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Special Education and Teaching at Rhode Island College

Providence, RI · Public · Bachelor's Degree

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

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $50,060/yr (14% vs median)

AI Risk High (44% exposed)

Job Market Large (34,900 openings/yr)

ROI 12.7x earnings multiple (5.3x out-of-state)

Ranked #20 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	$564K	$558K	$525K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	12.8x	12.7x	12.0x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	5.3x	5.3x	5.0x
Probability of Field Employment	81%	73%	58%
DegreeOutlook Score	57	55	57

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$43,944

Out-of-state: $106,076 (5.3x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$43,952

-0% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$25,781

6.2 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$56,951

14% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Rhode Island College's Special Education and Teaching graduates start at $50,060/yr — above the $44,105 national average, though not by a wide margin.

The 12.7x 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 7% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $25,781 debt-to-$50,060 income ratio translates to about 6 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

Ranked #20 out of 170 programs, Rhode Island College's Special Education and Teaching program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth is modest: $50,060 to $56,951 over five years (14% gain). This field may have a lower salary ceiling than high-growth professions.

About Rhode Island College

A 81% acceptance rate means Rhode Island College is accessible to most applicants, a smaller institution with 4,630 students in Providence, RI. 41% of students receive Pell Grants, indicating strong socioeconomic diversity.

See all programs and financial aid at Rhode Island College →

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

Compare Special Education and Teaching

Other Majors at Rhode Island College

Explore the Trade Alternative

Not every career requires a four-year degree. Trade programs in related fields can offer competitive salaries with a fraction of the student loan burden.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Rhode Island College's Special Education and Teaching program score?

This program scores 55/100, 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 Rhode Island College rank so high for Special Education and Teaching?

The #20 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 →