Special Education and Teaching (Bachelor's Degree) at CUNY Bernard M Baruch College

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$38,978

Est. from NY median (7 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$23,250

Est. from NY median (5 programs)

Analysis

A bachelor's in Special Education from Baruch—a school known more for business than teacher preparation—comes with estimated first-year earnings of $39,000 based on comparable New York programs. That's $5,000 below the national median for this field and falls at the lower end of what similar programs in the state produce. With estimated debt around $23,250, you're looking at manageable borrowing, but the earnings gap is harder to ignore.

New York's special education teacher market shows significant variation: programs at Pace and Syracuse place graduates earning $55,000-$62,000 in their first year, while CUNY and SUNY programs cluster in the high $30,000s to low $40,000s. Baruch's estimated outcomes align with other CUNY schools, suggesting this reflects realistic entry-level teaching salaries rather than program quality issues. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.60 is reasonable for education, where loan forgiveness programs can ease the burden for those who stay in public schools.

The real question is whether Baruch—with its Manhattan business focus and limited education infrastructure—is the right environment for teacher training. If your child is committed to special education and values CUNY's affordability, schools like Medgar Evers or SUNY Old Westbury appear to produce stronger initial outcomes while keeping debt in check. Baruch might work if there are geographic or scheduling reasons, but it doesn't appear to be optimized for launching teaching careers.

Where CUNY Bernard M Baruch College Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all special education and teaching bachelors's programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in New York

Special Education and Teaching bachelors's programs at peer institutions in New York (36 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
CUNY Bernard M Baruch CollegeNew York	$7,464	$38,978*	—	$23,250*	—
Pace UniversityNew York	$51,424	$62,346*	—	$24,000*	0.38
Syracuse UniversitySyracuse	$63,061	$55,881*	—	$27,000*	0.48
CUNY Medgar Evers CollegeBrooklyn	$7,352	$49,413*	—	$5,500*	0.11
SUNY Old WestburyOld Westbury	$8,379	$38,978*	$44,330	$24,145*	0.62
SUNY College at GeneseoGeneseo	$8,966	$37,229*	—	$23,250*	0.62
National Median	—	$44,139*	—	$26,717*	0.61

* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with special education and teaching graduates

Education Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses pertaining to education, such as counseling, curriculum, guidance, instruction, teacher education, and teaching English as a second language. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Special Education Teachers, Preschool

Teach academic, social, and life skills to preschool-aged students with learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. Includes teachers who specialize and work with students who are blind or have visual impairments; students who are deaf or have hearing impairments; and students with intellectual disabilities.

$64,270/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Special Education Teachers, Middle School

Teach academic, social, and life skills to middle school students with learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. Includes teachers who specialize and work with students who are blind or have visual impairments; students who are deaf or have hearing impairments; and students with intellectual disabilities.

$64,270/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Special Education Teachers, Secondary School

Teach academic, social, and life skills to secondary school students with learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. Includes teachers who specialize and work with students who are blind or have visual impairments; students who are deaf or have hearing impairments; and students with intellectual disabilities.

$64,270/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Special Education Teachers, All Other

All special education teachers not listed separately.

$64,270/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Adapted Physical Education Specialists

Provide individualized physical education instruction or services to children, youth, or adults with exceptional physical needs due to gross motor developmental delays or other impairments.

$64,270/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Interpreters and Translators

Interpret oral or sign language, or translate written text from one language into another.

$59,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten

Teach academic, social, and life skills to kindergarten students with learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. Includes teachers who specialize and work with students who are blind or have visual impairments; students who are deaf or have hearing impairments; and students with intellectual disabilities.

Special Education Teachers, Elementary School

Teach academic, social, and life skills to elementary school students with learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. Includes teachers who specialize and work with students who are blind or have visual impairments; students who are deaf or have hearing impairments; and students with intellectual disabilities.

Teaching Assistants, Special Education

Assist a preschool, elementary, middle, or secondary school teacher to provide academic, social, or life skills to students who have learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. Serve in a position for which a teacher has primary responsibility for the design and implementation of educational programs and services.

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At CUNY Bernard M Baruch College, approximately 55% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 7 similar programs in NY. Actual outcomes may vary.