Special Education and Teaching at University of Arizona

The University of Arizona's special education program trails behind every other major option in the state—graduates earn nearly $9,000 less than the Arizona median and rank in just the 25th percentile statewide. At $35,023 in the first year, these teachers start thousands below what their peers at ASU ($49,882) or Northern Arizona University ($47,610) command. While the $19,500 debt load is lower than the state median, it still represents more than half of first-year earnings, leaving new teachers with a tight financial start.

Some good news: earnings do grow to $40,716 by year four, and the debt burden is at least manageable compared to national averages. But Arizona's teacher salary landscape matters here, and this program leaves graduates at a persistent disadvantage compared to peers from other in-state schools. The nearly $10,000 gap between UofA graduates and ASU graduates compounds over a career.

For Arizona families, this presents a clear choice: other state universities prepare special education teachers just as well while delivering significantly better starting salaries. Unless there are compelling personal reasons to choose Tucson—family proximity, specific faculty, or scholarship offers that dramatically reduce costs—ASU and NAU offer measurably better returns for the same career path in the same state.