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Special Education and Teaching at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $51,922/yr (18% vs median)

AI Risk High (44% exposed)

Job Market Large (34,900 openings/yr)

ROI 10.2x earnings multiple (4.7x out-of-state)

Ranked #11 of 170 Special Education and Teaching programs Top 10%

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	$671K	$654K	$601K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	10.5x	10.2x	9.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	4.9x	4.7x	4.4x
Probability of Field Employment	81%	73%	58%
DegreeOutlook Score	58	57	58

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$64,016

Out-of-state: $138,004 (4.7x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$60,804

5% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$18,925

4.4 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$67,699

30% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

At $51,922 per year, Special Education and Teaching graduates from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign earn slightly above the $44,105 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 10.2x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Special Education and Teaching programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Special Education and Teaching's typical career paths, with 44% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 10% gap from the optimistic case.

The median debt load of $18,925 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

Ranked #11 of 170 programs, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Special Education and Teaching program falls in the top 10%, outperforming most peers on financial outcomes.

Earnings grow from $51,922 to $67,699 over five years — a 30% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.

About University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign accepts 44% of applicants, balancing access with selectivity, with 34,623 students enrolled in Champaign, IL.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign →

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

View all 6 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Special Education and Teaching at Other Schools

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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

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Special Education and Teaching at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign?

A score of 57/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Special Education and Teaching field.

Will AI replace Special Education and Teaching careers?

With 44% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $601,443 in decade earnings vs $670,981 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →