Best Online Special Education Programs in Patterson, CA (2026)

Patterson, California has 5 accredited schools offering special education programs. Patterson has a population of about 24,306. Median household income is $93,542 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 14.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Modesto, CA metro area, the top-earning special education-related role is Special Education Teacher, Secondary School at a median $98,170 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Special Education Schools to Patterson

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer special education programs near Patterson, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Patterson city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Patterson. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Modesto Junior College

Modesto, CA 14.3 miles from Patterson BOC Score 64.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,368
Avg net price $2,818/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

California State University-Stanislaus

Turlock, CA 16.0 miles from Patterson BOC Score 80.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,188
Avg net price $6,067/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Teachers College of San Joaquin

Stockton, CA 30.4 miles from Patterson
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 96%
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 1

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of the Pacific

Stockton, CA 36.2 miles from Patterson BOC Score 75.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,445
Avg net price $25,447/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Humphreys University-Stockton and Modesto Campuses

Stockton, CA 38.3 miles from Patterson BOC Score 58.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,248
Avg net price $5,524/yr
Tuition
In‑state$13,500
Out‑of‑state$13,500
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 9

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of California-Merced

Merced, CA 40.3 miles from Patterson BOC Score 70.1
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,368
Avg net price $11,983/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 6

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA 41.6 miles from Patterson BOC Score 86.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,988
Avg net price $13,760/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California special education page.


Special Education Wages Near Patterson

Patterson is part of the Modesto, CA metro area (BLS area code 33700). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Special Education Teacher, Kindergarten and Elementary School$80,570Modesto, CA$77,397
Special Education Teacher, Middle School$96,500Modesto, CA$92,699
Special Education Teacher, Secondary School$98,170Modesto, CA$94,304
Special Education Teacher, Preschool$59,550CA statewide$57,205

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Patterson at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population24,306Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$93,542Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+14.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)104.1 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Patterson-Area Cities With Special Education Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited special education schools are near Patterson, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering special education programs near Patterson. The closest is Modesto Junior College in Modesto, CA (14.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is San Jose City College (44.3 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying special education roles near Patterson?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying special education-related roles near Patterson are: Special Education Teacher, Secondary School ($98,170), Special Education Teacher, Middle School ($96,500), Special Education Teacher, Kindergarten and Elementary School ($80,570). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Ceres instead of Patterson?

Ceres, CA is 13.0 miles from Patterson and has its own set of local special education programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Patterson an affordable place to study special education?

Patterson’s median household income of $93,542 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Patterson while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Special Education Programs

Other Programs Available in Patterson

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Patterson:

Data verified: July 30, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.