Best institutions to study Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities
A program that focuses on the design of educational services for children or adults with intellectual disabilities which adversely affect their educational performance and that may prepare individuals to teach such students.
12 U.S. institutions graduated 62 Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 13.1006, a specialization of Special Education and Teaching (CIP 13.10), and leads most directly to the Special Education Teachers, Preschool occupation (BLS SOC 25-2051).
About Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities programs
A program that focuses on the design of educational services for children or adults with intellectual disabilities which adversely affect their educational performance and that may prepare individuals to teach such students. Includes instruction in identifying students with intellectual disabilities, developing individual education plans, teaching and supervising mentally handicapped students, counseling, and applicable laws and policies.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities program focuses on designing educational services for children and adults with intellectual disabilities that impact their learning. This program prepares individuals to teach and support students with special needs, equipping them with the necessary skills to foster educational development and personal growth.
Learn more about Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities →
Students in this program will gain skills in communication, active listening, and critical thinking. Coursework includes developing individual education plans (IEPs), employing special educational strategies, and teaching essential life skills to enhance the learning experience for students with intellectual disabilities.
Credentials awarded
What Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Bachelor's degree30 graduates / yr · 5 institutions48%
- Master's degree18 graduates / yr · 5 institutions29%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate10 graduates / yr · 3 institutions16%
- Post-master's certificate3 graduates / yr · 1 institution4.8%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship1 graduates / yr · 1 institution1.6%
Graduates over time
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 460 |
| 2013 | 342 |
| 2014 | 255 |
| 2015 | 242 |
| 2016 | 215 |
| 2017 | 204 |
| 2018 | 163 |
| 2019 | 149 |
| 2020 | 154 |
| 2021 | 116 |
| 2022 | 116 |
| 2023 | 78 |
| 2024 | 75 |
| 2025 | 62 |
Top 12 institutions for Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MIPublicBachelor's | 11 | 59% | — | $46,522 |
| 2 | Northern Michigan University Marquette, MIPublicBachelor's | 10 | 52% | — | — |
| 3 | Teachers College at Columbia University New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sDoctoral | 9 | — | — | — |
| 4 | Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, MIPublicBachelor's | 6 | 46% | — | $43,777 |
| 5 | Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, MNPublicPost-degree cert. | 5 | 40% | — | $46,662 |
| 6 | Rhode Island College Providence, RIPublicMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 5 | 48% | — | $50,060 |
| 7 | Morningside University Sioux City, IAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 4 | 50% | $22,816 | — |
| 8 | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Winona, MNPrivate not-for-profitPost-degree cert. | 3 | 66% | $18,163 | — |
| 9 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 3 | 96% | $15,315 | — |
| 10 | University of St Thomas Saint Paul, MNPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 2 | 76% | $28,888 | — |
| 11 | Southern Wesleyan University Central, SCPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 2 | 52% | $19,568 | — |
| 12 | Converse University Spartanburg, SCPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster's | 2 | 62% | $19,465 | — |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Special Education and Teaching field (CIP 13.10) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 6 states
Where Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities graduates come from. Each state links to all Special Education and Teaching programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 3 | 27 | Central Michigan University11 / yr |
| New York | 2 | 12 | Teachers College at Columbia University9 / yr |
| Minnesota | 3 | 10 | Saint Cloud State University5 / yr |
| Rhode Island | 1 | 5 | Rhode Island College5 / yr |
| South Carolina | 2 | 4 | Southern Wesleyan University2 / yr |
| Iowa | 1 | 4 | Morningside University4 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 25-2051, Special Education Teachers, Preschool, and its national outlook.
Graduates of this program typically pursue careers as special education teachers in various educational settings, including preschool and secondary schools. The job outlook indicates little or no change in employment opportunities, with an annual opening of about 2,100 positions and a median wage of $62,190, typically requiring a Bachelor's degree.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 13.1006
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Special Education Teachers, Preschoolprimary SOC 25-2051 | $64,830 | +1.4% Little or no change | ~2,100 | Bachelor's degree |
Special Education Teachers, Secondary School SOC 25-2058 | $74,260 | -1.6% Decline | ~11,100 | Bachelor's degree |
Special Education Teachers, Middle School SOC 25-2057 | $66,810 | -1.9% Decline | ~6,300 | Bachelor's degree |
Education Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1081 | $75,350 | +2.1% About as fast as average | ~5,600 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Special Education Teachers, All Other SOC 25-2059 | $76,580 | +1.1% Little or no change | ~2,900 | Bachelor's degree |
SOC 25-2055 | — | — | — | — |
SOC 25-2056 | — | — | — | — |
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Employ special educational strategies or techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, or memory.
- Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement.
- Communicate nonverbally with children to provide them with comfort, encouragement, or positive reinforcement.
- Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, or social skills, to preschool students with special needs.
- Develop individual educational plans (IEPs) designed to promote students' educational, physical, or social development.
- Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, or other professionals to develop individual education plans (IEPs).
Tools and technology used
Other Special Education and Teaching specializations
The 17 other 6-digit CIP codes under Special Education and Teaching (CIP 13.10).
- Special Education and TeachingCIP 13.100122,668 graduates / yr664 institutions
- Education/CIP 13.1015
Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs 3,949 graduates / yr154 institutions - Education/CIP 13.1017
Teaching of Individuals in Elementary Special Education Programs 1,718 graduates / yr70 institutions - Education/CIP 13.1007
Teaching of Individuals with Multiple Disabilities 1,466 graduates / yr28 institutions - Special Education and TeachingCIP 13.10991,365 graduates / yr82 institutions
- Education/CIP 13.1013
Teaching of Individuals with Autism 1,077 graduates / yr74 institutions - Education/CIP 13.1004
Teaching of the Gifted and Talented 506 graduates / yr54 institutions - Education/CIP 13.1019
Teaching of Individuals in Secondary Special Education Programs 492 graduates / yr39 institutions - Education/CIP 13.1011
Teaching of Individuals with Specific Learning Disabilities 470 graduates / yr41 institutions - Education/CIP 13.1012
Teaching of Individuals with Speech or Language Impairments 344 graduates / yr13 institutions - Education/CIP 13.1003
Teaching of Individuals with Hearing Impairments Including Deafness 251 graduates / yr32 institutions - Education/CIP 13.1009
Teaching of Individuals with Vision Impairments Including Blindness 204 graduates / yr14 institutions - Education/CIP 13.1005
Teaching of Individuals with Emotional Disturbances 147 graduates / yr22 institutions - Education/CIP 13.1014
Teaching of Individuals Who are Developmentally Delayed partial data101 graduates / yr8 institutions - Education/CIP 13.1008
Teaching of Individuals with Orthopedic and Other Physical Health Impairments partial data55 graduates / yr4 institutions - Education/CIP 13.1018
Teaching of Individuals in Junior High/ Middle School Special Education Programs partial data36 graduates / yr7 institutions - Education/CIP 13.1016
Teaching of Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injuries limited data29 graduates / yr2 institutions
Common questions
What degree do I need to teach individuals with intellectual disabilities?+
A Bachelor's degree is typically required for teaching positions in this field.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in communication, active listening, critical thinking, and teaching strategies.
What is the job outlook for special education teachers?+
The job outlook shows little or no change, with approximately 2,100 annual openings.
What tasks will I perform as a special education teacher?+
You will develop IEPs, teach basic skills, and employ special educational strategies.
What is the CIP code for Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities?+
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities is CIP 13.1006 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Special Education and Teaching (CIP 13.10). NCES defines it as: A program that focuses on the design of educational services for children or adults with intellectual disabilities which adversely affect their educational performance and that may prepare individuals to teach such students. Includes instruction in identifying students with intellectual disabilities, developing individual education plans, teaching and supervising mentally handicapped students, counseling, and applicable laws and policies.
How many institutions offer Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities programs?+
12 U.S. institutions reported Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 6 states, awarding 62 credentials in the year. That is 0.2% of all Special Education and Teaching graduates.
How much do Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Special Education Teachers, Preschool occupation, which Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities most directly leads to, pays a median of $64,830 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Special Education and Teaching field report median earnings of $46,662 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
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.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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