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Best Value Special Education Schools in Colorado

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2023 Best Value Special Education Schools in Colorado

Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing

7 Colleges
$22,995 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$43,549 Avg Salary

Finding the Best Special Education School for You

Out of the majors we analyze each year, special education was ranked 4th in Colorado. In fact, 340 were awarded in the state in 2020-2021.

With all the teaching programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school to be a better alternative for you.

To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Teaching Degree Search has developed this Best Value Special Education Schools in Colorado ranking. Our analysis looked at 7 schools in Colorado to see which programs offered the best value experiences for special ed students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.

When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.

Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.

2023 Best Value Special Education Schools in Colorado

The following schools top our list of the Best Value Special Education Colleges.

Best Colorado Schools for Affordable Quality in Special Education

$9,384 Average Tuition & Fees

Our analysis found University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus to be the best value school for special education students who want to pursue a degree in Colorado. Located in the large city of Denver, CU Anschutz is a public college with a fairly large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at CU Anschutz are $9,384 a year.

In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, CU Anschutz is ranked #5 for overall quality for special ed in Colorado.

Full Special Education at University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus Report

$10,021 Average Tuition & Fees

Out of the 7 schools in Colorado that were part of this year’s ranking, Metropolitan State University of Denver landed the # 2 spot on the list. Located in the city of Denver, MSU Denver is a public school with a fairly large student population.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at MSU Denver are $10,021 per year. The average amount in student loans that special ed majors at MSU Denver take out is $24,940.

Read More…

$10,666 Average Tuition & Fees

A rank of #3 on this year’s list means University of Northern Colorado is a great value for special education students. University of Northern Colorado is a large public school located in the midsize city of Greeley.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at University of Northern Colorado are $10,666 a year. The average amount in student loans that special ed majors at University of Northern Colorado take out is $26,355. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $336.

Full Special Education at University of Northern Colorado Report

$10,994 Average Tuition & Fees

Out of the 7 schools in Colorado that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs landed the # 4 spot on the list. UCCS is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Colorado Springs.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at UCCS are $10,994 a year.

Read full report on Special Education at University of Colorado at Colorado Springs

#5

Regis University

Denver, CO
$39,610 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Regis University. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Special Education Schools in Colorado list. Located in the large city of Denver, Regis U is a private not-for-profit college with a moderately-sized student population.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Regis U are $39,610 per year.

Regis U not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #3 on our Best Special Education Schools in Colorado list.

Full Special Education at Regis University Report

$25,473 Average Tuition & Fees

Colorado Christian University landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value special education programs. Located in the city of Lakewood, CCU is a private not-for-profit college with a moderately-sized student population.

CCU undergraduate students pay an average of $25,473 in in-state tuition and fees each year.

Read More…

#7

University of Denver

Denver, CO
$54,819 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #7, University of Denver did quite well on this year’s best value schools for special education students. Located in the large city of Denver, DU is a private not-for-profit school with a large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at DU are $54,819 a year.

Full Special Education at University of Denver Report

Best Value Special Education Colleges in the Rocky Mountains Region

Explore all the Best Value Special Education Colleges in the Rocky Mountains Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
Utah 1,507
Idaho 81
Wyoming 0
Montana 22

One of 14 majors within the teaching area of study, special education has other similar majors worth exploring.

Special Ed Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
General Special Education 24,497
Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs 3,111
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Multiple Disabilities 1,789
Elementary Special Education 1,625
Other Special Education & Teaching 1,227
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Autism 1,133
Education/Teaching of Individuals in Secondary Special Education Programs 655
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Specific Learning Disabilities 540
Education/Teaching of the Gifted & Talented 504
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Speech or Language Impairments 415
Education of the Deaf 363
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Emotional Disturbances 226
Education/Teaching of Individuals Who are Developmentally Delayed 222
Education/Teaching of Individuals in Junior High/Middle School Special Education Programs 181
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Vision Impairments Including Blindness 134
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities 122
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Orthopedic & Other Physical Health Impairments 47
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injuries 1

Majors Similar to Special Ed

Related Major Annual Graduates
Teacher Education Grade Specific 110,226
Educational Administration 46,469
Teacher Education Subject Specific 43,297
General Education 29,810
Curriculum & Instruction 19,832

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 7 schools only.

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Credit for the banner image above goes to woodleywonderworks.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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