Special Education and Teaching at Youngstown State University

Youngstown State's special education program produces graduates earning roughly $7,000 less than Ohio's median for this field—landing at the 40th percentile statewide. While you might hope the lower-than-average debt ($29,125 versus Ohio's typical $26,950) would compensate, the starting salary of $35,220 means this program ranks in just the 5th percentile nationally among special education programs. For context, graduates from Ohio State and University of Dayton start around $45,000, creating a $10,000 annual gap that compounds over a career.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.83 isn't catastrophic—your child could realistically manage the loan payments on a teacher's salary. Earnings do grow modestly to $38,548 by year four, though that's still below what most Ohio special education teachers earn right out of school elsewhere. Special education offers strong job security and meaningful work, but the financial foundation here is weaker than at most Ohio alternatives.

If your child is committed to staying in the Youngstown area or has specific reasons to attend this institution, the program is manageable but not optimal. However, if mobility is an option, Ohio has over 40 special education programs, and many deliver significantly stronger earning outcomes without requiring substantially more debt.