Why This Matters
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ADVANCED DEGREES OFTEN REQUIRED FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION JOBS
Many opportunites for this occupation will require you to have a graduate degree. For example, this level of education is needed for 47% of special education positions at the middle school level.
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0% JOB GROWTH THROUGH 2032
The special education field is expected to experience little to no growth over the next decade. A doctorate will help you stand out from other candidates and get hired in this competitive job market.
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POTENTIAL TO EARN A SIX-FIGURE SALARY
While the average salary for special education teachers is $62,950 per year, the top 10% of workers in this field earn over $102,450.
Our Research
This list features some of the best online doctorate in special education degree programs at top colleges nationwide. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution — either public or private — with a high standard of academic quality for post-secondary education.
We evaluated each school’s program on admission, retention, and graduation rates as well as tuition costs, faculty, reputation, and the resources provided for online students. Then, we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.
Next, we compared this comprehensive list of online doctorate in special education degree programs to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications like U.S. News & World Report, among others, to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.
- 71 hours to write this article
- 48 universities and colleges we assessed
- 49 education programs we compared
The Top 50 Online Doctorate in Special Education Programs
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What You Should Know About This Degree
Similar occupations to special education teacher include childcare worker and instructional coordinator. Occupational therapists also work with children with special disabilities and illnesses both in schools and in private instruction.
One of the most popular certifications for those in the special education field is the AASEP Professional Board Certification in Special Education (BCSE). This certification demonstrates a commitment to excellence to employers, peers, and administrators.
In addition to a college education, you will likely also need to pass a criminal background check to find work in this field.
What’s Next?
When searching for an online doctorate in special education degree program, here are a couple of questions to ask.
- Am I eligible for the program? A master’s degree is required for admissions into a doctorate program in special education. Also, some colleges have a minimum GPA requirement of 3.0 to 3.25.
- How long does it take to complete this online degree? An online doctorate degree in special education requires approximately 60 credit hours of coursework. Full-time students may graduate in two years or less while part-time students typically graduate in three years.
When researching programs to apply for, be sure to note cutoff dates for applications and determine exactly which materials you will need to submit. This information can be found by reviewing a college’s admissions page or contacting an admissions counselor.