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Cross-categorical special education teacher education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a cross-categorical special education teacher. Cross-categorical special education teachers usually study special education, elementary education, or education. 67% of cross-categorical special education teachers hold a bachelor's degree, and 26% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 74 real cross-categorical special education teacher resumes to see exactly what cross-categorical special education teacher education sections show.

The most common colleges for cross-categorical special education teachers are the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point and the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point.

There are also many online cross-categorical special education teacher courses to help get the education required to be a cross-categorical special education teacher.

What education do you need to become a cross-categorical special education teacher?

What degree do you need to be a cross-categorical special education teacher?

The most common degree for cross-categorical special education teachers is bachelor's degree, with 67% of cross-categorical special education teachers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 26% and master's degree degree at 5%.
  • Bachelor's, 67%
  • Master's, 26%
  • Associate, 5%
  • License, 2%

What should I major in to become a cross-categorical special education teacher?

You should major in special education to become a cross-categorical special education teacher. 36% of cross-categorical special education teachers major in special education. Other common majors for a cross-categorical special education teacher include elementary education and education.

Most common colleges for cross-categorical special education teachers

Cross-categorical special education teachers often get their degrees at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, Eastern Illinois University, and Carthage College. Here are the most common colleges for cross-categorical special education teachers in the US based on their resumes.
Cross-categorical special education teacher common collegePercentages
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point7.41%
Eastern Illinois University7.41%
Carthage College7.41%
University of Illinois at Chicago7.41%
Indiana University South Bend7.41%

Best majors for cross-categorical special education teachers

Best colleges for cross-categorical special education teachers

The best colleges for cross-categorical special education teachers are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and University of Pennsylvania.

A cross-categorical special education teacher with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for cross-categorical special education teachers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become cross-categorical special education teachers.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

3. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

4. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

5. Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$52,930

Enrollment

5,030

6. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

In-state tuition

$49,816

Enrollment

6,840

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

8. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$15,094

Enrollment

32,974

9. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

10. SUNY at Buffalo

Buffalo, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$10,099

Enrollment

21,404

20 best online courses for cross-categorical special education teachers

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1. Music Education for Teachers

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In the Music Education for Teachers specialization, you will explore ways of integrating popular music into your teaching. You'll begin by learning from two highly experienced teachers, Krystal Banfield, the Vice President of Educational Outreach for Berklee College of Music, and David Alexis a Berklee Professor and long-time instructor for the Berklee City Music Program. They will take you through their process of incorporating popular music, improvisation, arranging, and music technology into...

2. Online Learning Design for Educators

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This specialization is for educators seeking to improve and expand their repertoire of online teaching skills related to the design, development and delivery of effective and engaging online courses and lessons for school age and adult learners.\n\nLearning in the 21st century no longer takes place exclusively between the four walls of a physical classroom. With advances in technology, learners now expect to be offered flexible study modes outside of the traditional face-to-face model. This...

3. Educational Psychology & Special Education (Certificate)

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4.4
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Informational content for educators and parents to learn about teaching and understanding exceptional children...

4. Outcome Based Education (OBE) & Academic Quality Assurance

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4.4
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Master Course for Teachers' Development: Grow Your Teaching-Learning Expertise to World-Class Level...

5. Critical Issues in Urban Education

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Urban school reform in the United States is characterized by contentious, politicized debate. This course explores a set of critical issues in the education and educational reform space, with a focus on aspects of the field that have sparked controversy and polarized views. We will dig into these debates, situating them within the larger history of public education and school reform, and considering the viewpoints, the evidence, and translation of issues into educational policy. We will...

6. Educating Deaf Children: Becoming an Empowered Teacher

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Many Deaf children around the world still leave school functionally illiterate. In some cases, there is no allowance made for the education of Deaf children at all. This 4-week course provides you with invaluable knowledge and skills about teaching Deaf children. You will learn about the importance of Deaf culture and community, the need for a language-rich environment for the Deaf child from as young as possible, and that having access to sign language can help Deaf children academically,...

7. Introduction to Early Childhood Montessori Education

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Learning Montessori Philosophy and Materials by visiting classrooms across the U.S...

8. Google Certified Educator Level 1 Technical Training

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Google Apps for Education...

9. Nutrition Education for the Consumer

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Understanding how to eat healthy can be daunting, especially when presented with unfamiliar science. Learn and apply everyday nutrition concepts to your lifestyle to get the most out of what you eat. Take time in understanding how to appropriately read food labels, enhance your diet and exercise with the right supplements, or break through misconceptions about nutrition fads. With the NASM Nutrition Education for the Consumer, you will learn the truth that evidence leads us to when developing...

10. ICT in Primary Education: Transforming children's learning across the curriculum

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Why and how are teachers integrating ICT (Information and Communication Technology) into primary education? In this course we analyse examples from schools in different parts of the world, and bring professional teachers, headteachers and policymakers together to share their best ideas and inspiring stories. The materials in the course are based on studies carried out for the UNESCO Institute of IT in Education, Moscow. Learning Outcomes: to be aware of the range of reasons for using ICT to...

11. Seth Godin on learning and education

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Build the future of community, culture and possibility...

12. Train the Trainer Foundation: Adult Education Mastery Course

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Deploy a repeatable system for employee learning to ensure you reach every learner…every time...

13. Diversity and Inclusion in Education

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Student diversity is becoming the rule rather than the exception in education systems across the world. Students bring to classroom different characteristics such as ability and disability, socio-economic background, race, ethnicity, and cultural background, beliefs and religion, and gender characteristics. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4 aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all (United Nations, 2015)...

14. Aboriginal Worldviews and Education

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Intended for both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal learners, this course will explore indigenous ways of knowing and how they can benefit all students. Topics include historical, social, and political issues in Aboriginal education; terminology; cultural, spiritual and philosophical themes in Aboriginal worldviews; and how Aboriginal worldviews can inform professional programs and practices, including but not limited to the field of education...

15. Complete Google Certified Educator Level 1 and 2 Masterclass

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Google Certified Educator Level 1 and 2 Training - Mastering Google Classroom - G Suite - Teaching Online - Google Drive...

16. What future for education?

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Through this course you will start to critically examine your own ideas about education, teaching and learning. The critique will be developed through engagement with theories and ideas developed through educational research. You will be encouraged to use these ideas to challenge or support your own ideas about education. Each week we will focus on one key question, using video lectures, key readings and challenges to explore some commonplace notions about education. With the guidance of the...

17. Climate change education

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This specialization offers tools and resources developed as part of the "Rise up" initiative by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to combat climate change and improve the sustainability of the planet. Through the three courses that make up this specialization, you will learn what we can do individually, as a school, and as a community to lead a more sustainable and healthier life. You'll also delve into the primary ethical and social issues related to climate change, how to use games to...

18. Activity Design with PhET Simulations for STEM Education

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PhET Interactive Simulations ( https://phet.colorado.edu/ ), a project of the University of Colorado Boulder, provides fun, free, interactive, research-based science and mathematics simulations for use across, primary, secondary, and higher education levels. We extensively test and evaluate each simulation to ensure educational effectiveness. All simulations are open source and free to all students and teachers. In this course, we will review strategies for how to use PhET to create sim-based...

19. Teaching Impacts of Technology in K-12 Education

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2% That’s the estimate of how many high school students in all of California took a Computer Science class in 2015. And yet, computers and data are everywhere. Just consider a typical 24 hours in your life … how many different computer devices do you use? We all live in multiple digital worlds that are changing rapidly with new apps, devices, and data analyses offering a constant stream of innovations and technology integrations for our lives.\n\nAs it's an integral part of our lives, we’re...

20. Health, Housing, and Educational Services

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Course 5 discusses policies in four areas: housing, education, healthcare, and immigration, with an optional fifth module in child protection. This course addresses issues of power, oppression, and white supremacy. -First we’ll look at housing policy, with its contrasting supports for homeowners and renters. -Then we’ll interpret the structure that provides education and examine debates about its future. -The third module will differentiate the issues in the U.S. healthcare system and develop...

Top 10 most affordable universities for cross-categorical special education teachers

The most affordable schools for cross-categorical special education teachers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and hunter college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for cross-categorical special education teachers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for cross-categorical special education teachers.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

4. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

5. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

6. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

7. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

8. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

9. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

10. California State University - Fresno

Fresno, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,587

Cost of attendance

16,915

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for cross-categorical special education teachers

The hardest universities for cross-categorical special education teachers to get into are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and University of Pennsylvania.

Some great schools for cross-categorical special education teachers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for cross-categorical special education teachers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

5. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

6. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

7. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

8. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,398

9. Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,380

10. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,422

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for cross-categorical special education teachers

The easiest schools for cross-categorical special education teachers to get into are Barry University, curry college, and mount saint mary's university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a cross-categorical special education teacher without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for cross-categorical special education teachers.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

3. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

4. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

5. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

6. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

7. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

8. The University of Texas Permian Basin

Odessa, TX • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,046

9. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

10. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

Average cross-categorical special education teacher salary by education level

According to our data, cross-categorical special education teachers with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $54,364 annually. Cross-categorical special education teachers with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $53,884.
Cross-categorical special education teacher education levelCross-categorical special education teacher salary
Master's Degree$53,884
Bachelor's Degree$44,269
Doctorate Degree$54,364

Cross-categorical special education teacher education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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