The District's list is small, private-leaning and varied. Strayer University leads with a master's in educational design and technology that carries an educational administration concentration. The University of the District of Columbia, the only public school here, offers adult education, and Trinity Washington, Howard and George Washington follow.
Because the District is a single city rather than a state, the in-state idea works differently: residents of the District pay the resident rate only at the public university, and the private schools quote one price to everyone. The sections below take the schools by career, then OSSE's credential rules and the questions an online student should settle before enrolling.
Source: IPEDS, read October 6, 2026. Tuition is the 2023-24 in-state rate.
top score, Strayer University-Global Region
65.1
median in-state tuition and fees across the 5 listed, 2023-24
$15,390
schools in the District of Columbia with a ranked fully online master's in education
5
ranked program in the District of Columbia that lead to a license
1
This list covers fully online master's programs at universities located in the District of Columbia, one per school.
The 5 Best Online Master's in Education Programs in District of Columbia
The 5 programs below are at schools in the District of Columbia, scored at the in-state price and listed one per school.
1
Strayer University-Global Region
Master of Educational Design and Technology, Educational Administration concentration
Washington, District of Columbia
65.1- Private for-profit
- No license involved
- Educational Administration and Supervision, Other
- Degrees awarded
- 33 a year
- Yearly cost
- $15,135
- In-state rate
- $15,135, 2023-24
Strayer University offers its Educational Administration concentration inside the Master of Educational Design and Technology, alongside Adult Education and K-12 focus concentrations. Courses run in 11-week terms, up to four transfer-credit courses are accepted, and one-on-one academic coaching comes with enrollment. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education accredits the university as an institution.
No license comes with this master's. Strayer states plainly that completing it does not guarantee a student has met the requirements to apply for public school teacher or administrator licensure in any state, so a District of Columbia educator would still go to the Office of the State Superintendent of Education for a credential. The campus is in Washington, the university is private for-profit, and tuition is $15,135 a year for 2023-24, the same for everyone. It awarded 33 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
2
University of the District of Columbia
Master of Arts in Adult Education
Washington, District of Columbia
63.0- Public
- No license involved
- Education, Other
- Degrees awarded
- 14 a year
- Yearly cost
- $10,094
- In-state rate
- $10,094, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $18,608
The University of the District of Columbia built its Master of Arts in Adult Education around adult basic education, covering literacy, ESL, GED prep and workforce development. Other concentrations cover human resource management and development, leadership and administration in adult education, health services, and gerontology. Classes are small, with cohorts of 6 to 10 students, and the GRE is waived.
The degree totals 36 credit hours, and up to 21 credits from the graduate certificate transfer in, leaving 15 additional credits. Finish with a comprehensive exam or a master's thesis. It aligns with the Adult Educator Preparation Standards of the Office of the State Superintendent of Education and meets DC professional development and recertification requirements for adult educators, though it is not a K-12 teaching license. Tuition for 2023-24 is $10,094 a year for residents and $18,608 for nonresidents. UDC awarded 14 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
3
Trinity Washington University
Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction
Washington, District of Columbia
40.2- Private nonprofit
- No license involved
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 9 a year
- Yearly cost
- $15,390
- In-state rate
- $15,390, 2023-24
Trinity Washington University gives District teachers a 36-credit-hour, fully online Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with four concentrations: Education Policy and Leadership, Literacy and Reading, Social Justice, and Math for Educators. Whatever the concentration, every student completes an individualized capstone research project, so the final semester centers on a question drawn from the candidate's own school setting.
The degree is advanced study rather than a route to a first credential. A teacher in the District of Columbia would still need the Standard Teaching Credential from the Office of the State Superintendent of Education. Trinity is a private nonprofit university in Washington, and it charges $15,390 a year for 2023-24, with residents and nonresidents paying the same. Its graduates in the latest federal count numbered 9 at the master's level.
4
Howard University
Master of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Washington, District of Columbia
10.6- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 8 a year
- Yearly cost
- $38,050
- In-state rate
- $38,050, 2023-24
Howard University's online Master of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies has a school leadership track that leads to licensure and an education policy track that does not, both with an urban education focus. Details are on the department's M.Ed. page. The degree is entirely online with synchronous and asynchronous components and needs at least 36 graduate credits. Before the degree can be conferred, candidates must pass an Expository Writing Examination.
On the school leadership track, candidates must pass the School Leaders Licensure Assessment (SLLA) for K-12 Building Level Administrative Certification, a credential tied to the District of Columbia. Howard, a private nonprofit in Washington, charges $38,050 a year for 2023-24 with no separate out-of-state rate. It awarded 8 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
5
George Washington University
Master of Arts in Education and Human Development in the Field of Special Education (Non-Licensure Track)
Washington, District of Columbia
6.1- Private nonprofit
- No license involved
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 6 a year
- Yearly cost
- $35,154
- In-state rate
- $35,154, 2023-24
George Washington University's Master of Arts in Education and Human Development is the non-licensure track, a 30-credit fully online degree with no fieldwork requirement. It was designed partly for international students who want to advance inclusive education policy and practice back home, and it also suits teachers who already hold a license or simply do not need one.
In the District of Columbia, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education issues the Standard Teaching Credential, and this track does not lead to it. GW's Department of Special Education and Disability Studies offers separate licensure-track programs in Secondary Special Education, Early Childhood Special Education and Special Education for Children with Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities. The private nonprofit university charges $35,154 a year for 2023-24, and everyone pays that same rate. The latest federal count recorded 6 master's degrees from this field at GW.
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 District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia Lead to a License?
One ranked program at school in the District of Columbia leads to a license, certificate or endorsement, scored the same way as the list above, one program per school. The District of Columbia 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 | Howard University | Master of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies | Educator license | $38,050 |
What Does an Online Master's in Education Cost in District of Columbia?
An online master's in education at a school in the District of Columbia costs a resident from $10,094 to $38,050 a year in graduate tuition and fees across these 5 programs, with a median of $15,390, 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 District of Columbia Universities Offer an Online Master's in Education, and for Whom?
The District of Columbia universities that offer an online master's in education serve different careers. Strayer University's program leans toward administration and technology, and Trinity Washington University's Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction serves classroom teachers building instructional skills. The University of the District of Columbia teaches adult education, a field for trainers and community educators.
Howard University's Master of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies is the program on this list that leads to licensure, aimed at a school leader. George Washington University's special education master's is a non-licensure track, so it fits professionals who work with students with disabilities without seeking a teaching credential.
What Does OSSE Require for a District of Columbia Teaching Credential?
OSSE requires a Standard Teacher Credential for a District of Columbia teaching job, and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education sets four ways to earn it. The first is an approved teacher preparation program, with exam scores and a background check, and a program outside the District has its certification officer complete a form for OSSE.
The other ways start from an existing credential and rest on effective ratings in a school job. Praxis exams in the subject and in teaching principles are the usual testing route. Of the master's programs here, only Howard's leads to a credential, so most students will use them to advance, not to enter. The District licensure guide covers reciprocity.
How Do District of Columbia Master's in Education Rates Compare Across the Public and Private Schools?
District of Columbia master's in education rates differ sharply between the public and private schools. The University of the District of Columbia charges the lowest resident rate and a higher one to nonresidents, while the private schools charge one rate to everyone, ranging from moderate to the highest on the list at Howard and George Washington.
The cost chart prints each rate, and the useful comparison is total program cost, since credit counts differ. A District resident who wants the cheapest route has one school to look at first, and a second look at the private rates is worthwhile only when the program fits the career. Students with employer tuition benefits may find that a private school's higher price is covered, so ask the human resources office before ruling anything out.
What Does Studying Online at a District of Columbia School Mean for Field Work?
Studying online at a District of Columbia school means field work happens in the schools near you, whether that is inside the District or in the surrounding region. Ask any program how it approves a site, whether your own school can host you, and who supervises the work, particularly for leadership and counseling degrees that rely on a mentor.
The District joined NC-SARA in 2016, which covers a school's authority to enroll students and not a credentialing office's judgment. The licensure disclosure in 34 CFR 668.43 shows where a program qualifies, which matters if you move out of the District after you finish.
Questions About Online Master's in Education Programs in District of Columbia
What Is the Cheapest Online Master's in Education in District of Columbia?
How Are Online Master's in Education Programs in District of Columbia Ranked?
Which District of Columbia School Is the Only Public Option?
The University of the District of Columbia is the only public school on this list, with a Master of Arts in Adult Education. It charges residents a lower rate than nonresidents, unlike the private schools.
Does Howard University's Online Master's Lead to a Principal Credential?
Howard University's Educational Leadership and Policy Studies degree leads to licensure. OSSE's principal credential also asks for years of experience and a leadership exam, so confirm with Howard which parts the program covers.
Is George Washington University's Special Education Master's a Teaching Credential Program?
George Washington University's special education master's is a non-licensure track, as its title says. It does not recommend graduates for a teaching credential, so a career changer should look elsewhere.
Can I Be a Teacher in the District With a Master's From Another State?
A teacher can work in the District with a credential from another state if it is active and OSSE accepts it, since a degree alone is not a credential. OSSE applies reciprocity only to a first District credential application.
Where Do the Figures for District of Columbia Come From?
Tuition and degree counts come from federal records each college reports about itself.
Show the federal record for all 5 colleges ranked, in the District of Columbia
Strayer University-Global Region University of the District of Columbia Trinity Washington University Howard University George Washington University