An online master's in science education puts the coursework on your screen and keeps the hands-on science somewhere real: a kit on your kitchen table, a classroom near your home, or both. Programs come in two kinds. One is an initial-license degree for someone with a science bachelor's who is not yet teaching. The other is an advanced degree for a teacher who already holds a license.
Knowing which kind you need settles most other questions, from the credit total to whether a supervised placement is required. The sections below cover coursework, timing, state rules for students far from their school, and how to choose.
Source: IPEDS completions and Institutional Characteristics, read October 6, 2026.
fully online master's programs in science education ranked, from 15 schools
22
master's degrees a year at the median ranked program
13
median out-of-state tuition and fees for a master's year, 2023-24
$13,748
home states among the 15 schools on the list
13
This ranking covers fully online master's programs in science education only. Hybrid programs, programs with a required campus visit and programs on campus are counted but not ranked here.
The 15 Best Online Master's Programs in Science Education, Ranked
The 15 best online master's programs in science education are ranked below by one score out of 100, built from IPEDS degrees awarded and graduate tuition and fees. Across all 22 ranked programs the median charge is $8,856 in state and $13,748 out of state, so each card's figures read high or low against that.
1
90.1- Private nonprofit
- Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
- Degrees awarded
- 218 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $8,856
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $8,856
Western Governors University's fully online Master of Arts, Science Education (Middle Grades) is an add-on specialization for teachers who already hold a valid license, not a route to initial certification. General science coursework covers biology, chemistry, physics and earth and space science for middle and junior-high classrooms. Candidates receive an at-home lab kit with equipment and specimens to run experiments themselves. The competency-based model lets people move through familiar material faster, and a standards-based instructional research paper replaces a thesis. Regional accreditation comes from NWCCU.
2
84.7- Private for-profit
- Biology Teacher Education
- Degrees awarded
- 98 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $11,124
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $11,124
Biology content and teaching tools are combined in Grand Canyon University's 34-credit online Master of Science in Biology, a non-licensure degree that does not by itself grant a teaching credential. Courses cover ecology, cellular and molecular biology, physiology and microbiology next to curriculum design and adult-learning theory, in an eight-week format. There is no thesis or capstone, so the weight falls on coursework. The Higher Learning Commission grants the university its institutional accreditation.
3
American College of Education
Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Biology Education
Indianapolis, Indiana
62.7- Private for-profit
- Biology Teacher Education
- Degrees awarded
- 10 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $6,600
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $6,600
American College of Education offers its 34-credit Master of Education in Biology Education online with several start dates, and candidates can finish in roughly 12 to 16 months. The degree is not a route to K-12 certification. Instead, 18 of the credits are biology content courses chosen by focus area, a mix often used to meet the credit thresholds for community college or dual-credit teaching. A capstone with a research-methods component produces a culminating project. The college is accredited institutionally by the Higher Learning Commission.
4
Niagara University
Niagara University, New York
51.0- Private nonprofit
- Biology Teacher Education
- Degrees awarded
- 14 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $14,850
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $14,850
Candidates seeking New York certification can use the Secondary Education track in biology within Niagara University's 39-credit online Master of Science in Elementary and Secondary Education. Cohorts move together through fully online coursework, with paid field placements arranged through district partnerships before a final-semester student teaching practicum. Graduates qualify for initial and professional certification in New York State once they pass the Educating All Students test and the Content Specialty Test. Other concentrations cover Birth-6 elementary education and theater education, and CAEP accredits the preparation.
5
Illinois State University
Master of Chemistry Education (MCE) / Master of Science in Chemistry Education (MSCE)
Normal, Illinois
49.2- Public
- Chemistry Teacher Education
- Degrees awarded
- 10 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $12,646
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $10,009
Illinois State University offers a paired set of chemistry teaching degrees through the department's asynchronous eLearning courses, which are open to teachers wherever they live. The Master of Chemistry Education suits teachers without an undergraduate chemistry degree. The 33-credit Master of Science in Chemistry Education is for those who hold one, and it divides its work into 12 content credits and 15 education-focused credits. It expects three years of full-time teaching by the time the degree is awarded, so it serves practicing teachers who want stronger content and pedagogy.
6
California State University-Northridge
Master of Arts in Secondary Science Education
Northridge, California
47.6- Public
- Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
- Degrees awarded
- 18 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $18,033
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $8,529
California State University, Northridge runs its Master of Arts in Secondary Science Education as a two-year online cohort that meets one night per week, with guaranteed enrollment so each group moves through together. A single track leaves room for two electives in science, science-related subjects or education. The master's portfolio ends with a significant original project that resembles a thesis. The degree does not award a teaching credential, though a separate CSUN credential program exists, and admission is limited to California residents.
7
University of Nebraska at Kearney
Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.), STEM Education
Kearney, Nebraska
46.6- Public
- Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
- Degrees awarded
- 13 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $15,570
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $7,866
At the University of Nebraska at Kearney, the 30-credit online M.S.Ed. in STEM Education is open to teachers already certified in a qualifying science or math area, not to first-time licensure seekers. Six departments run it jointly, so science and math faculty teach the 18 discipline credits, with 9 credits of professional development and a 3-credit capstone completing the plan. Candidates can combine two disciplines in an integrated option or follow a single-subject option in biology, chemistry, mathematics or physical science. CAEP accreditation applies.
8
39.8- Public
- Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
- Degrees awarded
- 5 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $11,537
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $5,552
Northeastern State University delivers its 36-hour online Master of Education in Science Education without fixed tracks. Instead, candidates choose 15 hours of science coursework from earth science, biology, environmental science, chemistry, physics and space science. A two-semester capstone carries a significant writing component, and an embedded 12-hour STEM Education Certificate is optional. Applicants must already hold or be eligible for a teaching certificate, and the page cautions that the degree alone does not cover all coursework for an initial science certificate. CAEP and Oklahoma's OEQA recognize the preparation.
9
East Carolina University
Master of Arts in Education (MAEd) in Science Education
Greenville, North Carolina
34.1- Public
- Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
- Degrees awarded
- 13 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $20,807
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $7,658
East Carolina University designed its 36-credit online Master of Arts in Education in Science Education for North Carolina teachers who hold a valid A-level license, moving them to M-level licensure on completion. Elementary, Middle School and High School tracks let a teacher match the degree to the grade band taught. A finish in as little as one year is possible, with an optional 21-month cohort path, and no GRE or GMAT is required. Optional study-abroad experiences are available, for example in Costa Rica or the Dominican Republic. SACSCOC, CAEP and the state Department of Public Instruction are the named accreditors.
10
24.2- Public
- Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
- Degrees awarded
- 12 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $26,576
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $10,268
The University of Georgia's online M.Ed. in Science Education upgrades an existing Georgia teaching certificate from T4 to T5, so it is for licensed teachers and not an initial-certification route. Its 36 credit hours carry no cohort requirement, which lets candidates start in any semester, and most finish in about two years while teaching. Up to 6 transfer hours are accepted. No formal concentrations exist, though electives let teachers focus on STEM integration, socio-scientific issues or environmental science education. SACSCOC accredits the institution.
11
18.0- Private nonprofit
- Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
- Degrees awarded
- 7 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $24,140
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $24,140
Nova Southeastern University's online Master of Science in Science Education is a non-certification degree, so it does not lead to state teaching licensure. All 36 credits follow a single curriculum aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards, and rolling admissions mean there is no cohort start date to wait for. Graduates are prepared for classroom teaching and also for administrative, corporate and nonprofit roles in science education. The focus is advanced, standards-based knowledge for science educators working in a range of settings.
12
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Master of Science in Teaching of Biological Science
Champaign, Illinois
14.0- Public
- Biology Teacher Education
- Degrees awarded
- 9 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $33,640
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $18,837
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign built its 32-hour online Master of Science in Teaching of Biological Science for people who already hold teacher certification in science or biology. Five eight-week online biology courses sit beside three curriculum and instruction courses, and an action research project ties the pedagogy to the candidate's own science knowledge. Conferral depends on completing certification requirements, so this is not an initial-license pathway. Applicants should know that admissions are suspended effective Spring 2027.
13
Georgia State University
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education, M.Ed.
Atlanta, Georgia
12.8- Public
- Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
- Degrees awarded
- 5 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $23,982
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $8,484
Georgia State University's online M.Ed. in STEM Education leads to Georgia initial teaching certification across 36 credit hours and four semesters. Concentrations are science education, mathematics education, computer science and integrated middle-level education, with field placements in metro-Atlanta middle and high schools. To finish, candidates must pass the GACE content assessment, the Georgia Educator Ethics Assessment and edTPA. An embedded STEM endorsement adds a credential, and the school reports that all of its secondary-science candidates passed the most recent edTPA administration.
14
12.7- Public
- Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
- Degrees awarded
- 6 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $25,426
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $14,788
University of Northern Colorado teachers who are already certified can take its fully online Master of Arts in Science Education in about two years while they keep working. Concentrations include biology, chemistry, earth and climate sciences, physics, and an elementary science education focus, matched to the grades and subjects taught. The degree deepens content and pedagogical knowledge and does not confer initial licensure. No GRE is required, and scholarships and graduate assistantships are available.
15
Wilkes University
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
11.7- Private nonprofit
- Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
- Degrees awarded
- 6 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $26,064
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $26,064
Career changers with a non-education bachelor's degree are the target of Wilkes University's 30-credit online Master of Arts in Teaching, which leads to Pennsylvania middle-level certification for grades 4 to 8 through the Praxis exams. Science is the concentration here, with mathematics, social studies and English/language arts offered alongside. Twelve weeks of student teaching happen locally, with no campus travel. Reciprocity for out-of-state licensure depends on each state's rules, and graduates can add high school or elementary certification later without another degree.
How We Rank
Every eligible program is scored out of 100. Each figure becomes a percentile against the 22 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 a science 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 Science Education Are There?
There are 44 fully online master's programs in science education, out of 152 on federal record, and 22 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 science 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 Science Education Cost?
An online master's in science education costs from $6,600 to $33,640 a year out of state in graduate tuition and required fees across the 22 ranked programs, with a median of $13,748. In state the median is $8,856. 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 science education program's own price page is the figure to plan on.
What Does an Online Master's in Science Education Cover?
An online master's in science education covers science content, the methods for teaching it and a culminating project. Northeastern State University's online Master of Education in science education divides 36 credits into a 15-hour professional education core, a 15-hour science content core and a 6-hour capstone, with content options from earth science and investigative biology to space science.
Two sets of standards frame the methods side. The NSTA and ASTE 2020 standards for science teacher preparation cover elementary, middle school and secondary teachers, and the Next Generation Science Standards organize K-12 science around practices, core ideas and crosscutting concepts.
How Long Does an Online Master's in Science Education Take?
An online master's in science education takes roughly one to two years, and the track does most of the deciding. American College of Education lists 34 semester credits in 12 to 16 months for its online M.Ed. in biology education. Western Governors University reports that 62% of students earn its M.A. in secondary biology within 17 months, and the same 62% share earn the initial-license M.A.T. within 24 months.
The gap tracks the course counts, 20 courses for the M.A.T. and 13 for the M.A., so compare the courses behind any headline length.
Does an Online Master's in Science Education Lead to a Science Teaching License?
An online master's in science education leads to a science teaching license only when it is built as an initial-license track such as a Master of Arts in Teaching, and many science education degrees are written for teachers who already hold one. Western Governors University draws the line on its biology program page: the M.A.T. is for people who are not licensed teachers and leads to a license, while the M.A. is for licensed teachers adding secondary biology to an existing license. The University of Nebraska at Kearney's online M.S.Ed. asks applicants for a current certificate with a science or math endorsement.
A license track includes supervised classroom time, and it happens near you. Southeast Missouri State University's online M.A.T. lists an 8-credit internship in middle and secondary schools, with field work that may be done in the candidate's own workplace. Muskingum University's online M.A.T. for grades 7 to 12 ends in full-time student teaching.
How Do State Authorization and Licensure Disclosures Work for Online Science Education Students?
State authorization and licensure disclosures for online science education students rest on a federal rule that makes the school say, in writing, whether its program meets licensure requirements in the state where you live. Under 34 CFR 668.43, a school that has decided a program falls short in your state, or has not decided, must tell you before you enroll.
Science sharpens the question because certificates are issued by science area and grade band. Southeast Missouri State lists science for grades 5 to 9 and biology, chemistry and physics separately for grades 9 to 12, so a program can satisfy one and not another. Give the school your home state and your science area. NC-SARA states that its reciprocity agreement does not address licensing board approval in fields such as teacher education, so permission to enroll you is not permission to license you.
What Costs Come With an Online Master's in Science Teaching Besides Tuition?
The costs that come with an online master's in science teaching besides tuition are course fees, lab materials and the exams and background checks that follow a license-track degree. Western Governors University charges $4,125 per six-month term plus a $200 e-books and resources fee, and its science programs include a home lab kit, so your bill depends on how many terms you use rather than how many credits you take.
For a first license, Southeast Missouri State lists a content assessment, a dispositions profile and an FBI background check among its certification steps.
What Jobs Does an Online Master's in Science Education Lead To?
An online master's in science education leads most directly to teaching science in middle or high school, the work the Bureau of Labor Statistics describes for high school teachers. A license-track degree puts you in that classroom, and an advanced degree deepens the content you teach in the classroom you already hold.
The certificate sets the limits, because the sciences and grades printed on it decide which courses you may be assigned. Look up your home state in the licensure guide before you commit. College-level courses are a second destination: American College of Education calls 18 of 34 credits in its biology M.Ed. content courses often required for community college or dual-credit teaching.
How Much Do Jobs Tied to an Online Master's in Science Education Pay?
Jobs tied to an online master's in science education pay a median of $72,040 a year in the closest federal occupation, Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education, in May 2025. The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts 1,065,210 workers in that occupation, and the lowest-paid tenth earn $48,780 or less while the highest-paid tenth earn $107,600 or more.
The Bureau's Occupational Outlook Handbook profile for this occupation covers projected growth, entry requirements and typical duties.
These are national wages for the occupation as a whole, not what a master's graduate earns, so a district's salary schedule or an employer's own pay scale is the figure to plan on.
How Should You Choose an Online Program to Become a Science Teacher?
To choose an online program to become a science teacher, start with your state's licensing agency and the science area on its certificate, then keep only programs whose licensure disclosure names your state. Check accreditation next. The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation accredits providers that prepare teachers, and Northeastern State reports it, while Southeast Missouri State reports the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation.
Then settle the practical points in writing: how lab materials reach you, who finds your placement site and supervisor, and whether the degree is a license track or an add-on.
How Do You Become a Science Teacher With an Online Master's Degree?
You become a science teacher with an online master's degree by beginning with your state's certificate for the science you want to teach, then picking a program that leads to it.
- Choose your science area and grade band. Look up which science certificates your state agency issues, such as biology, chemistry, physics or earth science, and compare your bachelor's coursework with its content requirements.
- Pick a license track or an add-on track. A science graduate who is not yet teaching needs an initial-license degree such as an M.A.T. A licensed teacher can choose an advanced degree or endorsement program.
- Get the school's determination for your state. Ask in writing whether the program meets your state's requirements for your science area, and keep the reply with your application records.
- Plan the labs and a nearby placement. Find out how lab materials reach you, who arranges your classroom site and supervisor, and whether your own school can host you.
- Pass the state exams and apply. Finish the coursework and student teaching, sit your state's content exam, and send the transcript and the program's recommendation to the licensing agency.
Common Questions About Online Master's Programs in Science Education
How Many Online Master's Programs in Science Education Are There?
How Much Does an Online Master's in Science Education Cost?
What Are the Best Online Master's Programs in Science Education?
Are Online Master's Programs in Science Education Accredited?
How Are Online Master's Programs in Science Education Ranked?
Do You Need a Science Bachelor's Degree to Enter an Online Master's in Science Education?
How Do Lab Courses Work in an Online Master's in Science Education?
Can an Online Master's in Science Education Prepare You to Teach Dual-Credit or Community College Courses?
What Do the Next Generation Science Standards Mean for an Online Science Education Program?
Can the TEACH Grant Help Pay for an Online Master's in Science Education?
Where Do the Figures on These Online Master's Programs in Science 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
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- 34 CFR 668.43, Institutional and programmatic information (eCFR)
- NC-SARA, Professional Licensure
- NSTA, Science Standards for Teacher Preparation
- Next Generation Science Standards
- NSTA, Liability of Science Educators for Laboratory Safety
- Northeastern State University, Master of Education in Science Education
- Western Governors University, M.A. Science Education (Middle Grades)
- Western Governors University, Secondary Biology master's programs
- Southeast Missouri State University, online M.A.T. in Middle or Secondary Education
- Muskingum University, Master of Arts in Teaching
- University of Nebraska at Kearney, STEM Education M.S.Ed.
- American College of Education, Master of Education in Biology Education
- Federal Student Aid, TEACH Grant counseling guide
The figures on these online master's programs in science 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 15 colleges ranked, in 13 states
Western Governors University Grand Canyon University American College of Education Niagara University Illinois State University California State University-Northridge University of Nebraska at Kearney Northeastern State University East Carolina University University of Georgia Nova Southeastern University University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Georgia State University University of Northern Colorado Wilkes University