8 Careers You Can Choose With a Degree in Special Education

Special education is a field that can reward you both professionally as well as physically. It is one of the career fields that people pursue to help children and young adults who have disabilities like autism.

People who have a degree in special education mostly work as teachers who provide individuals with access to school, and help with daily living and social interactions. However, the field of special education is not limited to careers involving teaching only. There is a lot more scope for individuals who pursue this field.

Special Education

As a degree holder in special education, you can tremendously impact the lives of people and their families who have disabilities in a positive way. Individuals who hold a degree in this field work with young adults and children who have learning disabilities or emotionally need support.

Most jobs in this field are linked to working with children and young adults in the age group of 3 to 21. However, the career scope for special education does not remain restricted to teaching. If you have a degree in this field then you can work in government organizations, mental health facilities, residential settings, etc. 

Special education is a great field to pursue a degree in if you are interested in working with special needs adults and children. If you want to pursue a career in this field, you must be aware of the range of career opportunities that are available to you. 

Keep reading to learn about the careers and jobs that you can pursue with a degree in special education.

Careers you can pursue with a degree in Special Education

Special education is not everyone’s piece of cake. You need to have a certain type of interest and passion to pursue a career in this field as it revolves around working with people who have disabilities.  

If you feel that you are a perfect candidate to pursue a degree and career in special education then you must go for it as it will benefit you professionally as well as give you inner satisfaction.

If you do not know where you can pursue a degree in this field then platforms like collegenroll can help you determine which program will be best for you. Once you finish your degree, there will be so many diverse job opportunities waiting for you like:

  1. Early Intervention Specialist

With a Special Education degree, you can work as an Early Intervention Specialist who works with small children who are at a risk or have a developmental delay. A developmental delay can be easily addressed if it is diagnosed earlier which is why the role of an early intervention specialist is very important.

An Early Intervention Specialist mostly works with children who are under four years of age. He or she provides interventions and assesses the development of a child.

  1. Special Education Advocate

A Special Education Advocate is an interesting career option that combines a background in federal and state law along with a background in special education. A Special Education Advocate can represent the best interests of children in the legal system. 

They can also help parents advocate for their children by putting their requests in writing for the school district officials. In many cases, Special Education Advocates may suggest appropriate student accommodations, review documents and also find solutions to help children with legal issues.

  1. Education Coordinator

A Special Education degree can help you become an Education Coordinator who develops, advises and evaluates education programs such as corporate training and school curriculums. They may also write grants and recruit instructors while developing programs.

  1. Reading Specialist

You can also work as a Reading Specialist who works with small groups of students and individuals to develop reading skills. A Reading Specialist can help caregivers, students and teachers understand the challenges of reading and how one can overcome them. 

This sounds simple but is offered a pay of almost $49,600 annually.

  1. Writer

A person who is a Special Education expert can write children’s books using their training. They can also present research as an education journalist and write textbooks. Moreover, a Special Education specialist can also write for children’s programming on television.

  1. Corporate Trainer

Special Education specialists can utilize their training in educational tools, instruction and curriculum design to make sure that all the employees receive training. As a Corporate trainer, you will be responsible for designing a curriculum and directing employees to use the tools at work.

  1. Fundraising manager

A degree in Special Education can let you become a Fundraising Manager as well. You will be responsible to manage the teams for money raising for different projects including both non-profit and educational.

As a Fundraising Manager, you will train and hire fundraising agents, design campaigns and track the success of these campaigns. You will be working with policymakers, vendors, institutions and donors to reach the goals of fundraising.

  1. School Counselor

A degree in Special Education can lead you toward becoming a School Counselor who helps students with emotional and social issues. These issues and challenges can be faced by students whether in school or in their personal lives. 

School Counselors test students for their abilities to reach academic goals with or without individual attention.

Apart from these eight careers and jobs, you can pursue many other careers in this field. However, these are one of the top most preferred careers which people pursue with a degree in special education apart from teaching.

Conclusion

Special Education is a field that many people know only exists in teaching. However, there are a lot of career options that people with a degree in Special Education can pursue. The above eight career options are just a few of the many jobs available for special education degree holders.