPublic17
Ithaca CollegeIthacaPrivate not-for-profit13
St. Francis CollegeBrooklynPrivate not-for-profit13
Columbia UniversityNew YorkPrivate not-for-profit11
Monroe UniversityBronxPrivate for-profit10
University at BuffaloBuffaloPublic8
Utica UniversityUticaPrivate not-for-profit8
Alfred UniversityAlfredPrivate not-for-profit6
Dominican University New YorkOrangeburgPrivate not-for-profit6
Yeshiva UniversityNew YorkPrivate not-for-profit6
Hobart William Smith CollegesGenevaPrivate not-for-profit5
Russell Sage CollegeTroyPrivate not-for-profit5
SUNY OneontaOneontaPublic5
State University of New York at OswegoOswegoPublic5
New York UniversityNew YorkPrivate not-for-profit4
Elmira CollegeElmiraPrivate not-for-profit2
Sarah Lawrence CollegeBronxvillePrivate not-for-profit2
Le Moyne CollegeSyracusePrivate not-for-profit1

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 York

Jobs in New York
6,220
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$95,570
median $68,180
Best-paying metro
$101,880
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ

Related careers

Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
$95,910 avg · 15,250 jobs
Special Education Teachers, Middle School
$92,940 avg · 7,870 jobs
Special Education Teachers, Preschool
$95,570 avg · 6,220 jobs
Education Teachers, Postsecondary
$96,740 avg · 5,430 jobs
Interpreters and Translators
$86,550 avg · 3,240 jobs
Special Education Teachers, All Other
$78,020 avg · 2,170 jobs

Common questions

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

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

Touro University (753 graduates a year), CUNY Hunter College (271 graduates a year) and University of Mount Saint Vincent (263 graduates a year) award the most Special Education and Teaching degrees in New York, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 65 New York colleges offer Special Education and Teaching.

What is the best college for Special Education and Teaching in New York?+

By graduate earnings, Pace University leads among bachelor's Special Education and Teaching programs in New York, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $62,346, College Scorecard. Syracuse University and SUNY Old Westbury follow. By degrees awarded, Touro University is the largest, with 753 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

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

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Pace University tops the list at $62,346. 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 York?+

The average annual wage for Special Education Teachers, Preschool in New York is $95,570 (median $68,180), across about 6,220 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.

Explore every U.S. college in one conversation

Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.

Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card