ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE · NATIONAL DEGREE OUTCOMES
Is a associate's degree in Special Education and Teaching worth it?
Compare cost, debt and earnings across 2 college programs with reportable data.
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff
−$143,405 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting associate's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 2-year duration.
Not availableTime to earn back the modeled cost
−137%Estimated return after 10 years
$41,141Observed earnings · year 4
Not reachedHighest annual price before payoff reaches $0
Start with your decision
What do you need to compare?
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price−$128,590
$7,000Current college-wide context−$142,590
$8,000Current college-wide context−$144,590
$16,000Annual price−$160,590
$24,000Annual price−$176,590
$32,000Annual price−$192,590
$40,000Annual price−$208,590
Outcomes at a glance
$41,141Typical earnings four years after completion
$41,200Average earnings five years after completion
$16,669Typical federal student debt
27thEarnings percentile among the same degree level
Not availableDegrees awarded in 2024–25
2College programs reporting earnings
Degree counts come from the IPEDS Fall 2025 provisional release and cover 0 matched college records. Colleges without a match are not estimated.
Four useful answers about Special Education and Teaching
How much do Special Education and Teaching associate's degree graduates earn?
The national median is $41,141 four years after completion across reportable associate's degree programs in this federal field.
How much federal debt do graduates have?
The median reported federal debt is $16,669. The figure excludes private loans and does not describe every graduate.
Does the college matter for Special Education and Teaching?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $39,996 to $39,996 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to Special Education and Teaching?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 10 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
More schooling changes both the cost and the outcome.
Compare the same field at each degree level with reportable data. These are separate groups of graduates, so the differences do not prove that an additional degree caused higher earnings.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $49,835
- Federal debt
- $25,620
- Programs in the comparison
- 4
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $41,141
- Federal debt
- $16,669
- Programs in the comparison
- 2
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $51,258
- Federal debt
- $26,717
- Programs in the comparison
- 205
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $67,859
- Federal debt
- $23,274
- Programs in the comparison
- 9
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $62,770
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 288
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $98,012
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 1
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $70,411
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 17
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $79,956
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 5
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$39,996National median$41,14175th percentile$39,996
2 programs report year‑4 earnings.BEFORE YOU CHOOSE
Compare price, debt and earnings together
SHORTLIST BY QUESTION
Three useful places to start
Each choice answers a different question. These are observed signals, not an overall winner.
Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Start with the highest-earning reported programs below, or open the full directory to search every college.
2 shortlist matchesSelect up to four · 2 shown
Search every reporting program →
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Chemeketa Community College$42,2862College of Southern Nevada$39,996Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Jobs this degree may lead to
Federal education-to-career links identify related occupations. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same job.
Pay and projected demand
Related careers do not share one outlook
Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection
Higher median wage ↑
-7%Projected employment growth →12%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
Education Teachers, Postsecondary$75,350 median wage60,830 jobs nationwide+2.5% projected growth through 2035 · 5,300 openings a yearTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$39,530–$126,860 typical wage rangeSpecial Education Teachers, All Other$76,580 median wage33,930 jobs nationwide+1.9% projected growth through 2035 · 2,300 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$48,440–$120,080 typical wage rangeSpecial Education Teachers, Secondary School$74,260 median wage163,930 jobs nationwide-0.2% projected growth through 2035 · 10,400 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$49,800–$109,100 typical wage rangeSpecial Education Teachers, Middle School$66,810 median wage95,200 jobs nationwide-0.4% projected growth through 2035 · 6,000 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$49,420–$102,510 typical wage rangeSpecial Education Teachers, Preschool$64,830 median wage29,510 jobs nationwide+2.4% projected growth through 2035 · 2,000 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$45,620–$130,040 typical wage rangeSpecial Education Teachers, Elementary SchoolUnreported jobs nationwideSpecial Education Teachers, KindergartenUnreported jobs nationwideInterpreters and Translators$60,170 median wage52,060 jobs nationwide+2.0% projected growth through 2035 · 6,000 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$37,070–$103,660 typical wage rangeNO MATCHUnreported jobs nationwideTeaching Assistants, Special EducationUnreported jobs nationwide
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 projections. Career figures describe occupations, not graduates of a specific college.
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.