Special Education and Teaching at Daytona State College

Florida's special education programs typically start graduates around $48,000, and peer institutions suggest this program lands right in that range—a solid foundation for a field driven more by service than salary growth. The estimated debt load of $21,370 is actually lower than the national median for this degree ($26,717), putting the debt-to-earnings ratio at 0.44, which means graduates could reasonably pay off their loans within a year or two of focused repayment.

The challenge is what these figures don't tell you. Because Daytona State's graduate cohort is too small for the Department of Education to publish actual outcomes, we're working with statewide estimates rather than this school's track record. Special education teachers in Florida face a complex market—strong demand paired with salaries that plateau quickly. Programs at Florida Atlantic and Miami Dade show first-year earnings above $53,000, suggesting some institutions prepare graduates for higher-paying districts or positions, while others cluster closer to the state median.

For a parent weighing this investment, the math works if your child is committed to teaching. The relatively modest debt against predictable public school salaries creates manageable risk. But the lack of school-specific data means you can't know whether Daytona State's teacher preparation, placement support, or district connections match the stronger performers in the state. If possible, talk to recent graduates directly about where they landed jobs and how prepared they felt—that ground-level intelligence matters more here than the estimates can reveal.