Arizona is the place where the biggest online education schools are headquartered, and the list shows it. Arizona State University's online arm leads on degrees awarded, Grand Canyon University is next, and the University of Phoenix and other for-profit online schools follow. Public campuses at Flagstaff and Tucson fill out the rest.
That mix changes how to read the list. A public university charges a resident less than a nonresident, while a private online school quotes one rate to everyone, so an in-state price advantage exists only at the public campuses. The sections below cover who is on the list, which programs lead to an Arizona credential, and what to ask before enrolling.
Source: IPEDS, read October 6, 2026. Tuition is the 2023-24 in-state rate.
top score, Arizona State University Digital Immersion
86.4
median in-state tuition and fees across the 8 listed, 2023-24
$12,358
schools in Arizona with a ranked fully online master's in education
8
ranked programs in Arizona that lead to a license
15
This list covers fully online master's programs at universities located in Arizona, one per school.
The 8 Best Online Master's in Education Programs in Arizona
The 8 programs below are at schools in Arizona, scored at the in-state price and listed one per school.
1
Arizona State University Digital Immersion
Master of Education in Special Education
Scottsdale, Arizona
86.4- Public
- No license involved
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 1,534 a year
- Yearly cost
- $10,573
- In-state rate
- $10,573, 2023-24
Scottsdale is the base for Arizona State University's Digital Immersion route into special education graduate study, and the program awarded 1,534 master's degrees in the latest federal count. Arizona residents and nonresidents are charged the same $10,573 a year for 2023-24. Arizona has been a member of the WICHE compact for the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement since 2014.
In the M.Ed. in Special Education, an applied research project has candidates build and test an intervention with their own classroom in mind. The degree does not itself confer teacher certification for K-12 special education, so a candidate who needs the Standard Professional Teaching Certificate from Arizona Department of Education, Educator Certification would turn to ASU Online's separate certification track and the AEPA/NES testing that goes with that credential.
2
Grand Canyon University
Master of Education in Special Education
Phoenix, Arizona
84.7- Private for-profit
- Leads to a license
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 860 a year
- Yearly cost
- $11,124
- In-state rate
- $11,124, 2023-24
Phoenix-based Grand Canyon University, a private for-profit school, awarded 860 master's degrees in the latest federal count and charges every student the same $11,124 a year for 2023-24. Its M.Ed. in Special Education is aimed at mild or moderate exceptionalities in grades K-12 and is designed to leave graduates positioned to apply for an initial license.
For an Arizona candidate that means a teaching credential from Arizona Department of Education, Educator Certification, with educator testing through the AEPA/NES system. Eligibility is not approval, because state requirements still decide the outcome. The coursework spans 44 credits, with observation and fieldwork of about 100 hours threaded through it, and a full-time student teaching practicum under a certified special educator lasts 15 weeks.
3
American InterContinental University System
Master of Education (M.Ed.)
Chandler, Arizona
81.9- Private for-profit
- No license involved
- Education, General
- Degrees awarded
- 54 a year
- Yearly cost
- $12,169
- In-state rate
- $12,169, 2023-24
The Master of Education at American InterContinental University is a fully online degree based in Chandler, with concentrations in Adult Education and E-Learning, Education Administration, Leadership of Pre-K-12 Educational Organizations, Special Education, and Teaching. Coursework totals 45 to 48 credit hours on the adaptive intellipath platform, and the degree is completable in about 12 months. Up to 12 graduate credits may transfer in, and prior learning assessment is available.
Nothing here stands in for a credential from Arizona Department of Education, Educator Certification. The Special Education concentration is aligned with mild and moderate special education teacher certification in Arizona, though each candidate completes the state process separately. AIU is a private for-profit school with Higher Learning Commission accreditation and AAQEP accreditation for its M.Ed. programs. Arizona residents and nonresidents pay the same $12,169 a year for 2023-24, and 54 master's degrees were awarded in the latest federal count.
4
Aspen University
Master in Education - Transformational Leadership
Phoenix, Arizona
78.1- Private for-profit
- No license involved
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 21 a year
- Yearly cost
- $5,085
- In-state rate
- $5,085, 2023-24
Start dates arrive every two weeks at Aspen University, where the Master in Education with a Transformational Leadership focus runs in 8-week terms. The Master in Education in Transformational Leadership totals 10 courses and 30 credit hours, and an individualized graduate capstone project takes the place of a thesis. Aspen's other M.Ed. tracks cover curriculum development and outcomes assessment, educational technology, and eLearning pedagogy.
Aspen is a private for-profit school in Phoenix, accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission, which the U.S. Department of Education recognizes. The degree is explicitly not designed for state licensure, so an Arizona educator who wants a Standard Professional Teaching Certificate must check the requirements with Arizona Department of Education, Educator Certification. Tuition is $5,085 a year for every student in 2023-24, and the school awarded 21 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
5
Northern Arizona University
Master of Education in Community College/Higher Education
Flagstaff, Arizona
75.1- Public
- No license involved
- Community College Administration
- Degrees awarded
- 44 a year
- Yearly cost
- $12,547
- In-state rate
- $12,547, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $22,077
Flagstaff's Northern Arizona University teaches the Master of Education in Community College/Higher Education over the internet, aimed at campus careers at community colleges and universities. The department's Student Affairs and Strategic Leadership and Administration M.Ed. tracks are separate on-campus offerings.
An Arizona resident pays $12,547 a year, and a nonresident pays $22,077, for 2023-24. No state license comes with this master's, and K-12 teacher certification remains with Arizona Department of Education, Educator Certification. Arizona has taken part in the WICHE-run State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement since 2014. NAU is a public university and awarded 44 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
6
University of Phoenix-Arizona
Master of Arts in Education - Curriculum and Instruction
Phoenix, Arizona
70.4- Private for-profit
- No license involved
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 236 a year
- Yearly cost
- $16,215
- In-state rate
- $16,215, 2023-24
Courses come one at a time in terms of 5 to 6 weeks at University of Phoenix-Arizona, and the Master of Arts in Education, Curriculum and Instruction can be finished in as little as 17 months. Teachers with certain endorsements or prior coursework can waive up to 12 credits. The Higher Learning Commission holds the school's institutional accreditation.
Because the degree does not prepare students for any professional teacher certification or state licensure, an Arizona teacher obtains the Standard Professional Teaching Certificate from Arizona Department of Education, Educator Certification separately. What the degree adds is advanced curriculum and instruction study for a practicing educator. The Phoenix for-profit university charges the same $16,215 a year to residents and nonresidents for 2023-24, and it awarded 236 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
7
University of Arizona
Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning
Tucson, Arizona
61.3- Public
- Education, General
- Degrees awarded
- 23 a year
- Yearly cost
- $14,389
- In-state rate
- $14,389, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $33,961
Tucson's University of Arizona runs the Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning as a 30-credit, two-year degree with 12 credits of core coursework and a required capstone course, TLS 576: Action Inquiry in Classrooms and Communities. Candidates pick a focus such as Children's and Young Adult Literature, Critical Youth Studies, Early Childhood Education, Languages and Literacies, Science, Mathematics, or Environmental Education, or Social Justice in Education. An optional Bilingual Endorsement can be added.
The degree is not an initial licensure program, so teachers who need the Standard Professional Teaching Certificate go through Arizona Department of Education, Educator Certification. In 2023-24 Arizona residents paid $14,389 a year and nonresidents paid $33,961 at this public university, which awarded 23 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
8
Prescott College
Master of Education (M.Ed.)
Prescott, Arizona
43.6- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Education, General
- Degrees awarded
- 14 a year
- Yearly cost
- $17,466
- In-state rate
- $17,466, 2023-24
The Master of Education at Prescott College in Prescott offers concentrations in Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Special Education, Mild to Moderate Special Education (K-12), Elementary Education, Secondary Education, School Counseling, and Educational Leadership through an accelerated option. Applicants pay no application fee and need no GRE or GMAT, and the college offers multiple start dates.
Licensure runs in partnership with Arizona Department of Education, Educator Certification. A Traditional pathway combines coursework with 12 weeks of student teaching, while an Alternative Educator Preparation Certificate pathway fits people teaching full time as they study. Either route aims at the Standard Professional Teaching Certificate, with AEPA/NES testing. Arizona residents and nonresidents pay the same $17,466 a year for 2023-24, and Prescott is a private nonprofit that awarded 14 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 Arizona 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 Arizona Lead to a License?
5 ranked programs at schools in Arizona lead to a license, certificate or endorsement, scored the same way as the list above, one program per school. The Arizona 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 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion | Master of Education (MEd) in Secondary Education with Teacher Certification | Arizona secondary teacher certification | $10,573 |
| 2 | Grand Canyon University | Master of Education in Special Education | Initial special education teacher license | $11,124 |
| 3 | University of Phoenix-Arizona | Master of Arts in Education - Secondary Teacher Education | Educator license | $16,215 |
| 4 | Prescott College | Master of Education (M.Ed.) | Educator license | $17,466 |
| 5 | Northern Arizona University | Special Education - Early Childhood Special Education with Certification, Master of Education | Educator license | $12,547 |
What Does an Online Master's in Education Cost in Arizona?
An online master's in education at a school in Arizona costs a resident from $5,085 to $17,466 a year in graduate tuition and fees across these 8 programs, with a median of $12,358, 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.
Which Arizona Schools Offer an Online Master's in Education, Public or Private?
The Arizona schools that offer an online master's in education, public or private, split into two groups. The public group is Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff and the University of Arizona in Tucson. The other group is private: Grand Canyon University, American InterContinental University System, Aspen University, the University of Phoenix and Prescott College.
Only Prescott is a private nonprofit in that second group; the others are for-profit companies, a distinction worth weighing when you compare accreditation and transfer credit. For a resident, the cost difference between the groups is smaller than it looks, because the private schools charge Arizonans and out-of-state students the same rate and the public ones do not.
Why Does Special Education Lead the Online Master's List in Arizona?
Special education leads the online master's list in Arizona because two schools with very large enrollments, Arizona State University and Grand Canyon University, both run a Master of Education in Special Education. Together they award far more degrees than any other program here.
Grand Canyon's version leads to an initial special education teacher license, per its program page, while the Arizona State degree does not lead to a license. A teacher who needs the license itself, not just the degree, should ask each school which credential its graduates can apply for. Our special education ranking compares the field nationally.
What Does the Arizona Certificate Require Beyond a Master's?
The Arizona certificate requires several things beyond a master's: the Arizona Department of Education issues a Standard Professional Teaching Certificate that rests on an approved program, passing scores on the state's AEPA or NES exams, and a fingerprint clearance card.
Arizona also lets some requirements wait until after the certificate is issued, among them an ethics course and coursework on the federal and state constitutions, so ask whether a master's already includes them. Arizona describes its reciprocity with other states as broad, which helps a teacher who arrives with a certificate. The details, including the exam codes by grade level, are in our Arizona licensure guide, and the department confirms which route fits your degree.
What Does Studying Online at an Arizona School Mean When the Rate Is Flat?
Studying online at an Arizona school means different things depending on the school: at a public campus the in-state rate rewards residency, and at a private online school the rate is flat, so the number to compare is the total program cost. The cost chart prints each school's rate.
Arizona has belonged to NC-SARA through the western regional compact since 2014. That membership covers a school's authority to serve you, but not a licensing board's view of the degree. Under 34 CFR 668.43, the school must tell you whether the program qualifies for licensure where you live.
Questions About Online Master's in Education Programs in Arizona
What Is the Cheapest Online Master's in Education in Arizona?
How Are Online Master's in Education Programs in Arizona Ranked?
Which Arizona Online Master's Program Is Aimed at Community College Work?
Northern Arizona University's Master of Education in Community College and Higher Education is the program on this list aimed at college work. It serves instructors and administrators, not K-12 teachers, and it does not lead to a teaching certificate.
Does an Arizona Private Online School Charge Residents Less?
A private online school in Arizona typically quotes the same rate to residents and nonresidents, so the in-state discount applies only at public campuses. Compare the cost chart, and ask each school about per-credit fees that sit outside the quoted rate.
Will an Arizona Special Education Master's Give Me a Teaching License?
An Arizona special education master's gives you a license only if the program is built to lead to one. Grand Canyon University's version leads to an initial special education teacher license, while the Arizona State version does not lead to a license. Ask the school which it is.
What Is a Fingerprint Clearance Card in Arizona?
An Arizona fingerprint clearance card is a background check issued by the state that every applicant for a teaching certificate needs. The Arizona Department of Education explains how it fits the application.
Where Do the Figures for Arizona Come From?
Tuition and degree counts come from federal records each college reports about itself.
Show the federal record for all 8 colleges ranked, in 1 state
Arizona State University Digital Immersion Grand Canyon University American InterContinental University System Aspen University Northern Arizona University University of Phoenix-Arizona University of Arizona Prescott College