Special Education and Teaching at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods' special education certificate comes with an important caveat: we're looking at fewer than 30 graduates, which means one or two exceptional outcomes could skew these numbers significantly. That said, the data shows graduates earning $37,608 their first year while carrying $32,294 in debt—a manageable 0.86 debt-to-earnings ratio that's actually quite favorable for an undergraduate certificate program. The debt level is notably lower than most comparable programs nationwide (5th percentile), suggesting the college keeps costs relatively contained despite serving a high percentage of Pell Grant recipients.

The ranking paradox here is revealing: this program sits at the 95th percentile nationally but only the 60th percentile within Indiana. That's because Indiana only has three institutions offering this certificate, and the state's special education wages align exactly with the national median. Your child isn't getting Indiana-specific advantages—they're getting national-average outcomes.

For a family seeking affordable entry into special education, this certificate delivers reasonable debt for middle-income earnings. But don't mistake the 95th percentile national ranking for exceptional performance—half of all programs nationally match these exact earnings. The real question is whether a certificate provides enough credentialing for your child's career goals in special education, where bachelor's degrees and additional licensure are often required. If this serves as a stepping stone rather than a terminal credential, the modest debt load makes it workable.