Special Education and Teaching at Purdue University-Main Campus
West Lafayette, IN · Public · Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
51
Optimistic
50
Base Case
52
Pessimistic
Earnings
$48,773/yr (11% vs median)
AI Risk
High (44% exposed)
Job Market
Large (34,900 openings/yr)
ROI
13.5x earnings multiple (4.7x out-of-state)
How AI Changes the Outlook
Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Special Education and Teaching graduates.
| Optimistic No Disruption |
Base Case Gradual AI |
Pessimistic Aggressive AI |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Year Earnings | $547K | $541K | $512K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 13.7x | 13.5x | 12.8x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 4.7x | 4.7x | 4.4x |
| Probability of Field Employment | 81% | 73% | 58% |
| DegreeOutlook Score | 51 | 50 | 52 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$39,968
Out-of-state: $115,176 (4.7x ROI)
Median Debt at Graduation
$26,000
6.4 months of Year 1 earnings
About Purdue University-Main Campus
Purdue University-Main Campus accepts 50% of applicants, balancing access with selectivity, with 39,637 students enrolled in West Lafayette, IN.
See all programs and financial aid at Purdue University-Main Campus →Top Career Paths
Education teachers, postsecondary
$72,090/yr
Special education teachers, secondary school
$69,590/yr
Special education teachers, all other
$67,430/yr
Compare & Explore
Special Education and Teaching at Other Schools
Other Majors at Purdue University-Main Campus
Consider the Trade Route?
Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Purdue University-Main Campus's Special Education and Teaching program score?
This program scores 50/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Special Education and Teaching graduates.
How vulnerable is Special Education and Teaching to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Special Education and Teaching careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 44% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research.
See full methodology →