Career Outlook

Position Yourself as a Special Education Leader

Career Growth in Special Education

With an online special education graduate program from Purdue University, you’ll gain more than new skills and an understanding of teaching students with learning disabilities. You’ll advance your career with necessary training from one of the top education schools in Indiana, and one of the top public universities in America — that makes you highly desirable to any learning institution.

Better screening and identification of various disabilities in children are expected to increase the demand for special education services over the next decade. Children with disabilities are being identified earlier and enrolled into special education programs, increasing the need for special education preschool teachers with job growth expected to reach 9% by 2030, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.1 As technology and teaching methods improve, there will be a higher demand for skilled educators who possess a mastery of special needs teaching and a deep understanding of proven and emerging assistive learning technologies.

Upon completion of the degree, you will be a prime candidate for a range of high-paying and in-demand positions within the special needs sector and in the general field of education.

Whether you’re a teacher looking to gain knowledge to work with students with exceptionalities or aspiring to become a licensed special education teacher, candidates residing in the state of Indiana may be eligible to receive funding to complete their special education license (Mild Intervention and/or Intense Intervention) through the ISEAL program*. As a candidate receiving ISEAL funds, you can complete your studies while being employed as a special educator within the State of Indiana. Request information to learn more.

Prepare for these Roles

  • Career and Transition Teacher
  • Pre-School Special Education Teacher
  • Special Education Teacher (elementary or secondary)
  • Inclusion Teacher (elementary or secondary)
  • Resource Teacher
  • Child Care Worker
  • Education Administrator
A female teacher works with a student

Gain Career-Advancing Skills

Purdue University’s online MSEd in Special Education program combines a unique view of the entire education landscape with practical experience addressing the latest breakthroughs in assessment, instructional strategies, and evidence-based practices for teaching students with disabilities.

By the time you complete the MSEd in Special Education requirements, you can:

  • Understand the various characteristics and categories of disability identified by law
  • Be able to apply methods of assessment including the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data to make instructional decisions
  • Empirically validate instructional methods to provide age-appropriate curriculum adapted to individual students’ needs and educational plans
  • Ensure students have access to the general education curriculum using evidence-based practices
  • Use current and emerging technologies to promote increased mobility, communication, self-determination, and cognitive functioning
  • Provide behavioral support for students with challenging behavior that promote and teach appropriate functional behavior and social skills
  • Create safe and positive learning environments where diversity across culture, race, ethnicity, and gender are valued
  • Understand and apply ethics and standards for professional practice in special education
A female teacher works with a student in a wheelchair

Median Salaries for Special Education Teachers

When you choose one of Purdue’s online special education programs, you’ll open the door to new financial benefits to your chosen career through a variety of high-paying education jobs that might otherwise be unavailable without an advanced degree in education. The median salaries for special education teachers with a master’s degree are:

  • $66,620 for high school special education teachers
  • $66,600 for middle school special education teachers
  • $64,910 for kindergarten and elementary special education teachers
  • $65,270 for preschool special education teachers

Purdue’s online special education licensure is also the first step for those who wish to pursue their PhD and increase their career prospects and lifetime earning potential even more.

Notes and Conditions – Please Read

1 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2023-2024 Edition, Special Education Teachers, on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/special-education-teachers.htm#tab-5.