An online master's in special education prepares you to teach students with disabilities, with coursework delivered at a distance. The classroom part, a practicum or student teaching, still happens in a school near you, so the degree is online and the placement is local.
Two questions decide whether a program fits. Does it lead to a license or a higher certificate in the state where you live, and will the school say so in writing before you enroll? The sections below cover what the degree includes, how long it runs, how state and federal rules reach online students, and how to choose.
Source: IPEDS completions and Institutional Characteristics, read October 6, 2026.
fully online master's programs in special education ranked, from 201 schools
215
master's degrees a year at the median ranked program
19
median out-of-state tuition and fees for a master's year, 2023-24
$16,686
home states among the 25 schools on the list
17
This ranking covers fully online master's programs in special 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 Special Education, Ranked
The 25 best online master's programs in special education are ranked below by one score out of 100, built from IPEDS degrees awarded and graduate tuition and fees. Across all 215 ranked programs the median charge is $11,334 in state and $16,686 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
Learning and Behavior Disorders is the focus of the University of the Cumberlands' special education master's, a Master of Arts in Education for P-12 teachers who already hold a Kentucky license. The LBD area covers the whole P-12 range, so one advanced credential reaches classrooms from preschool through twelfth grade. The same master's family also includes Teacher Leader tracks, among them interdisciplinary and school community leader options for licensed educators.
2
Fitchburg State University
Master of Education (MEd), Special Education: Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
94.6- Public
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 76 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $6,246
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $6,246
Fitchburg State University's 42-credit online M.Ed. for Teachers of Students with Moderate Disabilities leads to the Massachusetts Initial License, with a choice between a PreK-8 track and a grades 5-12 track. Classes meet live online at set times, and the practicum takes place in a school near the student's home. Candidates also pass the MTEL Communication and Literacy subtest along the way. Most finish in two to three years, though up to six are allowed. The degree meets Council for Exceptional Children standards, and Fitchburg State holds full AAQEP accreditation through December 31, 2030.
3
94.1- Private for-profit
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 335 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $6,600
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $6,600
Advocacy, family partnerships and action research set the focus of American College of Education's 34-semester-credit Master of Education in Special Education. The college states plainly that the degree is not designed to lead to licensure, and it points candidates who need a license toward a separate Certificate in Transition to Teaching in Special Education. Delivery is fully asynchronous with no live-lecture requirement, and the credits can be finished in twelve to sixteen months. After the core courses, students pick three electives to tailor the degree. Institutional accreditation comes from the Higher Learning Commission.
4
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
Working teachers get a remote route into special education graduate study at Midwestern State University, where the McAda Graduate School administers the Master of Education in Special Education. The school says study may lead to certification as an Educational Diagnostician or as a Certified Academic Language Therapist, which is phrased as a possibility and not a promise. Anyone planning around either credential should check requirements for their own situation first.
5
Western Governors University
Master of Arts in Teaching, Special Education (K-12)
Salt Lake City, Utah
90.1- Private nonprofit
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 294 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $8,856
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $8,856
Competency-based pacing defines Western Governors University's Master of Arts in Teaching in Special Education for K-12: candidates move forward as they show mastery and pay a flat rate per six-month term. The degree leads to initial special education licensure with a focus on mild-to-moderate disabilities. Licensure steps include state-specific basic skills testing, a background check and a two-part supervised student teaching sequence, with virtual clinical experiences and Mursion classroom simulations before the placement. A dedicated Program Mentor works with each candidate throughout. AAQEP and CAEP both accredit the degree.
6
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
Bridgewater State University admits students to its online Master of Education in Special Education on a rolling basis and does not require an undergraduate education degree. The degree leads to Massachusetts initial or professional licensure as a Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities, and candidates can obtain licensure before they finish the full degree. Additional concentrations cover Severe Disabilities and Applied Behavior Analysis. Field placements draw on roughly 120 school districts across southeastern Massachusetts, so the work happens in a classroom near home.
7
Arizona State University Digital Immersion
Master of Education in Special Education
Scottsdale, Arizona
86.4- Public
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 1,534 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $10,573
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $10,573
Applied research is the centerpiece of Arizona State University Digital Immersion's 31-credit online Master of Education in Special Education: across 11 courses on a general mild-to-moderate disabilities track, students design a classroom intervention in a culminating project. A daytime internship and student teaching component adds supervised field time. The degree itself confers no K-12 special education certification, so candidates who need a license are directed to a separate Special Education Teaching Certification M.Ed. track, and related online tracks cover ABA, Autism Spectrum Disorders and Early Childhood Special Education.
8
86.4- Public
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 38 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $6,795
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $6,615
Aspiring intervention specialists can complete Youngstown State University's fully online 30-credit-hour special education master's in roughly 12 to 14 months. Concentrations are Intervention Specialist Mild/Moderate Disabilities and Autism and Related Disabilities, so coursework matches the population a candidate wants to serve. The curriculum aligns with Council for Exceptional Children standards and prepares graduates for Ohio intervention specialist licensure across K-12. CAEP accreditation covers the degree, which gives the short timeline a clear licensure destination.
9
Northwest Missouri State University
Master of Science in Education in Special Education with Certification
Maryville, Missouri
85.9- Public
- Education/Teaching of Individuals with Multiple Disabilities
- Degrees awarded
- 40 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $7,946
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $7,946
A first special education credential is the goal of Northwest Missouri State University's 100% online special education master's with certification, which ends in the Special Education Initial Professional Certificate issued by Missouri's Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Study centers on Mild to Moderate Disabilities, Cross Categorical K-12. Sixty credit hours across twenty courses make up the full course load, and candidates who are not currently teaching add an eight-credit internship. A capstone course is required, and a fast pace allows completion in eighteen months. Accreditation rests with the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation and the Higher Learning Commission.
10
85.1- Private nonprofit
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 59 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $11,111
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $11,111
Morningside University's 32-credit online Master of Arts in Teaching in Special Education is written for working teachers, with electives in autism spectrum disorders, behavior disorders, learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities and communication disorders. A classroom-based action-research project closes the degree. Coursework is designed to meet Iowa Department of Education licensure standards, and for teachers who are already licensed it can count toward an Iowa Special Education Instructional Strategist I or II endorsement. Morningside is accredited institutionally by the Higher Learning Commission.
11
Eastern New Mexico University
Master of Special Education with Emphasis in General Special Education
Portales, New Mexico
85.0- Public
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 35 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's online Master of Special Education is meant for professionals who already hold a special education license and want to advance their credentials. Coursework is asynchronous, delivered through Canvas with recorded Panopto lectures, and classes stay small at a 17:1 student-to-teacher ratio. A capstone project anchors the degree in applied work. Educators who still need initial licensure can take the university's separate online alternative licensure certificate, and other options include an Early Childhood Special Education emphasis and a Special Education Licensure track. The Higher Learning Commission accredits the institution.
12
84.7- Private for-profit
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 860 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $11,124
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $11,124
Grand Canyon University's 44-credit online Master of Education in Special Education prepares candidates for initial licensure in mild-to-moderate special education for K-12. Clinical work is heavy: a 15-week full-time student teaching practicum under a certified special educator, plus roughly 100 hours of fieldwork and observation spread through the coursework. Graduates become eligible to apply for the license, subject to the requirements of their own state. AAQEP provides programmatic accreditation and the Higher Learning Commission institutional accreditation. Separate GCU programs cover Moderate to Severe, Early Childhood Special Education and non-licensure special education.
13
83.1- Public
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 95 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $11,772
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $5,220
No GRE is required to enter Southeastern Oklahoma State University's 30-credit-hour online Master of Education in Special Education, which spans ten courses and can be finished in about 12 months. Candidates select a concentration in Administration, Autism and Developmental Disabilities, or Challenging Behaviors, steering study toward leadership, autism-focused practice or behavioral intervention. The Autism and Developmental Disabilities concentration is new, with its first cohort starting in January 2026. CAEP accreditation covers the degree, which suits busy educators who want a specialized credential without a long timeline.
14
Georgetown College
Georgetown, Kentucky
83.0- Private nonprofit
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 54 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $11,880
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $11,880
Georgetown College runs its online Master of Arts in Education in Special Education without any in-person class meetings. Candidates concentrate in Moderate and Severe Disabilities or in Learning and Behavior Disorders, then choose among three pathways: certification only, the full master's, or the master's paired with a Teacher Leader endorsement. Completion leads to P-12 certification in the chosen area once the relevant Praxis exam is passed. The tiers let a teacher or prospective teacher target exactly the credential needed at that point in a career.
15
82.4- Public
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 116 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $12,051
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $4,696
Teachers can add a PreK-12 high-incidence special education endorsement to a current license through Fort Hays State University's 36-credit online Master of Science in Special Education. The focus is high-incidence disabilities: learning disabilities, mild intellectual disability, high-functioning autism spectrum disorder and mild behavior disorder. An embedded practicum ties coursework to classroom practice, and candidates can finish in as little as 18 months. A separate Low-Incidence track serves candidates focused on more significant support needs. The degree carries CAEP advanced-level accreditation.
16
81.5- Public
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 79 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $12,386
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $11,261
PennWest Global Online delivers Pennsylvania Western University's 100% online Master of Education in Special Education around specialization pathways in Applied Behavior Analysis and in Autism, which a student can take separately or together. The behavior-analytic focus prepares graduates for the Behavior Analysis Certification Board exam and Pennsylvania Licensed Behavior Specialist status. This version does not lead to initial teaching certification. Teachers who are already certified can use it to add a Pennsylvania Autism Endorsement, while a separate PennWest track pairs the M.Ed. with Special Education Teacher Certification for people who need that credential.
17
81.2- Public
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 40 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $10,048
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $10,048
Bemidji State University's online Master of Special Education qualifies graduates for Minnesota special education licensure to work with students who have mild-to-moderate disabilities from kindergarten through age 21. Five pathways fit different starting points, with requirements running from 12 to 52 credits depending on prior education and licensure. Concentrations cover autism spectrum disorders, emotional behavioral disorders and learning disabilities, and an Academic and Behavioral Strategist license option is available too. A Summer Autism Intensive Licensure route can be finished in a single summer. Bemidji State's institutional accreditor is the Higher Learning Commission.
18
William Carey University
Master of Education in Mild and Moderate Disabilities
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
80.4- Private nonprofit
- Education/Teaching of Individuals with Multiple Disabilities
- Degrees awarded
- 58 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $12,672
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $12,672
Candidates at William Carey University complete this 30-hour Master of Education in Mild and Moderate Disabilities entirely through Canvas, with no live meetings required, and can finish in twelve to fifteen months. The base degree leads to Mild/Moderate Disabilities licensure. Six hours of directed electives open a choice of an added Gifted Studies endorsement, a Severe/Profound Disabilities endorsement, or preparation for the Foundations of Reading exam. The Severe/Profound endorsement is open only to those who already hold the Mild and Moderate endorsement, and it requires a practicum in a severe/profound classroom.
19
Campbellsville University
Master of Arts in Special Education, Teacher Leader
Campbellsville, Kentucky
80.0- Private nonprofit
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 35 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $9,920
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $9,920
Kentucky teachers who already hold a license can use Campbellsville University's 30-credit Master of Arts in Special Education, Teacher Leader to earn advanced certification in Learning and Behavior Disorders or Moderate and Severe Disabilities. The online program takes about 18 months and centers on an action-research practicum and a Teacher Leader Professional Growth Plan, both tied to the candidate's own classroom. Accreditation comes from SACSCOC and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, with recognition from the Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board. First-time Learning and Behavior Disorders certification sits in a separate initial-certification track.
20
79.8- Private nonprofit
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 40 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $10,566
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $10,566
Bethel University frames its online Master of Arts in Special Education within a Christian higher-education setting, with new course starts every six weeks and a completion window of roughly 18 to 31 months. Concentrations include the Academic Behavioral Strategist license, autism spectrum disorders, developmental disabilities and emotional and behavioral disorders, and a Director of Special Education certification pathway is also on offer. The curriculum meets Minnesota's Standards of Effective Practice for Tier 3 and Tier 4 licensed teachers. The Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board approves the program, and the Higher Learning Commission accredits the university.
21
University of Massachusetts Global
Master of Arts in Special Education, Teaching and Learning
Aliso Viejo, California
79.5- Public
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 73 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $13,282
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $13,282
California educators who hold an Education Specialist Clear Induction credential, or have finished its first year, are the intended audience for UMass Global's Master of Arts in Special Education, Teaching and Learning. The degree is an advanced one, not an initial licensure route, and it is limited to California residents. Online coursework rests on the Council for Exceptional Children's Advanced Content Standards, with separate emphases in autism, early childhood and applied behavior analysis. The WASC Senior College and University Commission accredits the institution, and the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing approves its School of Education programs.
22
78.6- Private for-profit
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 61 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $13,515
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $13,515
The University of Arizona Global Campus offers this Master of Arts in Special Education as a standalone online degree that does not lead to teacher licensure or certification in any state. It admits licensed teachers and also professionals who work with K-12 students with disabilities but are not pursuing a license. Courses run six weeks each, taken one at a time, and the course design carries Quality Matters certification. The same school also offers related education master's tracks in curriculum and instruction, early childhood education and higher education. WASC Senior College and University Commission accreditation covers the institution.
23
78.4- Public
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 92 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $13,546
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $6,868
Alabama teachers can earn Class A certification in Collaborative Special Education through the University of West Alabama's fully online M.Ed. in Collaborative Teacher Special Education, typically in one to two years and without leaving their jobs. Separate degree tracks exist for K-6 and 6-12, so candidates train for the grade band they plan to teach. An Alt-A pathway admits candidates who have no prior certification, and they must meet Alabama Educator Certification Testing Program requirements before entering the classroom.
24
77.3- Private nonprofit
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 21 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $6,600
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $6,600
A valid teaching license is required to enter Northwestern College's 30-credit Master of Education in Special Education, which is taught fully asynchronously, one eight-week course at a time, over about five semesters. Electives let candidates lean toward diverse learners, trauma-informed instruction or young children with diverse needs. Admission asks for no GRE and no application fee. The coursework prepares licensed teachers for special education leadership, assessment and instructional roles, and the college is accredited through the Iowa Department of Education.
25
Muskingum University
Master of Arts in Education with Intervention Specialist Licensure (Mild/Moderate)
New Concord, Ohio
76.6- Private nonprofit
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 32 a year
- Out-of-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $10,530
- In-state tuition and fees, 2023-24
- $10,530
Muskingum University's Master of Arts in Education with Intervention Specialist Licensure adds the Ohio K-12 Mild/Moderate license to a teaching credential the candidate already holds. At a minimum of 35 credit hours, it combines content methodology, literacy coursework aligned to the science of reading, and clinical practice that meets Ohio's field and clinical hour requirements. Candidates choose between a license-only route and a license-plus-master's route that adds five courses. A related Master of Arts in Teaching pathway leads to Moderate/Intensive licensure, and an accelerated summer Jumpstart option offers a faster start.
How We Rank
Every eligible program is scored out of 100. Each figure becomes a percentile against the 215 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 special 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 Special Education Are There?
There are 288 fully online master's programs in special education, out of 699 on federal record, and 215 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 special 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 Special Education Cost?
An online master's in special education costs from $4,560 to $48,075 a year out of state in graduate tuition and required fees across the 215 ranked programs, with a median of $16,686. In state the median is $11,334. 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 special education program's own price page is the figure to plan on.
What Does an Online Master's in Special Education Cover?
An online master's in special education covers how students with disabilities are assessed, taught and supported. Auburn University at Montgomery's online Master of Education in special education, for example, describes courses on assistive technology, autism, behavior management, assessment and applied behavior analysis, with concentrations in early childhood special education and in collaborative teaching for kindergarten through sixth grade or sixth through twelfth grade.
The Council for Exceptional Children publishes the field's own preparation standards, so a program's course list should map onto them. Programs sort the same material into different courses, which is why the course list tells you more than the degree title does.
How Long Does an Online Master's in Special Education Take?
An online master's in special education takes one to two years at Auburn University at Montgomery, which lists 30 credit hours for each of its concentrations. Other programs publish their own totals, and a first-license sequence adds supervised student teaching on top of the coursework.
The number of courses you take each term sets your calendar, because a part-time pace spreads the same credits over more terms. Ask whether practicum terms follow the local school year, since a placement cannot begin while the school you are assigned to is closed for the summer.
Does an Online Master's in Special Education Lead to a Teaching License?
An online master's in special education leads to a teaching license only when the program is built as a licensure track, and a program for teachers who already hold a license usually leads to a higher certificate or an added endorsement instead. Auburn University at Montgomery's program shows the second route: it prepares teachers to move from an Alabama Class B to a Class A certificate.
A first-license route adds supervised student teaching, and federal rules explain why it matters. 34 CFR 300.156 requires each public elementary, middle or secondary school special education teacher to hold full state certification as a special education teacher, or to have passed the state's special education licensing exam and hold a state license, with no emergency, temporary or provisional waiver and at least a bachelor's degree. Because the placement is a real classroom, it happens in a school near where you live, so ask the program how it arranges sites and supervisors for students in your area.
How Do State Authorization and Licensure Disclosures Work for Online Special Education Students?
State authorization and licensure disclosures for online special education students come from a federal rule that makes the school say, state by state, whether its program meets licensure requirements. Under 34 CFR 668.43, a program designed to meet the requirements for a professional license, or advertised that way, needs a list of the states where the school has decided it does and does not meet them.
The school decides which state you are in under its own policy, applied the same way to every student, so tell it where you live and where you plan to teach. NC-SARA, the interstate state-authorization agreement, says it does not address licensing board approval for teacher education. A school's permission to enroll you is therefore a separate question from your state's permission to license you.
What Costs Come With an Online Master's in Special Education Besides Tuition?
The costs that come with an online master's in special education besides tuition are fees, the per-credit pricing that turns a credit total into a bill, and the licensure steps after the degree. Program pages usually quote a per-credit price: Auburn University at Montgomery's page lists $483 per credit for in-state students, so the total depends on the credit hours in your track.
These annual graduate charges come from IPEDS Institutional Characteristics and describe a full-time year, which makes them good for comparing schools and poor for budgeting a part-time degree. Ask each program for its current per-credit price, its fee schedule and any cost of arranging a placement.
What Jobs Does an Online Master's in Special Education Lead To?
An online master's in special education leads most directly to work as a special education teacher, the occupation the Bureau of Labor Statistics profiles in its Occupational Outlook Handbook. Auburn University at Montgomery describes its Class A certificate as a step that can help you earn more and open new career pathways.
Teaching jobs are licensed state by state, so the job you can hold depends on the certificate your state issues, and the grade band or disability categories on it set which students you may teach. The licensure guide by state lists each state's agency and the license it uses.
How Much Do Jobs Tied to an Online Master's in Special Education Pay?
Jobs tied to an online master's in special education pay a median of $65,120 a year in the closest federal occupation, Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School, in May 2025. The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts 260,870 workers in that occupation, and the lowest-paid tenth earn $49,350 or less while the highest-paid tenth earn $103,010 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 Special Educator?
To choose an online master's in special education program, start from your state's licensing agency and work back to programs that name your state in their licensure disclosure. Check that the program holds educator-preparation accreditation, such as accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, which Auburn University at Montgomery reports for its program.
Then compare the practical details: how placements are found near you, the per-credit price, the credit total and whether the program leads to a first license or an advanced certificate. The ranking above sorts programs on federal degree counts and tuition, and those details are what you confirm with the school.
How Do You Earn a Special Education License Through an Online Master's Degree?
You earn a special education license through an online master's degree by starting with your state's requirements, because the state decides what counts, and letting the program follow.
- Find your state's special education certificate. Look up the certificate or endorsement your state agency issues for the students you want to teach, and note its grade band, disability categories and required exams.
- Choose a license track or an advanced track. Pick a program that leads to a first license if you do not hold one, or one that adds an endorsement or a higher certificate if you already teach.
- Get the licensure disclosure in writing. Ask the school for its determination for your state before you apply, and keep the email or letter that gives it.
- Arrange a local placement. Confirm how the program finds practicum or student-teaching sites near you, who supervises you, and whether your own school can host you.
- Finish and apply to your state. Complete the coursework and field work, pass any state exams, and send your transcript and the program's recommendation to the state agency.
Common Questions About Online Master's Programs in Special Education
How Many Online Master's Programs in Special Education Are There?
How Much Does an Online Master's in Special Education Cost?
What Are the Best Online Master's Programs in Special Education?
Are Online Master's Programs in Special Education Accredited?
How Are Online Master's Programs in Special Education Ranked?
What Happens if an Online Special Education Program Does Not Meet Your State's Licensure Requirements?
Can the TEACH Grant Pay for an Online Master's in Special Education?
Where Do You Find Your State's Special Education Certification Agency?
What Are the Council for Exceptional Children Standards for Special Educators?
Do Online Special Education Programs Include a Practicum?
Where Do the Figures on These Online Master's Programs in Special 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: Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- 34 CFR 668.43, Institutional and programmatic information (eCFR)
- 34 CFR 300.156, Personnel qualifications (eCFR)
- NC-SARA, Professional Licensure
- NC-SARA, Professional Licensure Directory
- Council for Exceptional Children, Initial Practice-Based Professional Preparation Standards for Special Educators
- Auburn University at Montgomery, online Master of Education in Special Education
- Federal Student Aid, TEACH Grant counseling guide
- Texas Education Agency, educator certification
- New York State Education Department, Office of Teaching Initiatives
The figures on these online master's programs in special 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 17 states
University of the Cumberlands Fitchburg State University American College of Education Midwestern State University Western Governors University Bridgewater State University Arizona State University Digital Immersion Youngstown State University Northwest Missouri State University Morningside University Eastern New Mexico University Grand Canyon University Southeastern Oklahoma State University Georgetown College Fort Hays State University Pennsylvania Western University Bemidji State University William Carey University Campbellsville University Bethel University University of Massachusetts Global University of Arizona Global Campus University of West Alabama Northwestern College Muskingum University