Alaska's page is short because the state's online master's in education offerings sit on two campuses of one public system. The University of Alaska Southeast in Juneau leads with a Master of Arts in Teaching for secondary and middle grades, and the University of Alaska Fairbanks follows with a Master of Education in School Counseling.
Both programs lead to an Alaska credential. Neither is a degree for a teacher who simply wants a raise on the salary schedule, and the sections below explain what each one is for, what Alaska adds on top of the degree, and how an online student handles a placement.
Source: IPEDS, read October 6, 2026. Tuition is the 2023-24 in-state rate.
top score, University of Alaska Southeast
57.6
median in-state tuition and fees across the 2 listed, 2023-24
$12,895
schools in Alaska with a ranked fully online master's in education
2
ranked programs in Alaska that lead to a license
4
This list covers fully online master's programs at universities located in Alaska, one per school.
The 2 Online Master's in Education Programs in Alaska
The 2 programs below are at schools in Alaska, scored at the in-state price and listed one per school.
1
University of Alaska Southeast
Secondary and Middle Grades Education, Master of Arts in Teaching
Juneau, Alaska
57.6- Public
- Leads to a license
- Secondary Education and Teaching
- Degrees awarded
- 15 a year
- Yearly cost
- $12,608
- In-state rate
- $12,608, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $25,367
Eleven months, one cohort, one summer start. The University of Alaska Southeast in Juneau runs its Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary and Middle Grades Education around a full-time, year-long paid internship in an Alaska middle or secondary school, and the 34 graduate credits fold into that placement. Candidates choose secondary methods for STEM or for the humanities and finish with a portfolio-based Teacher Work Sample.
Admission requires passing Praxis Core or CASE and the Praxis II content exam, plus a Student Teaching Authorization from the state. The degree leads to Alaska teacher certification for grades 6 to 12, and because of supervision needs it is limited to Alaska residents. NWCCU accredits the university. The 2023-24 graduate rate was $12,608, and 15 master's degrees were awarded.
2
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Master of Education in School Counseling
Fairbanks, Alaska
45.9- Public
- Leads to a license
- Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
- Degrees awarded
- 9 a year
- Yearly cost
- $13,181
- In-state rate
- $13,181, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $25,703
Fairbanks is the home of the Master of Education in School Counseling at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, taught online through one school counseling track. Its stated focus is preparing culturally attuned counselors for Alaska's rural communities, which matters in a state where many schools sit far from the road system. The curriculum carries CACREP accreditation and also meets NWCCU regional standards and CAEP guidelines.
Completing the degree provides school counselor certification, a credential that runs through the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. Alaska residents paid $13,181 at this public university in 2023-24, and it awarded 9 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
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.
- In-state tuition and fees: 50%. The university's graduate in-state tuition plus required fees for a full-time year, 2023-24, the price a Alaska resident pays. Lower cost scores higher.
Reading the cards. The tuition figure is each school's in-state graduate rate for a full-time year, 2023-24, with its out-of-state rate beside it where the two differ.
Source: federal IPEDS records, read October 6, 2026. Tuition and fees are each school's graduate in-state rate for 2023-24. Scores are our own.
Which Online Master's Programs in Alaska Lead to a License?
2 ranked programs at schools in Alaska lead to a license, certificate or endorsement, scored the same way as the list above, one program per school. The Alaska teacher licensure guide covers what the state asks for beyond the degree.
| Rank | School | Program | Credential the school names | In-state rate, 2023-24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Alaska Southeast | Secondary and Middle Grades Education, Master of Arts in Teaching | Educator license | $12,608 |
| 2 | University of Alaska Fairbanks | Master of Education in School Counseling | Educator license | $13,181 |
What Does an Online Master's in Education Cost in Alaska?
An online master's in education at a school in Alaska costs a resident from $12,608 to $13,181 a year in graduate tuition and fees across these 2 programs, with a median of $12,895, for 2023-24. These are full-time yearly charges at the in-state rate, and many universities bill online students per credit instead, so the program's own figure may differ.
What Does the University of Alaska Southeast Master's in Teaching Prepare You For?
The University of Alaska Southeast master's in teaching prepares you to teach secondary and middle grades, and it is a Master of Arts in Teaching, the degree type built for people who hold a bachelor's degree and want to become teachers. It leads to a credential, which fits that purpose.
Alaska's Initial Teacher Certificate rests on a bachelor's degree and an approved preparation program, with the program verified on a state form, so ask Southeast whether it will complete that verification for your situation. The Master of Arts in Teaching is the better fit if you are changing careers. A working teacher who already holds a certificate has less reason to repeat that preparation.
What Does the University of Alaska Fairbanks School Counseling Master's Lead To?
The University of Alaska Fairbanks school counseling master's leads toward the Alaska school counselor credential, a Type C Special Services certificate that rests on completing a program in the service area and the preparing institution's recommendation. The Master of Education in School Counseling fits that description, and graduates leave with a credential.
Counselors spend their placement hours inside a school, so an online student has to find a supervising counselor in a nearby district. Ask the program how it handles that, and whether the supervisor must hold a particular credential, because it is the part of an online counseling degree that distance changes most. Our school counseling ranking compares programs nationally.
What Does Alaska Certification Require Beyond an Online Master's Degree?
Alaska certification requires more than an online master's degree: the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development asks for passing scores on approved exams, a fingerprint card, four mandatory trainings, and Alaska studies and multicultural coursework drawn from its approved list.
The Initial Teacher Certificate lasts two years, and the coursework is what lets a teacher extend it. Several of those courses are offered at a distance, which suits a student who is already living in the state. Exam scores are not forwarded unless you name the department as a recipient, so set that up when you register. The full sequence is in our Alaska licensure guide.
Why Study for an Alaska Master's in Education Online at a University of Alaska Campus?
Studying for an Alaska master's in education online at a University of Alaska campus means a resident pays the in-state rate, which the cost chart prints, and the program already speaks to Alaska's certificate rules. Residents who live far from Juneau or Fairbanks avoid relocating to do coursework.
Alaska joined NC-SARA through the western regional compact in 2014, which lets out-of-state schools enroll Alaskans, but state authorization does not decide licensure. The licensure disclosure in 34 CFR 668.43 tells a student where a program qualifies, which matters most if you expect to move.
Questions About Online Master's in Education Programs in Alaska
What Is the Cheapest Online Master's in Education in Alaska?
How Are Online Master's in Education Programs in Alaska Ranked?
Can I Earn an Alaska Teaching Certificate Through an Online Master's?
An Alaska teaching certificate can follow an online master's when the program is an approved preparation program and the school will verify it for the department. The Master of Arts in Teaching at the University of Alaska Southeast is the program on this list built for that purpose.
Do Online Students in Alaska Still Complete a Placement in a School?
Online students in Alaska still complete supervised hours in a school or counseling setting, arranged near where they live. Ask the program who secures the site and supervisor before you apply, since that detail varies between teaching and counseling degrees.
How Long Does an Alaska Teaching Certificate Last?
An Alaska Initial Teacher Certificate lasts two years, and the department can extend it for three more once the Alaska studies and multicultural courses are done. Check the department's certification page for the current schedule.
Is a Master's Required to Become a School Counselor in Alaska?
A master's is not the stated minimum for the Alaska school counselor certificate, which asks for a bachelor's degree or higher plus a completed counseling program. A master's in school counseling is still the usual way to complete such a program.
Where Do the Figures for Alaska Come From?
Tuition and degree counts come from federal records each college reports about itself.
Show the federal record for all 2 colleges ranked, in 1 state
University of Alaska Southeast University of Alaska Fairbanks