An online master's in education is a graduate degree built mostly from coursework delivered at a distance, with any classroom placement completed in a school near you. Programs go by three common names, the M.Ed., the MAT and the MS in education, and the name matters less than what the program leads to: a first teaching license, an advanced certificate, or a credential for work outside the classroom.
Two checks decide most outcomes for an online student. Does the program lead to a license or certificate that your own state recognizes, and will the school confirm that in writing before you pay a deposit? The sections below cover how the degrees differ, how long they run, how to read the cost figures, whether a master's raises pay and how state and federal rules reach students who study online.
Source: IPEDS completions and Institutional Characteristics, read October 6, 2026.
fully online master's programs in education ranked, from 667 schools
1,771
master's degrees a year at the median ranked program
17
median out-of-state tuition and fees for a master's year, 2023-24
$16,293
home states among the 25 schools on the list
18
This ranking covers fully online master's programs in education only. Hybrid programs, programs with a required campus visit and programs on campus are counted but not ranked here.
The 25 Best Online Master's Programs in Education, Ranked
The 25 best online master's programs in education are ranked below by one score out of 100, built from IPEDS degrees awarded and graduate tuition and fees. Across all 1,771 ranked programs the median charge is $11,111 in state and $16,293 out of state, so each card's figures read high or low against that.
1
University of the Cumberlands
Master of Arts in Education, Special Education: Learning and Behavior Disorders (P-12)
Williamsburg, Kentucky
95.2- Private nonprofit
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 304 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $4,560
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $4,560
Study at the University of the Cumberlands happens on the student's own time, because each class is recorded and archived for asynchronous viewing. The 30 credit hours center on Learning and Behavior Disorders for P-12 and suit already-licensed Kentucky teachers seeking advanced certification. Hands-on requirements include field and clinical hours, and state-required exams must be passed before a recommendation for professional licensure is made. Many finish in a little over a year. The Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board oversees the degree, which also carries advanced-level CAEP recognition.
2
94.8- Private nonprofit
- Education, General
- Degrees awarded
- 86 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $5,700
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $5,700
York University in Nebraska teaches its 36-credit-hour online Master of Arts in Education asynchronously across six eight-week terms a year. Concentrations include Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Leadership, Social-Emotional Leadership, Sports Administration and an Early Childhood Education Endorsement. Educational Leadership offers a Nebraska-approved building-level principal endorsement for Pre-K-8, 7-12 or PreK-12, and the early childhood concentration leads to a state-approved supplemental endorsement. The other concentrations are non-licensure. Open educational resources replace textbooks, and the Higher Learning Commission accredits the university.
3
Fitchburg State University
Master of Education in Curriculum and Teaching (Non-Licensure)
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
94.6- Public
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 201 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $6,246
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $6,246
A reflective seminar closes out the curriculum at Fitchburg State University, where the Master of Education in Curriculum and Teaching is one 36-credit pathway with no concentrations. Courses follow an accelerated sequence that can wrap up in twelve months, and the work keeps returning to educational equity. Candidates need not hold a teaching license, and the degree stops short of licensure, so it suits educators building skill rather than changing careers. NECHE accreditation covers the institution.
4
94.1- Private for-profit
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 1,074 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $6,600
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $6,600
Working teachers aiming at a principal license can study through American College of Education fully online, taking 34 semester credits in about a year and a half. The final stretch is a supervised internship and practicum capstone, and the college offers state-specific internship courses so the placement fits local expectations. Licensure approval covers a short list of states, and a candidate living in any other state would check that state's rules before enrolling. Accreditation comes from the Higher Learning Commission.
5
94.1- Private nonprofit
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 88 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $6,600
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $6,600
A leadership coach is assigned to each student in Northwestern College's 34-credit online administration degree, which sets a 7-credit internship beside 27 credits of coursework. Candidates spend internship time at three levels, early childhood, elementary and secondary, before graduating with an initial administrator license in Iowa. Standards from NELP and ISSL guide the curriculum, and graduates can also pursue athletic director roles. Anyone planning to work outside Iowa can ask the college about certification on an individual basis.
6
Youngstown State University
Master of Science in Education, Curriculum and Instruction
Youngstown, Ohio
93.7- Public
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 70 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $6,795
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $6,615
Teachers can steer this online Youngstown State University degree toward literacy, digital teaching and learning, teacher leadership or general studies. The 30-credit-hour curriculum is designed for practicing P-12 teachers and can be finished in a year. A required TaskStream account supports a portfolio assessed against CAEP-aligned standards, which is where candidates show how their classroom practice has grown in assessment, technology and communication.
7
93.6- Private for-profit
- Education, General
- Degrees awarded
- 65 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $7,054
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $7,054
Post University frames its fully online Master of Education as a professional-development degree, not a route to a state teacher's license or other educational credential. Every class is recorded and archived for asynchronous access, and admission is rolling throughout the year. Candidates choose Teaching and Learning, Instructional Design and Technology, or Higher Education Administration, pointing the degree toward the classroom, learning design or postsecondary administration.
8
93.5- Public
- Education, General
- Degrees awarded
- 93 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $7,226
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $5,454
Eastern New Mexico University lets teachers fit two specialties into one degree. In its 36-credit online Master of Education in Pedagogy and Learning, a nine-hour core is followed by a 15-hour emphasis and 12 more hours from a second area, chosen among bilingual education, educational technology, elementary education, English as a Second Language, and reading and literacy. Coursework from an alternative licensure program may count toward the degree, and a TESOL endorsement is available to those who want one. Comprehensive exams come due every fall and spring semester.
9
Ashland University
Master of Education in Educational Leadership with Administrative Licensure
Ashland, Ohio
93.0- Private nonprofit
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 63 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $7,776
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $7,776
Candidates in Ashland University's online master's with administrative licensure pick a pathway for principal, superintendent or curriculum and professional development work, then study in 7-week fast-track terms. A year-long capstone internship worth 3 credits sits inside the 30-credit curriculum, and up to 12 transferred graduate credit hours can shorten the route. The preparation targets Ohio licensure only, with the Ohio Assessment for Educators exams standing between graduation and the license.
10
Northwest Missouri State University
Master of Science in Education in Educational Leadership
Maryville, Missouri
92.6- Public
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 221 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $7,946
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $7,946
The leadership degree at Northwest Missouri State University moves in accelerated seven-week terms that put a cohort of working teachers through ten online courses and 30 credits. Field experience totals over 96 hours, and the capstone is a choice: audit a curriculum for whether it is guaranteed and viable, or complete a supervised K-12 leadership practicum. The credential aims at building-level leadership in Missouri for people who already hold a teaching certificate, and the university lists AAQEP among its accreditations.
11
92.0- Public
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 70 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $8,239
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $7,069
Educational Diagnostician and Certified Academic Language Therapist are the credentials that Midwestern State University's online special education master's can lead toward. The degree sits in the McAda Graduate School and West College of Education and is delivered entirely over the internet, which suits teachers with full-time jobs. Coursework leans toward evaluation and language-based specialties, a path into support roles beyond day-to-day classroom teaching.
12
91.7- Private nonprofit
- Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
- Degrees awarded
- 382 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $8,340
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $8,340
Counselors in training at Liberty University follow a three-year, six-semester online degree that ends in a practicum and two internship courses. Fieldwork covers both elementary and secondary schools, so a candidate sees how student needs differ by grade. Two required courses are held live online, and the curriculum totals 60 credit hours. The aim is Virginia school counselor licensure, starting with a provisional license for newcomers to the field, then full licensure after two years of teaching or counseling work, plus a passing PRAXIS 5422 result. Accreditation comes from CACREP and from CAEP.
13
90.8- Private nonprofit
- Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language/ESL Language Instructor
- Degrees awarded
- 49 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $4,416
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $4,416
Working professionals can pursue the Greensboro College Master of Arts in TESOL entirely online and choose between a standard pace of 15 to 18 months and a 12-month fast track. Ten courses make up the 30 credits. Because the degree is framed around career qualification and not a particular license, it suits those aiming at schools, intensive English programs or community colleges, and elective choices plus a bundled graduate certificate in TESOL or bilingual education let them add a specialty.
14
Concordia University-Irvine
Master of Arts in Education: School Counseling
Irvine, California
90.7- Private nonprofit
- Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
- Degrees awarded
- 128 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $8,730
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $8,730
Working adults pursuing the California PPS Credential can take school counseling at Concordia University Irvine online with a cohort that stays together for 26 months. Coursework totals 48 units, and the practicum (3 units) and fieldwork (6 units) put candidates in real school settings before a capstone project closes the degree. Live online evening meetings fall on Tuesdays through Thursdays in weeks 1, 3, 5 and 7 of every 8-week term. The program is aligned with CTC and WASC standards.
15
90.1- Private nonprofit
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 5,296 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $8,856
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $8,856
Practicing K-12 educators use this online Western Governors University degree for teacher-craft and leadership development, not for a license. The six-pillar curriculum has no concentrations, and a Program Mentor guides each candidate toward a final action-research capstone that needs a K-12 classroom or similar group of learners to work with. Alignment with National Board standards and NEA competencies shapes the content, and the university holds regional accreditation.
16
Bridgewater State University
Master of Education in Special Education, Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities
Bridgewater, Massachusetts
89.8- Public
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 67 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $9,041
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $9,041
Roughly 120 school districts in southeastern Massachusetts host the fieldwork for Bridgewater State's special education master's, which is delivered online. Candidates can pursue Moderate Disabilities at PreK-8 or 5-12, Severe Disabilities for all levels or PreK-2, or an Applied Behavior Analysis concentration. A license can be earned early, before the degree itself is complete, and applications are taken year-round from career changers and current educators alike.
17
89.8- Public
- Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision
- Degrees awarded
- 59 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $9,000
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $9,000
Teachers who want to stay in the classroom or move toward administration can use Colorado State University Global's 36-credit teaching and learning degree either way, because the 12-credit specialization is theirs to choose. Study is 100% online with no set class times, and an optional licensure concentration points toward Colorado principal licensure. Transfer of up to 18 credits is accepted, new terms start ten times a year, and the final project can be a research analysis or a task set in a school.
18
89.6- Private nonprofit
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 113 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $9,223
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $9,223
Doane University assigns each student in its Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction a professional academic advisor who stays from enrollment to graduation. Classes meet online, in the evening and on weekends, with several summer options for teachers working full schedules. Core work in curriculum design, instruction and assessment is complemented by electives, and a concentration lets teachers aim the degree at their own classroom. Accreditation comes through CAEP and the Higher Learning Commission, and Nebraska's education department has given its approval.
19
89.4- Public
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 91 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $9,408
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $9,408
Certificates of Advanced Studies organize the curriculum at Peru State College, covering classroom behavior and management, instructional mastery, inclusionary practices and policies, and instructional technology. Teachers choose between a flexible Regular pace and an Accelerated schedule that wraps up in 19 months, and both are built on eight-week online courses across 36 credit hours. Nine graduate transfer credits are accepted. Candidates who add the ESL supplemental endorsement track prepare for Nebraska ESL PK-12 certification, and NCATE-accredited teacher education programs stand behind the degree.
20
88.7- Public
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Other
- Degrees awarded
- 65 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $9,910
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $9,810
Teachers who want depth in one niche can choose among three concentrations in Lander University's online Master of Education in Teaching and Learning: Diverse Learners, Instructional Technology or Montessori Education. The Montessori route leads to American Montessori Society certification at the early childhood, elementary 1-3 or elementary 4-6 level, and candidates who already hold a MACTE-accredited Montessori credential receive 12 Montessori-specific credit hours. Lander's College of Education holds CAEP accreditation. The degree is not a general licensure program.
21
Campbellsville University
Master of Arts in Education, School Counseling (P-12)
Campbellsville, Kentucky
88.5- Private nonprofit
- Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
- Degrees awarded
- 82 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $9,920
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $9,920
Supervised practice is the centerpiece at Campbellsville University, where three practicum internships of 100, 100 and 200 hours anchor a degree delivered fully online across 48 credit hours. An accelerated schedule lets a candidate finish in 18 months at the quickest. Approval from the Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board and accreditation from CAEP support certification in Kentucky. The curriculum is aimed at working teachers who want to stay in schools.
22
Concordia University-Nebraska
Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Curriculum & Instruction
Seward, Nebraska
88.5- Private nonprofit
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 49 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $7,650
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $7,650
Working teachers take one course at a time in eight-week terms at Concordia University Nebraska, and no GRE is required. A 45-hour practicum is completed in the candidate's own classroom with no mentor needed. Several concentrations serve Christian schools, including Advancement for Christian Schools, while others cover computer science and Instructional Technology Leadership. Nebraska students who want a secondary education initial certificate can earn one within the degree, and the college holds CAEP accreditation.
23
Wayne State College
Master of Science in Education, Curriculum and Instruction (Instructional Leadership)
Wayne, Nebraska
88.3- Public
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 83 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $9,960
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $5,640
Wayne State College delivers instruction entirely online in eight-week and sixteen-week terms, so a working teacher can set a pace anywhere from two years to ten without sitting an entrance exam. The 36 credits are organized around instructional leadership, with emphasis areas that include Skilled and Technical Sciences Education as well as elementary and early childhood. Educators use the focus to widen their influence inside a content area and a school. CAEP accreditation stands behind the curriculum and instruction degree.
24
McDaniel College
Master of Science in Innovations in Teaching and Learning (formerly Curriculum and Instruction)
Westminster, Maryland
88.1- Private nonprofit
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 70 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $9,969
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $9,969
Educators with a certificate can complete 33 credits entirely online at McDaniel College, in a degree shaped with PreK-12 leaders. Coursework follows pathways rather than named tracks, so a candidate can emphasize coaching and mentoring, instructional technology, or school-building supervision. Added Administrator I Certification is possible on the leadership strand, but the degree itself leads to no teaching license. The renaming took effect in Fall 2020, when Curriculum and Instruction became Innovations in Teaching and Learning.
25
87.8- Private nonprofit
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Other
- Degrees awarded
- 77 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $10,080
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $10,080
Viterbo University gives working educators two directions inside its online Master of Arts in Education. A Create-Your-Own emphasis is a 30-credit generalist degree with no licensure attached, while the 36-credit PK-12 Principal and Supervisor of Special Education track pairs the master's with principal licensure that meets Iowa Department of Education standards. Study spans two years and six semesters, and every semester includes an internship under an approved mentor. Servant leadership and social justice run through the coursework, treating school leadership as a form of service.
How We Rank
Every eligible program is scored out of 100. Each figure becomes a percentile against the 1771 ranked programs, and the percentiles are weighted as below. The methodology page explains each choice.
- Degrees awarded: 50%. Master's degrees the program conferred in the latest reported year, counted up to 50. Past 50 a year a program is clearly established and more volume adds nothing.
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: 50%. The university's graduate tuition plus required fees for a full-time year, out-of-state rate, 2023-24. Lower cost scores higher.
Reading the cards. Degrees awarded is the program's own count for the latest year reported to IPEDS, counted up to 50 for the score. Each tuition figure on an education card is the university's graduate charge for a full-time year, read from IPEDS Institutional Characteristics, 2023-24. It is not a per-credit price or an online-only rate, so ask the program for its own.
Source: federal IPEDS records, read October 6, 2026. Tuition and fees are 2023-24. Scores are our own.
How Many Online Master's Programs in Education Are There?
There are 2,338 fully online master's programs in education, out of 5,943 on federal record, and 1,771 of them are ranked above. A program counts as fully online when the school's own description of it says the whole degree can be completed at a distance, in line with the federal definition of an exclusively distance education program. In education, a required campus residency makes a program hybrid here, even when most of the coursework is online, while a student teaching or practicum placement near home does not.
What Does an Online Master's in Education Cost?
An online master's in education costs from $1,510 to $68,128 a year out of state in graduate tuition and required fees across the 1,771 ranked programs, with a median of $16,293. In state the median is $11,111. These are each university's annual graduate charge from IPEDS Institutional Characteristics, 2023-24 rather than a per-credit price or an online-only rate, so a education program's own price page is the figure to plan on.
Which Specialties Do the Ranked Online Master's Programs in Education Fall Under?
The 1,771 ranked online master's programs in education fall under 15 specialty groups, which hold 1,373 of them and give each group its own list, while 398 sit in fields that compete only here. A school's best program in a specialty can score differently from its best program overall, because every list takes one program per school.
What Is an Online Master's in Education, and How Do the M.Ed., MAT and MS Differ?
An online master's in education is a graduate degree earned through coursework delivered at a distance, and the M.Ed., the MAT and the MS in education differ in who they are designed for. A Master of Education usually serves people who already teach: Auburn University at Montgomery's online M.Ed. in special education asks applicants to hold a current Alabama teaching certificate before they start.
A Master of Arts in Teaching serves career changers. The University of North Florida describes its fully online MAT in secondary education as built for people with a bachelor's degree in a non-education field, and says plainly that it is not meant for anyone who already holds a teaching license.
The MS or MA in education has no single national meaning. Schools attach those letters to their own tracks, so the course list and the credential at the end say more than the title does. Fields such as leadership, counseling and technology each follow their own pattern, which the specialty rankings cover.
Does an Online Master's in Education Lead to a Teaching License or an Advanced Credential?
An online master's in education leads to a teaching license when it is built as an initial-licensure program, and to an advanced credential when it is built for teachers who already hold a license. The University of North Florida's MAT is the first kind, with coursework plus field experiences for career changers, while Auburn University at Montgomery's M.Ed. is the second kind, written for licensed teachers who want to advance their certification.
The school does not issue the license. At Brenau University, graduates of the online MAT in secondary education earn certification from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission after they pass the state's GACE exam. A first-license route also includes supervised classroom work, which happens in a real school rather than online, so ask how the program finds a site and a supervisor where you live.
How Long Does an Online Master's in Education Take, and How Many Credits Does It Need?
An online master's in education needs anywhere from 30 to 48 credits at the programs cited here, and the time to finish follows the credit total and the pace. Auburn University at Montgomery lists 30 credit hours and a one to two year timeline for its M.Ed., the University of North Florida lists between 30 and 36 credit hours for its MAT, and Brenau University lists 45 to 48 credit hours over five semesters.
Credit totals follow the program design and the state's requirements, not the degree name, so compare the total and the number of terms instead. A part-time pace spreads the same credits over more terms, which suits a working teacher and also pushes the finish date out.
How Do You Read the Cost Figures for an Online Master's Program?
These cost figures for an online master's program in education are annual full-time graduate tuition and fees as each school reports them to IPEDS Institutional Characteristics, and they are not online per-credit rates. They compare schools on one measure and do not show what a part-time online student is billed.
Online programs usually bill by the credit, so a real total is the per-credit price times the credit count, plus fees. Brenau University lists $866 a credit and about $41,568 in tuition for its MAT. Auburn University at Montgomery's M.Ed. lists $483 a credit for Alabama residents and $531 for non-residents, a tuition-only total of $14,490 to $15,930 before technology and online fees. Ask each program for its current per-credit price, its fee schedule and whether the rate changes with your state of residence.
Does a Master's Degree Raise a Teacher's Pay?
A master's degree raises a teacher's pay in most large school districts, through a higher lane on the salary schedule, by an average of $3,581 for a novice teacher and $9,315 at 25 years of experience, according to the National Council on Teacher Quality. About 90 percent of large districts pay the premium, though the same research finds the degree does not by itself make a teacher more effective.
So the degree buys a lane, a license or a different job. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says instructional coordinators typically need a master's degree and related experience. Across all occupations, workers with a master's earned median weekly pay of $1,840 in 2024, against $1,543 for a bachelor's, in the Education Pays data, a gap that describes the whole labor market rather than teaching.
Your own district's published salary schedule settles the question. Compare the bachelor's and master's lanes at your step, and ask when a finished degree must be documented to count.
How Do State Authorization and Licensure Disclosures Work for an Online Master's in Education?
State authorization and licensure disclosures for an online master's in education work through a federal rule, 34 CFR 668.43, which requires the school to say whether its program meets licensure requirements in the state where you are located. The school must keep a list of the states where it has decided the program does and does not meet them.
If a program does not meet your state's requirements, the school must tell you before you enroll. If it reaches that finding after you start, it has 14 calendar days to notify you, and disclosures must go to you directly in writing. The school decides your location when you first enroll and again when it learns you have moved, so tell it if you relocate.
The interstate agreement that lets a school enroll students across state lines settles a different question. NC-SARA says it does not address licensing board approval for teacher education, although it does require participating schools to notify students whether a program meets licensure requirements where they live.
How Do TEACH Grants, Loan Forgiveness and Employer Benefits Help Pay for a Master's in Education?
TEACH Grants, loan forgiveness and employer benefits can each help pay for a master's in education, and each comes with conditions to confirm before you enroll. A full-time graduate student can receive up to $4,000 a year in TEACH Grant funds, to a graduate maximum of $8,000, if the school has designated the program as eligible, according to the Department of Education's counseling guide. In return you agree to teach full time for four school years in a high-need field at a school serving low-income students, within eight years of finishing, or the grant converts to a Direct Unsubsidized Loan.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness is a separate federal program for borrowers who work for qualifying government or nonprofit employers, and many school districts are among them. Employer help counts too: IRS Publication 15-B lets an employer exclude up to $5,250 a year of educational assistance from your wages, and the exclusion covers graduate courses. Check each program's current terms on studentaid.gov before you rely on it.
How Should You Choose an Online Master's in Education Program?
To choose an online master's in education program, start with accreditation, then confirm the licensure disclosure for your state. Institutional accreditation tells you the school is recognized, and the U.S. Department of Education's DAPIP database lets you look up the accrediting agency for an institution.
For a program that prepares teachers, look for educator-preparation accreditation as well, from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation or the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation, which publishes a directory of accredited providers. Auburn University at Montgomery's M.Ed. lists CAEP accreditation on its program page.
Then compare what the federal data cannot show: how placements are found near you, the per-credit price, the credit total and whether the program ends in a first license or an advanced certificate. The licensure guide by state names the agency to ask.
Common Questions About Online Master's Programs in Education
How Many Online Master's Programs in Education Are There?
How Much Does an Online Master's in Education Cost?
What Are the Best Online Master's Programs in Education?
Are Online Master's Programs in Education Accredited?
How Are Online Master's Programs in Education Ranked?
Do You Need a Master's in Education to Teach in Public Schools?
Can You Finish an Online Master's in Education While Working Full Time?
Who Can Confirm an Online Master's in Education Meets Your State's Requirements?
Does Public Service Loan Forgiveness Apply to a Teacher With a Master's in Education?
Which Online Master's in Education Programs Are Not Ranked?
Where Do the Figures on These Online Master's Programs in Education Come From?
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
- IPEDS Institutional Characteristics, 2023-24
- Distance Education in IPEDS
- College Navigator
- Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
- Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP)
- Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs
- 34 CFR 668.43, Institutional and programmatic information (eCFR)
- NC-SARA, Professional Licensure
- NC-SARA, Professional Licensure Directory
- National Council on Teacher Quality, The Degree Dilemma
- University of North Florida, Secondary Education (M.A.T.)
- Auburn University at Montgomery, online Master of Education in Special Education
- Brenau University, online MAT in Secondary Education
- Federal Student Aid, TEACH Grant counseling guide
- Federal Student Aid, Public Service Loan Forgiveness
- Internal Revenue Service, Publication 15-B, Employer's Tax Guide to Fringe Benefits
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Education Pays
The figures on these online master's programs in education come from federal records that each college reports about itself, as of the dates shown. Each card's description is researched from that program's own page, which the card links.
Show the federal record for all 25 colleges ranked, in 18 states
University of the Cumberlands York University Fitchburg State University American College of Education Northwestern College Youngstown State University Post University Eastern New Mexico University Ashland University Northwest Missouri State University Midwestern State University Liberty University Greensboro College Concordia University-Irvine Western Governors University Bridgewater State University Colorado State University Global Doane University Peru State College Lander University Campbellsville University Concordia University-Nebraska Wayne State College McDaniel College Viterbo University