Special Education and Teaching at Northwest Missouri State University

Northwest Missouri State's special education program lands right at the Missouri median for earnings—$38,040 versus $37,450 statewide—but trails the national median by nearly $6,000. That 60th percentile ranking within Missouri matters more than the low 14th percentile nationally, since most special education teachers work in their home state due to licensure requirements and local hiring patterns. This program essentially delivers typical Missouri outcomes at a typical Missouri price.

The debt load of $26,250 is manageable for education, translating to a 0.69 debt-to-earnings ratio that's workable on a teacher's salary. Earnings growth is minimal but predictable—hitting $39,625 by year four, which reflects the standardized salary schedules most Missouri school districts use. Special education teachers aren't chasing big raises; they're building toward pension-eligible years and schedule stability.

The major caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so one outlier could skew these numbers significantly. What we can say is that Northwest Missouri produces teachers who earn about what their peers across the state earn, with debt levels that won't derail a teaching career. For families looking at Missouri teaching programs specifically, this represents an average investment with average returns—neither a standout opportunity nor a red flag.