Hawaii's list is short and specific. The University of Hawaii at Manoa leads with an online Master of Education in Special Education, and Chaminade University of Honolulu follows with a Master of Education in Instructional Leadership. Both are in Honolulu, one public and one private nonprofit, and they serve different people: a special educator on one side, a teacher moving toward school leadership on the other.
A small list suits a small, island state, where most students already live near the campus they choose to study with online. The sections below cover how the two programs differ, who decides what a Hawaii credential requires, and what an online student should settle with each school before applying.
Source: IPEDS, read October 6, 2026. Tuition is the 2023-24 in-state rate.
top score, University of Hawaii at Manoa
58.9
median in-state tuition and fees across the 2 listed, 2023-24
$21,271
schools in Hawaii with a ranked fully online master's in education
2
ranked programs in Hawaii that lead to a license
4
This list covers fully online master's programs at universities located in Hawaii, one per school.
The 2 Online Master's in Education Programs in Hawaii
The 2 programs below are at schools in Hawaii, scored at the in-state price and listed one per school.
1
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Master of Education in Special Education
Honolulu, Hawaii
58.9- Public
- No license involved
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 29 a year
- Yearly cost
- $16,502
- In-state rate
- $16,502, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $34,550
Special educators in Honolulu can choose between two tracks in the University of Hawaii at Manoa's Master of Education in Special Education. Leadership & Research runs 31 credits, and Applied Behavior Analysis runs 35 because of fieldwork and meets the coursework requirements for Board Certified Behavior Analyst exam eligibility under pathway 2. Both usually take 2 years with synchronous evening classes, and the 1-credit capstone can be replaced by a 6-credit thesis.
The degree does not lead to initial teacher licensure, and it does not replace the Standard License from the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board. Hawaii residents pay $16,502 a year for 2023-24, while out-of-state students pay $34,550. Manoa awarded 29 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
2
Chaminade University of Honolulu
Master of Education (MEd) - Instructional Leadership
Honolulu, Hawaii
42.3- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision
- Degrees awarded
- 30 a year
- Yearly cost
- $26,040
- In-state rate
- $26,040, 2023-24
Chaminade University of Honolulu is a private nonprofit school, and it charges $26,040 a year for 2023-24 to everyone, whether or not they live in Hawaii. Its Master of Education in Instructional Leadership is 30 credit hours and takes about 18 months. Emphases are Instructional Leadership, which includes a Teach for America Hawai'i cohort, Child Development, and a Montessori Emphasis, and applicants who are Montessori-certified can transfer up to 12 credits.
The cohort track includes coursework toward teaching licensure in Elementary, Secondary and Special Education through the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board, which issues the Standard License, and Hawaii uses the Praxis Series for its exams. The university holds regional accreditation from WASC, the Montessori emphasis is accredited by MACTE, and 30 master's degrees were awarded 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 Hawaii 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 Hawaii Lead to a License?
One ranked program at school in Hawaii leads to a license, certificate or endorsement, scored the same way as the list above, one program per school. The Hawaii 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 | Chaminade University of Honolulu | Master of Education (MEd) - Instructional Leadership | Educator license | $26,040 |
What Does an Online Master's in Education Cost in Hawaii?
An online master's in education at a school in Hawaii costs a resident from $16,502 to $26,040 a year in graduate tuition and fees across these 2 programs, with a median of $21,271, 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 Hawaii Universities Offer an Online Master's in Education?
Two Hawaii universities offer an online master's in education that earns a place here: the University of Hawaii at Manoa and Chaminade University of Honolulu. Manoa, the public flagship, is represented by its Master of Education in Special Education, which suits teachers and aspiring specialists who work with students who have disabilities. Chaminade, a private nonprofit, is represented by its Master of Education in Instructional Leadership, a curriculum and supervision degree for educators heading toward building or program leadership.
The two programs sit at different price points, and the cost chart further down shows how far apart. Because every ranked school is in Hawaii, the in-state rate is the one that applies to a resident, and a student on another island can usually do the coursework without relocating to Oahu.
How Does the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board Treat an Online Master's in Education?
The Hawaii Teacher Standards Board treats an online master's in education according to whether the board has approved the program, since it defines any preparation program it has not approved as out-of-state. A degree from a Hawaii campus does not automatically count as approved, so the first question to ask either school is whether the specific program is on the board's list.
The degree also matters after licensure. The board's Advanced License guide accepts a master's degree as one route, as long as it is not the degree used for the initial license. A teacher who holds a Hawaii license and wants the advanced tier is therefore the natural student for either program. Our Hawaii licensure guide covers the license tiers and Praxis requirements in more detail.
Does a Hawaii Master's in Instructional Leadership Lead to an Administrator License?
A Hawaii master's in instructional leadership prepares you for school leadership, but the license itself comes from a different office. The teacher standards board says it does not issue administrator licenses, and it leaves those to the Department of Education's Office of Talent Management.
Chaminade's degree leads to licensure, so a student who wants to become a principal or vice principal should ask the school and the department which requirements the coursework satisfies, and what experience the department expects on top. The special education degree at Manoa does not lead to a license, so confirm with the board before assuming it adds to or upgrades one you hold.
What Does Studying Online at a Hawaii School Mean for a Resident?
Studying online at a Hawaii school means paying the in-state rate and doing field work in your own schools. Special education and leadership placements usually happen where you teach or live, so ask early how the university approves a site and supervisor on another island.
Hawaii is a member of NC-SARA, which lets its schools enroll students online, but SARA does not address professional licensing board approval. A resident who later moves finds that the new state's board decides what the Hawaii degree counts for. Before you apply, ask for the school's written statement under 34 CFR 668.43, which tells you where the program meets licensure requirements and where it has not been assessed.
Questions About Online Master's in Education Programs in Hawaii
What Is the Cheapest Online Master's in Education in Hawaii?
How Are Online Master's in Education Programs in Hawaii Ranked?
Which Hawaii University Has the Better Online Master's in Education for a Special Educator?
The University of Hawaii at Manoa is the Hawaii school here with a special education master's, delivered online. Chaminade offers a leadership degree instead, so a special educator choosing within Hawaii looks to Manoa and confirms licensure and endorsement details with the Teacher Standards Board.
Is Chaminade's Online Master's in Education a Leadership Degree?
Chaminade University of Honolulu's online Master of Education in Instructional Leadership is a leadership and supervision degree for educators, and it is the Hawaii program here aimed at principals and program heads. Administrator licensure runs through the Department of Education, so check with that office before enrolling.
Can a Hawaii Teacher Use a Master's for the Advanced License?
A Hawaii teacher can use a master's for the Advanced License, since the board's guide lists a master's, specialist or doctoral degree as one route. The degree cannot be the one that earned the initial license, and the license also asks for a valid Standard License and years of full-time teaching.
Does an Online Hawaii Master's in Education Require a Visit to Campus?
An online Hawaii master's in education is built for study from a distance, and field work happens in your own school or setting. Whether a program asks for any on-campus sessions is set by each school, so ask both Manoa and Chaminade for the current schedule before you apply.
Where Do the Figures for Hawaii Come From?
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
- IPEDS Institutional Characteristics, 2023-24
- Hawaii Teacher Standards Board, out-of-state program definition
- Hawaii Teacher Standards Board, administrator licensing
- Hawaii Teacher Standards Board, Advanced License guide
- NC-SARA, professional licensure
- eCFR, 34 CFR 668.43
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 Hawaii at Manoa Chaminade University of Honolulu