Special Education and Teaching at Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem State's special education program sits right at the median for North Carolina, with first-year earnings around $42,830 based on comparable programs across the state. That's about $1,300 below the national median, though still within the typical range for new special education teachers. The estimated $24,500 in debt is actually slightly better than the national median of $26,717, producing a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57—meaning graduates would owe roughly seven months of their first year's salary.

What's worth noting is that North Carolina's special education salaries cluster tightly together. The top programs in the state—East Carolina, Appalachian State, UNC Greensboro—all produce first-year earnings within about $1,500 of each other. This suggests teacher salary schedules in the state create a relatively level playing field regardless of where you earn your degree. For a school serving predominantly Pell Grant recipients (61%), Winston-Salem State appears to deliver outcomes consistent with more selective public universities in the state.

The practical takeaway: if your child wants to teach special education in North Carolina, this program should lead to similar starting salaries as larger state universities while carrying slightly less debt. The real question is job placement support and licensure pass rates—factors that matter more than prestige when entering a field with standardized pay scales.