Special Education and Teaching at University of Alabama
AL · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 13.10
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Special Education and Teaching degree from University of Alabama earn a median salary of $56,986 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in AL, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $64,610. The degree typically pays for itself in 9.2 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$49,140
Typical Career
$56,986
Top Performers
$63,571
Estimated break-even: 9.2 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$380
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,749. Most students can comfortably afford about a $380 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.5x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Alabama buys what costs $0.88 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance.
Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$64,610
Nominal: $56,986 in Alabama (COL 88.2% of national avg) · 13.4% higher purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $41,067 | $47,862 | $53,567 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $49,140 | $56,986 | $63,571 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $54,199 | $62,333 | $71,441 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $56,986 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in AL, which has a cost-of-living index of 88.2% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $56,986 × (1.0 ÷ 0.8820)
= $64,610 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
In terms of career opportunities, graduates typically enter diverse sectors, with the largest percentages working in Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (16.5%), Educational Services (14.6%), and Health Care & Social Assistance (14.2%). The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 9.2 years, suggesting that the investment in a degree can yield significant returns over time. Overall, pursuing a degree in Special Education and Teaching at the University of Alabama presents a viable path with a reasonable return on investment in the context of both earnings and industry opportunities.
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Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.