Home › Black Hills State University › Special Education and Teaching

Special Education and Teaching at Black Hills State University

Spearfish, SD · Public · Bachelor's Degree
52 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
54
Optimistic
52
Base Case
54
Pessimistic
Earnings $49,134/yr (11% vs median)
AI Risk High (44% exposed)
Job Market Large (34,900 openings/yr)
ROI 15.1x earnings multiple (11.2x out-of-state)
Ranked #36 of 170 Special Education and Teaching programs Top 25%

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 $550K $544K $515K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 15.3x 15.1x 14.3x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 11.4x 11.2x 10.6x
Probability of Field Employment 81% 73% 58%
DegreeOutlook Score 54 52 54
4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$36,000
Out-of-state: $48,400 (11.2x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$68,004
-89% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$23,351
5.7 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$49,089
Small cohort — data may not reflect typical outcomes

Program Analysis

At $49,134 per year, Special Education and Teaching graduates from Black Hills State University earn slightly above the $44,105 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.

The 15.1x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 44% task exposure — and the 6% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The median debt load of $23,351 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

Ranked #36 out of 170 programs, Black Hills State University's Special Education and Teaching program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

About Black Hills State University

With 94% of applicants admitted, Black Hills State University prioritizes broad access, with a smaller student body of 1,935 in Spearfish, SD.

See all programs and financial aid at Black Hills State University →

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

Compare this program → View all 170 schools offering Special Education and Teaching →

Special Education and Teaching at Other Schools

Pace University ($62,346) Utah State University ($61,474) University of Hawaii at Manoa ($60,396) Florida Atlantic University ($56,009) Syracuse University ($55,881) Miami Dade College ($53,935) Towson University ($53,331) Nevada State University ($53,159)

Other Majors at Black Hills State University

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods ($47,978) Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas ($47,494) Business Administration, Management and Operations ($45,682) Community Organization and Advocacy ($39,092) Psychology, General ($35,996) Health and Physical Education/Fitness ($34,142) Biology, General ($33,518) Design and Applied Arts ($31,022)

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

Compare Special Education and Teaching trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Black Hills State University's Special Education and Teaching program score?
This program scores 52/100, 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.
Why does Black Hills State University rank so high for Special Education and Teaching?
The #36 ranking out of 170 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →