Best Online Special Education Programs in Sanford, NC (2026)

Sanford, North Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering special education programs. Sanford has a population of about 30,833. Median household income is $54,294 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In North Carolina, the top-earning special education-related role is Special Education Teacher, Preschool at a median $60,180 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Special Education Schools to Sanford

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer special education programs near Sanford, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Sanford 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 Sanford. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Central Carolina Community College

Sanford, NC 2.0 miles from Sanford BOC Score 60.6
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $33,525
Avg net price $5,446/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Special Education Wages Near Sanford

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (North Carolina, statewide)
Special Education Teacher, Kindergarten and Elementary School$58,260
Special Education Teacher, Middle School$59,360
Special Education Teacher, Secondary School$56,770
Special Education Teacher, Preschool$60,180

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.


Sanford at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population30,833Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$54,294Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+22.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Sanford-Area Cities With Special Education Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited special education schools are near Sanford, NC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering special education programs near Sanford. The closest is Campbell University in Buies Creek, NC (25.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is North Carolina Central University (38.2 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying special education roles in North Carolina?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying special education-related roles in North Carolina are: Special Education Teacher, Preschool ($60,180), Special Education Teacher, Middle School ($59,360), Special Education Teacher, Kindergarten and Elementary School ($58,260). Wages for Sanford workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Holly Springs instead of Sanford?

Holly Springs, NC is 22.4 miles from Sanford 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 Sanford an affordable place to study special education?

Sanford’s median household income of $54,294 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Sanford while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina 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 Sanford

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

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 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.