Even on modest salaries, teachers can afford furthering their pedagogical proficiency with online EdD in special education programs. Traditional brick-and-mortar and distance learning institutions are increasingly supporting educators' advancement aspirations with cheap doctorates. Special education doctoral degrees maximize teachers' expertise in adapting curriculum for PreK-16 students diagnosed with learning exceptionalities. Doors are open for Ed.D. special education online graduates to enter disability research, college faculty, and administrative positions.
School districts view doctoral grads favorably since only 8.7 percent of teachers hold Ed.S. or Ed.D. degrees. The American Institutes for Research shows that 47 states are suffering special education shortages as the number of pupils with disabilities passes 6.6 million. Consider special education doctorates online to conveniently take courses focused on leading inclusive, equitable classrooms for all.
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These top, accredited schools offer a variety of online graduate degree programs. Figuring out where to apply? Consider one of these online Master's or PhD programs.
Most Affordable EdD in Special Education in 2021
Other Online Ed.D. in Special Education Degree Offerings
Online Ph.D. in Education: Special Education Concentration
Graduate Tuition: $12,726 per year
PhD in Early Childhood Special Education Online
Graduate Tuition: $12,844
Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction – Special Education Online
Graduate Tuition: $13,166 per year
Online EdD/PhD in Leadership with Special Education Specialization
Graduate Tuition: $14,328 per year
St. John's University-New York Online Ph.D. in Literacy with Special Education Specialization
Graduate Tuition: $15,888 per year
Education PhD Specialized in Special Education Online
Graduate Tuition: $16,821 per year
Online Doctor of Education with Special Education Concentration
Graduate Tuition: $18,373 per year
Hybrid Special Education Doctor of Education (EdD) Online
Graduate Tuition: $21,748 per year
Online Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Management: Special Education Leadership
Graduate Tuition: $32,184 per year
Why Should I Pursue an EdD in Special Education Online?
Many post-grads wonder if the challenge of a special education doctorate online is worth it, especially since The Guardian reports a Ph.D. failure rate of 40 percent! Special education doctoral degrees should only be attempted by serious, ambitious educators who see themselves pushing the frontiers of teaching. The most valuable doctoral benefits are intellectual growth, leadership development, research expertise, and self-confidence. Achieving the academic equivalent of a black belt is always intensive, but online learning can make the 3+ years more manageable. Grad schools with Ed.D. special education online offerings will allow you to keep teaching full-time, access course materials anytime, network with advisors via web conference, save commuting costs, and finish dissertations at one's pace.
Which Careers Benefit from Online Special Education Doctorates?
Job possibilities are virtually limitless for doctorate holders to uphold IDEA laws for teaching youth with wide-ranging disabilities, such as traumatic brain injury, autism, blindness, dyslexia, and cerebral palsy. Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) programs tend to emphasize instructional practice for application in teaching, IEP development, and administration. Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees favor research for utilizing scientific methods to improve knowledge and treatment of childhood impairments. The following are five lucrative, gratifying careers where PhD and EdD special education online degrees would be prized:
Director of Special Education- America's 13,506 school districts need veteran certified teachers to assume strategic leadership responsibility of cross-building special education services. Special education directors have cabinet-level duties like establishing district IEP policies, submitting budget proposals, hiring intervention staff, ensuring regulation compliance, directing Medicaid billing, and observing teacher performance.
Applied Behavior Analyst- The Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) has a doctoral designation for special educators well-versed in positive reinforcement strategies used to address autism and neurodevelopmental disorders. Applied behavior analysts perform behavioral tests, consult with teachers on behavior management, serve on IEP teams, develop intervention plans, establish service referrals, and lead social skills training.
Special Education Professor- Online special education EdD programs might persuade you to leave PreK-12 teaching behind and join collegiate faculty training tomorrow's teachers. Professors in special education departments create and deliver courses, modify curriculum for learning needs, counsel students about career choices, write recommendations, conduct research labs, edit professional journals, present at scholarly conferences, and more.
Nonprofit Executive Director- Outside school walls, PhD-level educators could obtain leadership jobs in not-for-profit organizations like Easter Seals, Special Olympics, The Arc, and Friendship Circle. Nonprofit executive directors will set operational policies, manage fundraising, balance budgets, recruit staff/volunteers, ensure service standards, schedule community outreach, handle public relations problems, and implement public-private partnerships.
Educational Diagnostician- Getting an EdD special education online would likely fulfill state licensing requirements for identifying learning difficulties in PreK-12 classrooms. Educational diagnosticians are upper-level consultants who conduct psycho-academic tests, collaborate with specialists like speech therapists, determine special education eligibility, present to IEP committees, mentor teachers on best practices, and monitor children's progress.
How Much Do Online Special Education Ed.D. Graduates Earn?
Cheap online special education EdD programs can bolster your income potential by marketing you for promotions. Doctoral pay can rise considerably higher than the mean special education salary of $60,090 for elementary and $64,020 for secondary teachers on the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Higher education professors receive median income of $75,430 full-time. Jobs in special education administration garner a mean wage of $95,390 per year. Advancing into collegiate leadership would unlock the average salary of $105,770. PayScale shows educational diagnosticians, board certified board analysts, and education researchers making top pay of $67,854, $74,522, and $121,628 respectively.
What is the Job Outlook After Ed.D. Special Education Online Programs?
The National Coalition on Personnel Shortages in Special Education and Related Services (NCPSSERS) has reported that 51 percent of school districts struggle with attracting qualified special educators. EdD online special education programs position graduates perfectly for a growing occupation poised for 8 percent growth by 2026 for 33,300 new jobs across grade levels. New York, California, New Jersey, and Texas have the highest hiring levels of special education Ed.D. online graduates. The BLS is forecasting 10-year increases of 8 percent for school administrators, 10 percent for college deans, 15 percent for faculty, and 16 percent for social service directors. Picking the online EdD in special education degrees above will give you the biggest career advantages for your buck in today's in-demand teaching field.
