Special Education and Teaching (Bachelor's Degree) at Judson University

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$46,205

Est. from IL median (10 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$25,000

Est. from IL median (3 programs)

Analysis

A $25,000 debt load for a teaching credential falls right in the sweet spot for education programs—peer institutions in Illinois typically carry similar burdens, and special education teachers in the state earn slightly above the national median for this field. Based on comparable programs across Illinois, first-year earnings around $46,000 translate to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54, meaning graduates would owe roughly half their annual salary. That's manageable territory for a profession with strong job security and predictable salary schedules.

What makes special education particularly attractive is the persistent teacher shortage in this field, which often comes with signing bonuses, loan forgiveness programs, and faster paths to permanent positions than general education roles. While Judson's estimates fall slightly below top-tier programs like U of I ($51,922) or Illinois State ($48,358), they align closely with the state median. The real question is whether Judson's smaller program size—which necessitates these estimates—means more personalized training or simply less data transparency.

For parents, this looks like a reasonable investment in a stable career, especially if your child qualifies for Illinois's teacher loan forgiveness programs that can erase up to $5,000 in debt. The numbers work, but visit the campus to understand what you're actually getting for the slightly higher debt compared to state universities that publish verified outcomes.

Where Judson University Stands

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

Compare to Similar Programs in Illinois

Special Education and Teaching bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Illinois (30 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Judson UniversityElgin	$30,910	$46,205*	—	$25,000*	—
University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignChampaign	$16,004	$51,922*	$61,326	$18,925*	0.36
Trinity Christian CollegePalos Heights	$20,325	$48,840*	$47,999	$35,611*	0.73
Illinois State UniversityNormal	$16,021	$48,358*	$49,411	$20,436*	0.42
Western Illinois UniversityMacomb	$14,952	$46,729*	$44,173	$25,986*	0.56
Northern Illinois UniversityDekalb	$12,700	$46,578*	$49,485	$21,452*	0.46
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 Judson University, approximately 40% 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 10 similar programs in IL. Actual outcomes may vary.