Special Education and Teaching at Shawnee State University

Shawnee State's Special Education program lands graduates in the 40th percentile among Ohio programs—right at the state's middle—but falls to the 10th percentile nationally. That first-year salary of $37,020 trails the state median by over $4,000 and sits roughly $7,000 below what graduates earn at Ohio's stronger programs like Dayton or Ohio State. For a field where starting salaries don't vary wildly based on geography, this gap matters.

The debt load of $27,000 sits near typical levels for education majors, resulting in a manageable 0.73 debt-to-earnings ratio. Your child won't be drowning in payments, but they'll be starting their teaching career at a financial disadvantage compared to peers from other Ohio programs. Over a 30-year career, that $4,000-$7,000 annual difference compounds significantly, even accounting for raises and step increases in teacher pay scales.

The critical caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so these numbers could shift substantially year to year. If your child is committed to special education and Shawnee State offers strong affordability or location advantages, the reasonable debt level keeps this viable. But if other Ohio public universities are accessible, programs at Cincinnati, Miami, or Ohio State deliver better starting positions for similar debt—a meaningful head start in a field where early salary determines your entire pay trajectory.