Special Education and Teaching: Florida Gulf Coast University vs Towson University

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
Towson University
Towson, MD
In-State
22.3x
$24,472 tuition
12.4x
$45,224 tuition
Out-of-State
5.4x
$100,648 tuition
4.9x
$113,304 tuition
$545,679 10-yr earnings · Public
$559,439 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

Florida Gulf Coast University Towson University
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 22.3x 12.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.4x 4.9x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $24,472 $45,224
Year 1 Earnings $46,866 $53,331
10-Year Earnings $546K $559K
Median Debt $24,249 $17,089
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 6.2 months 3.8 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 61/100 55/100
Acceptance Rate 76.8% 82.8%

Both programs have high AI automation risk (44% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Special Education and Teaching graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Special Education and Teaching graduates.

Florida Gulf Coast University Towson University
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $24,472 $45,224
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $100,648 $113,304
10-Year Projected Earnings $546K $559K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 22.3x 12.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.4x 4.9x
5-Year Salary Growth +17% +8%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Special Education and Teaching (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

Florida Gulf Coast University Towson University
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $551K $546K $516K $567K $559K $527K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 22.5x 22.3x 21.1x 12.5x 12.4x 11.6x
DegreeWorth Score 63 61 61 57 55 54

For the full AI analysis of Special Education and Teaching career paths, see the Florida Gulf Coast University or Towson University program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Special Education and Teaching graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$20,752
Florida Gulf Coast University saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$6,465/yr
Towson University grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
22.3x / 12.4x
Out-of-state: 5.4x / 4.9x

Career Paths

Special Education and Teaching graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Education teachers, postsecondary $72,090 5,600 +2.1% 49%
Special education teachers, secondary school $69,590 11,100 -1.6% 30%
Special education teachers, all other $67,430 2,900 +1.1% 48%
Special education teachers, middle school $64,880 6,300 -1.9% 31%
Special education teachers, preschool $62,190 2,100 +1.4% 20%
Interpreters and translators $59,440 6,900 +1.7% 88%
Want to compare different schools or majors? Try the freeform comparison tool →

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Special Education and Teaching: Florida Gulf Coast University or Towson University?
Florida Gulf Coast University scores 61/100 while Towson University scores 55/100. Florida Gulf Coast University has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Special Education and Teaching?
Florida Gulf Coast University has an in-state earnings multiple of 22.3x vs Towson University's 12.4x. That means Florida Gulf Coast University grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition. The $20,752 tuition gap is the biggest driver of this difference.
How do Florida Gulf Coast University and Towson University compare on Special Education and Teaching earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $46,866 at Florida Gulf Coast University vs $53,331 at Towson University. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $545,679 vs $559,439 — a difference of $13,760.
How much does Special Education and Teaching cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $24,472 at Florida Gulf Coast University and $45,224 at Towson University. Median debt at graduation is $24,249 vs $17,089. Both programs lead to the same Special Education and Teaching career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.