Early Childhood Special Education Teaching: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Early Childhood Special Education Teaching prepares educators to support infants and young children from birth through age five who have developmental delays or disabilities. This program emphasizes evidence-based strategies for identifying special learning needs and delivering individualized instruction within inclusive and specialized educational environments.
- Diagnosing Learning Disabilities: Understanding early developmental milestones and recognizing signs of cognitive, motor, communication, or social-emotional delays to inform appropriate interventions.
- Individualized Education Plans (IEPs): Designing and implementing tailored learning goals and support services aligned with federal and state regulations for young learners with special needs.
- Instructional Strategies for Early Learners: Applying developmentally appropriate, play-based, and sensory-rich teaching methods to promote growth in language, literacy, motor skills, and self-regulation.
- Special Education Counseling: Providing guidance and emotional support to children and families, fostering collaboration between educators, therapists, and caregivers.
- Legal and Policy Frameworks: Mastering federal laws such as IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and state-level policies that govern access to services, rights of children and families, and procedural safeguards.
Early Childhood Special Education Teaching Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Early Childhood Special Education Teaching Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Early Childhood Special Education Teaching degrees, including Education Teachers, Postsecondary and Special Education Teachers, Preschool. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 87,290 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1081 | $72,090 | $38,650 - $126,450 | 59,090 | N/A |
| Special Education Teachers, Preschool 25-2051 | $62,190 | $38,740 - $132,530 | 28,200 | N/A |
Early Childhood Special Education Teaching Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $44,570 in Iowa to $106,565 in New York—a 139% difference. The highest-paying states include New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 87,290 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Early Childhood Special Education Teaching by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 100 institutions offering Early Childhood Special Education Teaching programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Early Childhood Special Education Teaching is found at Touro University (318 graduates), University of Mount Saint Vincent (UMSV) (166 graduates), Bowling Green State University (BGSU), Main Campus (139 graduates), Grand Canyon University (GCU) (130 graduates), and Pasadena City College (PCC) (118 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 3,401 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Touro University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
318 | New York, New York | Private | touro.edu |
| University of Mount Saint Vincent (UMSV) |
Master's
|
166 | Bronx, New York | Private | mountsaintvincent.edu |
| Bowling Green State University (BGSU) |
Bachelor's
|
139 | Bowling Green, Ohio | Public | bgsu.edu |
| Grand Canyon University (GCU) |
Bachelor's
|
130 | Phoenix, Arizona | Private | gcu.edu |
| Pasadena City College (PCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
118 | Pasadena, California | Public | pasadena.edu |
| East Los Angeles College (ELAC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
110 | Monterey Park, California | Public | elac.edu |
| Rowan University |
Bachelor's
|
86 | Glassboro, New Jersey | Public | rowan.edu |
| Moorpark College |
Associate's
|
83 | Moorpark, California | Public | moorparkcollege.edu |
| Bakersfield College (BC) |
Associate's
|
78 | Bakersfield, California | Public | bakersfieldcollege.edu |
| Riverside City College (RCC) |
Associate's
|
78 | Riverside, California | Public | rcc.edu |
| Fullerton College |
Associate's
|
76 | Fullerton, California | Public | fullcoll.edu |
| Mt San Jacinto Community College District (MSJC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
76 | San Jacinto, California | Public | msjc.edu |
| City College of San Francisco (CCSF) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
68 | San Francisco, California | Public | ccsf.edu |
| Saddleback College |
Associate's
|
52 | Mission Viejo, California | Public | saddleback.edu |
| College of the Sequoias (COS) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
52 | Visalia, California | Public | cos.edu |
| Lewis University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
51 | Romeoville, Illinois | Private | lewisu.edu |
| University of Akron |
Bachelor's
|
50 | Akron, Ohio | Public | uakron.edu |
| Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
49 | Valley Glen, California | Public | lavc.edu |
| Ashland University |
Bachelor's
|
48 | Ashland, Ohio | Private | ashland.edu |
| Modesto Junior College (MJC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Other Award
|
45 | Modesto, California | Public | mjc.edu |
| Southwestern College (SWC) |
Associate's
|
45 | Chula Vista, California | Public | swccd.edu |
| Daemen University |
Master's
|
45 | Amherst, New York | Private | daemen.edu |
| Roberts Wesleyan University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
44 | Rochester, New York | Private | roberts.edu |
| Towson University (TU) |
Bachelor's
|
43 | Towson, Maryland | Public | towson.edu |
| CUNY Queens College |
Master's
Post-Master's
|
40 | Queens, New York | Public | qc.cuny.edu |
| Northwestern College (NWC) |
Postbac Cert.
|
39 | Orange City, Iowa | Private | nwciowa.edu |
| CUNY Hunter College |
Master's
Post-Master's
|
39 | New York, New York | Public | hunter.cuny.edu |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) |
Bachelor's
|
39 | Indiana, Pennsylvania | Public | iup.edu |
| Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania (Ship) |
Bachelor's
|
39 | Shippensburg, Pennsylvania | Public | ship.edu |
| Norco College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
39 | Norco, California | Public | norcocollege.edu |
| Cuesta College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
37 | San Luis Obispo, California | Public | cuesta.edu |
| Evergreen Valley College (EVC) |
Associate's
|
37 | San Jose, California | Public | evc.edu |
| CUNY Lehman College |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
37 | Bronx, New York | Public | lehman.edu |
| Clovis Community College (CCC) |
Associate's
|
33 | Fresno, California | Public | cloviscollege.edu |
| Ashford University (UAGC) |
Bachelor's
|
31 | San Diego, California | Private | uagc.edu |
| University of Nebraska (UNO) |
Bachelor's
|
30 | Omaha, Nebraska | Public | unomaha.edu |
| Santa Monica College (SMC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
29 | Santa Monica, California | Public | smc.edu |
| Citrus College |
Associate's
|
28 | Glendora, California | Public | citruscollege.edu |
| Manhattan College |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
28 | Riverdale, New York | Private | manhattan.edu |
| Northern Arizona University (NAU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
27 | Flagstaff, Arizona | Public | nau.edu |
| Grand Valley State University (GVSU) |
Bachelor's
|
26 | Allendale, Michigan | Public | gvsu.edu |
| Woodland Community College (WCC) |
Associate's
|
25 | Woodland, California | Public | wcc.yccd.edu |
| MiraCosta College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
24 | Oceanside, California | Public | miracosta.edu |
| Palomar College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
23 | San Marcos, California | Public | www2.palomar.edu |
| Butte College |
Associate's
|
22 | Oroville, California | Public | butte.edu |
| Foothill College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
22 | Los Altos Hills, California | Public | foothill.edu |
| Oxnard College |
Associate's
|
22 | Oxnard, California | Public | oxnardcollege.edu |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU) |
Other Award
|
21 | Tempe, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| Mercyhurst University |
Bachelor's
|
20 | Erie, Pennsylvania | Private | mercyhurst.edu |
| College of the Desert (COD) |
Associate's
|
19 | Palm Desert, California | Public | collegeofthedesert.edu |
| Golden West College (GWC) |
Associate's
|
19 | Huntington Beach, California | Public | goldenwestcollege.edu |
| San Jose City College (SJCC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
19 | San Jose, California | Public | sjcc.edu |
| CUNY Medgar Evers College (MEC) |
Bachelor's
|
18 | Brooklyn, New York | Public | mec.cuny.edu |
| University of Toledo (UToledo) |
Postbac Cert.
|
18 | Toledo, Ohio | Public | utoledo.edu |
| Arkansas State University (A-State) |
Postbac Cert.
|
17 | Jonesboro, Arkansas | Public | astate.edu |
| West Valley College (WVC) |
Associate's
|
17 | Saratoga, California | Public | westvalley.edu |
| Upper Iowa University (UIU) |
Bachelor's
|
17 | Fayette, Iowa | Private | uiu.edu |
| Fordham University |
Master's
Post-Master's
|
17 | Bronx, New York | Private | fordham.edu |
| East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania (ESU) |
Bachelor's
|
17 | East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania | Public | esu.edu |
| Nicholls State University |
Bachelor's
|
16 | Thibodaux, Louisiana | Public | nicholls.edu |
| Manhattanville College |
Master's
|
16 | Purchase, New York | Private | mville.edu |
| Harding University |
Master's
|
15 | Searcy, Arkansas | Private | harding.edu |
| Los Angeles Trade Technical College (LATTC) |
Associate's
|
15 | Los Angeles, California | Public | lattc.edu |
| Saint Cloud State University (SCSU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
15 | Saint Cloud, Minnesota | Public | stcloudstate.edu |
| New Jersey City University (NJCU) |
Master's
|
14 | Jersey City, New Jersey | Public | njcu.edu |
| Thiel College |
Bachelor's
|
14 | Greenville, Pennsylvania | Private | thiel.edu |
| University of Saint Joseph (USJ) |
Master's
|
12 | West Hartford, Connecticut | Private | usj.edu |
| University of New Hampshire College of Professional Studies |
Bachelor's
|
12 | Manchester, New Hampshire | Public | cps.unh.edu |
| Shawnee State University (SSU) |
Bachelor's
|
12 | Portsmouth, Ohio | Public | shawnee.edu |
| Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) |
Associate's
|
11 | Santa Barbara, California | Public | sbcc.edu |
| Aurora University |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Aurora, Illinois | Private | aurora.edu |
| CUNY Brooklyn College |
Master's
|
11 | Brooklyn, New York | Public | brooklyn.cuny.edu |
| University of Akron |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Orrville, Ohio | Public | wayne.uakron.edu |
| Santiago Canyon College (SCC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
11 | Orange, California | Public | sccollege.edu |
| Los Angeles City College (LACC) |
Other Award
|
10 | Los Angeles, California | Public | lacitycollege.edu |
| Rio Hondo College (RHC) |
Other Award
|
10 | Whittier, California | Public | riohondo.edu |
| Sacramento City College (SCC) |
Associate's
|
10 | Sacramento, California | Public | scc.losrios.edu |
| Coalinga College |
Associate's
|
10 | Coalinga, California | Public | westhillscollege.com |
| Monroe College |
Master's
|
10 | Bronx, New York | Private | monroecollege.edu |
| Syracuse University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
10 | Syracuse, New York | Private | syracuse.edu |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte |
Postbac Cert.
|
10 | Charlotte, North Carolina | Public | charlotte.edu |
| George Mason University |
Postbac Cert.
|
10 | Fairfax, Virginia | Public | www2.gmu.edu |
| Las Positas College (LPC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
10 | Livermore, California | Public | laspositascollege.edu |
| Henderson State University (HSU) |
Master's
|
9 | Arkadelphia, Arkansas | Public | hsu.edu |
| Cuyamaca College |
Associate's
|
9 | El Cajon, California | Public | cuyamaca.edu |
| Keuka College |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Keuka Park, New York | Private | keuka.edu |
| SUNY Buffalo State University |
Master's
|
9 | Buffalo, New York | Public | suny.buffalostate.edu |
| Yeshiva University (YU) |
Master's
|
9 | New York, New York | Private | yu.edu |
| Ohio University (OHIO) |
Master's
|
9 | Athens, Ohio | Public | ohio.edu |
| Canada College |
Other Award
|
8 | Redwood City, California | Public | canadacollege.edu |
| Saint Francis University (SFU) |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Loretto, Pennsylvania | Private | francis.edu |
| American College of Education (ACE) |
Postbac Cert.
|
8 | Indianapolis, Indiana | Private | ace.edu |
| Dine College |
Associate's
|
7 | Tsaile, Arizona | Public | dinecollege.edu |
| San Bernardino Valley College (SBVC) |
Associate's
|
7 | San Bernardino, California | Public | valleycollege.edu |
| Adelphi University |
Master's
Post-Master's
|
7 | Garden City, New York | Private | adelphi.edu |
| University of Oregon (UO) |
Postbac Cert.
|
7 | Eugene, Oregon | Public | uoregon.edu |
| Long Beach City College (LBCC) |
Other Award
|
6 | Long Beach, California | Public | lbcc.edu |
| Hofstra University |
Master's
|
6 | Hempstead, New York | Private | hofstra.edu |
| Pace University |
Master's
|
6 | New York, New York | Private | pace.edu |
| University of Vermont (UVM) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Burlington, Vermont | Public | uvm.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Early Childhood Special Education Teaching programs
How much can I earn with a Early Childhood Special Education Teaching degree?
Salaries for Early Childhood Special Education Teaching graduates vary by role and location. Education Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median of $72,090 annually, while Special Education Teachers, Preschool earn around $62,190. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in New York average $106,565 compared to $44,570 in Iowa. Approximately 87,290 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Early Childhood Special Education Teaching programs?
Currently 154 accredited institutions offer Early Childhood Special Education Teaching degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Touro University (318 graduates), University of Mount Saint Vincent (UMSV) (166 graduates), and Bowling Green State University (BGSU), Main Campus (139 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Early Childhood Special Education Teaching growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 959 in 2010 to 3,548 in 2023-24. This represents a 270% increase overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with steady interest, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Early Childhood Special Education Teaching degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Education Teachers, Postsecondary, Special Education Teachers, Preschool, . Related occupations employ approximately 87,290 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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