Best Master's in Middle School Special Education Programs by Local Teacher Pay
Ranked by the median wage for elementary teachers in each program metro area, from BLS. The top 4 out of 4 programs reviewed from the IPEDS database.
- 1
CUNY City College
- 54Master's/yr
- $96,900Metro teacher pay
- Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.) — Teaching Students with Disabilities
- On-campus
About the programThe City College of New York offers a Master of Science in Education in Teaching Students with Disabilities that leads to New York State certification across all grades and lets students study on campus, in a hybrid model, or fully online as their schedules require. The program splits into an Initial Certificate Track for candidates without initial certification and a Professional Certificate Track for those already certified, with additional advanced certificate options, so it accommodates newcomers and experienced teachers alike. Its emphasis on an inclusion model of service delivery in urban settings gives the preparation a clear orientation toward city classrooms and integrated instruction. A state-mandated Needs of Children with Autism workshop is built into the coursework. The flexible delivery makes it accessible to working educators across New York City. As a master's degree in middle school special education, it adds to the master's-level middle school special education options in New York.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteMaster's programs are judged differently here. Undergraduate stats do not apply, so the ranking looks at whether the program is established, the pay its graduates walk into locally, and how the university stands behind it. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 54 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where elementary teachers earn a median $96,900, roughly $86,085 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.
Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.
- 2
CUNY Queens College
- 1Master's/yr
- $96,900Metro teacher pay
- Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.) — Teacher of Special Education, Grades 1-6
- On-campus
About the programQueens College offers a Master of Science in Education preparing a Teacher of Special Education for the Childhood grade band, leading to New York State initial or professional certification for grades 1-6. Built as a 36-credit program that unfolds part-time over three years, with mandatory summer internship coursework, it reads as a structure designed for people who are working while they study and want a steady, predictable path to certification. It is one of three grade-band special education tracks at the college, alongside Early Childhood and Adolescent options, letting candidates target the age range they intend to teach. The summer internship requirement grounds the degree in supervised classroom practice rather than coursework alone. Its on-campus, part-time format fits aspiring special educators building toward certification while managing other commitments. As a master's degree in middle school special education, it adds to the master's-level middle school special education options in New York.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteMaster's programs are judged differently here. Undergraduate stats do not apply, so the ranking looks at whether the program is established, the pay its graduates walk into locally, and how the university stands behind it. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 1 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where elementary teachers earn a median $96,900, roughly $86,085 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.
Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.
- 3
Xavier University of Louisiana
- 4Master's/yr
- $60,350Metro teacher pay
- Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) — Middle Grades Special Education (Mild/Moderate) track
- On-campus
About the programXavier University of Louisiana offers a Master of Arts in Teaching with a Middle Grades Special Education track that functions as an alternative certification route, built specifically for candidates who are entering the profession without prior teaching experience. Structured as a 39-credit-hour program, it layers a Mild/Moderate add-on endorsement onto the Middle School Grades 4-8 certificate within the Curriculum and Instruction M.A.T., leading to initial special education certification once candidates pass the required content-specific Praxis exam. Personal coaching for classroom readiness signals a program attentive to the practical demands new teachers face in their first placements. The emphasis on grades 4-8 mild-to-moderate needs points it toward a defined, high-need slice of special education. Offered on campus, it suits career-changers and recent graduates seeking a supported path into teaching. It is a master's degree in middle school special education at the master's level, based in Louisiana.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteA master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 4 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New Orleans-Metairie, LA, where elementary teachers earn a median $60,350, roughly $65,175 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.
Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.
- 4
Carroll University
- 24Master's/yr
- Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) — Elementary and Special Education / Secondary and Special Education dual-licensure track
- On-campus
About the programCarroll University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching built around dual licensure, preparing candidates in both general education and cross-categorical special education for Wisconsin classrooms through Elementary and Special Education or Secondary and Special Education pathways. The cohort model, meeting for one live weekend a month with the remainder online, paired with an accelerated 17-month timeline, characterizes a program engineered for adults who want to earn two credentials quickly without leaving work behind. Earning both a general and a K-12 special education license positions graduates for the inclusive, co-taught settings many schools now rely on. Locked per-semester tuition adds cost predictability for candidates planning the full sequence. The hybrid structure keeps most study online while preserving regular in-person connection with the cohort. This program offers a master's degree in middle school special education in Wisconsin.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteMaster's programs are judged differently here. Undergraduate stats do not apply, so the ranking looks at whether the program is established, the pay its graduates walk into locally, and how the university stands behind it. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 24 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.
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