Illinois is the state where the online master's in education is mostly a leadership degree. Concordia University Chicago in River Forest leads with a Master of Arts in Educational Administration, and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, McKendree, Northern Illinois and Governors State all offer principal or administration tracks further down.
The rest of the list covers curriculum and teaching at Greenville, Illinois State, Olivet Nazarene and the University of St Francis, plus a Master of Arts in Teaching with alternative licensure at Western Illinois. Below you will find how the Illinois State Board of Education fits around these degrees, what each type of program is for, and what changes when the campus is in your own state.
Source: IPEDS, read October 6, 2026. Tuition is the 2023-24 in-state rate.
top score, Concordia University-Chicago
85.5
median in-state tuition and fees across the 10 listed, 2023-24
$10,087
schools in Illinois with a ranked fully online master's in education
22
ranked programs in Illinois that lead to a license
35
This list covers fully online master's programs at universities located in Illinois, one per school.
The 10 Best Online Master's in Education Programs in Illinois
The 10 programs below are at schools in Illinois, scored at the in-state price and listed one per school.
1
Concordia University-Chicago
Master of Arts in Educational Administration
River Forest, Illinois
85.5- Private nonprofit
- No license involved
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 174 a year
- Yearly cost
- $10,782
- In-state rate
- $10,782, 2023-24
Illinois educators drawn to administration can study through Concordia University-Chicago, based in River Forest, in its Master of Arts in Educational Administration. One curriculum serves every candidate, and a capstone project finishes it. Licensure sits outside its scope: the Professional Educator License comes from the Illinois State Board of Education, and this degree is not a route to it, though it builds administrative knowledge for an educator in the state.
Illinois tests educators through the Illinois Licensure Testing System. Tuition was $10,782 for 2023-24, with in-state and out-of-state students paying the same rate. The private nonprofit campus awarded 174 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
2
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Master of Science in Education in Educational Administration, Principal Preparation Specialization
Edwardsville, Illinois
82.0- Public
- Leads to a license
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 44 a year
- Yearly cost
- $10,102
- In-state rate
- $10,102, 2023-24
Edwardsville hosts a public campus whose Master of Science in Education with an administration focus on preparing principals is built for Illinois teachers heading toward a principal's office. Study is entirely online and takes roughly 12 months, with school-based assignments built into individual courses. The Illinois State Board of Education attaches the principal endorsement to a Professional Educator License.
The campus is public, and graduates seek the endorsement from that state board. CAEP recognition spans October 2023 to December 2029. Tuition is $10,102 for 2023-24, identical for every student whatever their residency, and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville awarded 44 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
3
Greenville University
Master of Arts in Education
Greenville, Illinois
80.9- Private nonprofit
- Education, General
- Degrees awarded
- 33 a year
- Yearly cost
- $8,784
- In-state rate
- $8,784, 2023-24
A Christian curriculum shapes the Master of Arts in Education at Greenville University in Greenville, Illinois. Concentrations are Coaching, Curriculum and Instruction, Special Education, Early Childhood Education, and Teaching English as a Second Language. The degree takes 30 to 33 credit hours, ends in a capstone project tied to professional practice, and asks for no GRE, GMAT or application fee.
The degree is not itself a licensure track and does not replace the Professional Educator License from the Illinois State Board of Education. The Special Education concentration can add a Learning Behavior Specialist I endorsement through an additional clinical practicum. Greenville charges $8,784 for 2023-24, the same for Illinois residents and everyone else, and awarded 33 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
4
Illinois State University
Master of Science in Teaching and Learning
Normal, Illinois
79.8- Public
- No license involved
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 36 a year
- Yearly cost
- $10,009
- In-state rate
- $10,009, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $12,646
Illinois State University in Normal aims its online Master of Science in Teaching and Learning at practicing teachers who already hold a current teaching certificate and at least one year of experience. It does not lead to certification, so the Professional Educator License from the Illinois State Board of Education stays as it is. Coursework leans toward National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification and toward roles such as master teacher, mentor, or curriculum director.
There is a general track for K-12 teachers and an Early Childhood Education, Faculty Preparation concentration for Birth-Grade 2 teachers. No thesis, capstone, or practicum is required. Illinois residents pay $10,009 for 2023-24, while the out-of-state figure is $12,646. The public university awarded 36 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
5
McKendree University
Master of Arts in Education (MAEd) in Educational Administration & Leadership - Secondary School Administration
Lebanon, Illinois
79.3- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Secondary School Administration/Principalship
- Degrees awarded
- 32 a year
- Yearly cost
- $9,450
- In-state rate
- $9,450, 2023-24
Aspiring high school principals in Illinois can use McKendree University's MAEd in Educational Administration and Leadership, Secondary School Administration to work toward the Illinois Principal license, issued through the Illinois State Board of Education. Entrants need to have taught four years as the classroom teacher of record, and the license also depends on passing the PAIL test, numbers 195 and 196, which the university names among its requirements.
Beyond coursework, the degree includes a school-based internship supervised by a working administrator, so a candidate can stay in the classroom during study. McKendree is a private nonprofit school in Lebanon. Its 2023-24 tuition is $9,450 a year for every student, and it awarded 32 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
6
Western Illinois University
Master of Arts in Teaching (Alternative Licensure)
Macomb, Illinois
79.2- Public
- Leads to a license
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Other
- Degrees awarded
- 51 a year
- Yearly cost
- $13,290
- In-state rate
- $13,290, 2023-24
Paid employment drives the Master of Arts in Teaching, Alternative Licensure at Western Illinois University in Macomb. A school district hires each candidate on a provisional license at a beginning teacher salary, and the candidate completes online coursework during a one-year residency, EDS 600 Internship in Teaching. On completion the candidate moves to a full Professional Educator License from the Illinois State Board of Education.
Subject areas run from Early Childhood (Birth-Grade 2), Elementary (Grades 1-6), and Middle Grades (Grades 5-8) to Music, Physical Education, Visual Arts, secondary English, history, mathematics and science, Special Education, and World Language in French or Spanish. Tuition is $13,290 for 2023-24 at one rate for all students. The public university awarded 51 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
7
Olivet Nazarene University
Master of Arts in Education, Curriculum and Instruction (CIED) track
Bourbonnais, Illinois
79.0- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 42 a year
- Yearly cost
- $10,957
- In-state rate
- $10,957, 2023-24
Bourbonnais, Illinois, is where Olivet Nazarene University runs its Master of Arts in Education. A teacher after a reading credential can take the Reading Endorsement option, which carries the Reading Specialist and Reading Teacher endorsements added to the Professional Educator License that the Illinois State Board of Education issues. The other option, CIED, awards the degree with no endorsement attached.
Each course lasts 8 weeks. Over 22 months a candidate earns 33 credit hours, and a final project in EDUC 696 finishes the degree. Tuition of $10,957 for 2023-24 applies equally to Illinois residents and everyone else. The school is private and nonprofit, and it awarded 42 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
8
University of St Francis
Master of Science in Education, Teaching & Learning major
Joliet, Illinois
76.0- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 160 a year
- Yearly cost
- $14,757
- In-state rate
- $14,757, 2023-24
Concentrations at the University of St Francis in Joliet include Adult TESOL, Bilingual Education, Differentiated Instruction, Educational Technology, ESL, Gifted and Talented Education, Health Education, Instructional Coaching, and Reading. The Master of Science in Education, Teaching and Learning major pairs 12 credit hours of core coursework with at least 18 elective hours in the chosen concentration, online in 8-week sessions over 24 months.
For select concentrations, a teaching endorsement can be added to a valid Illinois Professional Educator License, which the Illinois State Board of Education issues. The Higher Learning Commission accredits the university, and ISBE approves the program. Tuition is $14,757 for 2023-24, the same for all students. This private nonprofit school awarded 160 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
9
Northern Illinois University
Master of Science in Education in Educational Administration
Dekalb, Illinois
75.1- Public
- Leads to a license
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 24 a year
- Yearly cost
- $9,090
- In-state rate
- $9,090, 2023-24
Northern Illinois University in DeKalb admits a new cohort each fall to its Master of Science in Education in Educational Administration. The pathway prepares K-12 educators for the Illinois principal endorsement and for school leadership roles, and holders of a valid Illinois Professional Educator License can be admitted conditionally for their first semester. The Illinois State Board of Education issues the credential.
Because the cohort starts together each fall, applicants plan around a single entry point every year. The price is concrete: $9,090 for 2023-24, charged at the same rate to out-of-state students. Northern Illinois is a public university and awarded 24 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
10
Governors State University
Master of Arts in Educational Administration - Principal Leadership
University Park, Illinois
67.0- Public
- Leads to a license
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 17 a year
- Yearly cost
- $10,072
- In-state rate
- $10,072, 2023-24
Governors State University, in University Park, prepares licensed teachers to become principals through its Master of Arts in Educational Administration, Principal Leadership. Admission requires a valid Professional Educator License and two years of teaching experience, and the degree awards the Principal as Instructional Leader endorsement. The Illinois State Board of Education approves it, and CAEP accredits it.
Candidates move through as a cohort, taking two courses each semester in 7.5-week sessions, and each course needs at least a B-. The public university charges $10,072 for 2023-24 and applies one rate to Illinois residents and nonresidents alike. It awarded 17 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 Illinois 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 Illinois Lead to a License?
5 ranked programs at schools in Illinois lead to a license, certificate or endorsement, scored the same way as the list above, one program per school. The Illinois 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 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | Master of Science in Education in Educational Administration, Principal Preparation Specialization | Educator license | $10,102 |
| 2 | McKendree University | Master of Arts in Education (MAEd) in Educational Administration & Leadership - Secondary School Administration | Educator license | $9,450 |
| 3 | Western Illinois University | Master of Arts in Teaching (Alternative Licensure) | Educator license | $13,290 |
| 4 | Olivet Nazarene University | Master of Arts in Education, Curriculum and Instruction (CIED) track | Educator license | $10,957 |
| 5 | University of St Francis | Master of Science in Education, Teaching & Learning major | Educator license | $14,757 |
What Does an Online Master's in Education Cost in Illinois?
An online master's in education at a school in Illinois costs a resident from $8,784 to $14,757 a year in graduate tuition and fees across these 10 programs, with a median of $10,087, 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 Illinois Universities Offer the Best Online Master's in Education?
The Illinois universities that offer the best online master's in education are mostly the ones preparing school leaders. Concordia Chicago leads on graduate volume. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville pairs its educational administration degree with a principal preparation specialization, and Governors State's program is explicitly principal leadership.
Teachers who want to stay in the classroom have good options too. Illinois State offers a Master of Science in Teaching and Learning, Olivet Nazarene in Bourbonnais a curriculum and instruction track, and the University of St Francis in Joliet a teaching and learning major with a large graduating class. Western Illinois University is the one program built around a first license, since its Master of Arts in Teaching is an alternative licensure route. The mix is both public and private, so the cost chart matters here.
What Does the Illinois State Board of Education Require After an Online Master's?
The Illinois State Board of Education requires an endorsement on the Professional Educator License after an online master's, and the endorsement depends on the job. A principal endorsement needs a master's degree or higher, an approved preparation program and a content test, which is why so many programs here are built as principal tracks.
A teaching endorsement follows its own rules, laid out on ISBE's teaching endorsement page. Illinois uses its own ILTS tests, and the board's testing page explains the current content-test timing. Governors State, Northern Illinois, McKendree and SIU Edwardsville lead to licensure, as do Western Illinois, Olivet Nazarene and St Francis. Concordia Chicago's educational administration degree, Illinois State's and Greenville's do not. Our Illinois licensure guide covers the exams and forms in detail.
Is an Illinois Online Master's in Education Right for a Working Teacher?
An Illinois online master's in education is right for a working teacher when the goal is a new role rather than a first license. Curriculum and instruction degrees at Illinois State, Olivet Nazarene and St Francis build practice for people already in classrooms, and Greenville's general Master of Arts in Education fits a teacher who wants a general graduate credential without a leadership focus.
Someone who does not yet hold a license should look at Western Illinois first, because its Master of Arts in Teaching is the alternative licensure program in the list. A school counselor follows another endorsement, set out on ISBE's school support personnel page, so confirm which one your goal needs before you compare tuition.
What Does Studying Online at an Illinois University Mean for Residents?
Studying online at an Illinois university means paying the in-state rate and doing internships and student teaching where you live. Principal programs usually need a supervised internship in your own school or district, so ask how a mentor is approved before you apply.
Illinois belongs to NC-SARA, but SARA does not address professional licensing board approval, and the state board alone decides what a program earns you. If you later move, the new state's board makes that call again. Under 34 CFR 668.43, a school advertising licensure preparation must publish which states it qualifies for, and that statement is worth reading before you commit.
Questions About Online Master's in Education Programs in Illinois
What Is the Cheapest Online Master's in Education in Illinois?
How Are Online Master's in Education Programs in Illinois Ranked?
Which Illinois Online Master's in Education Prepares Principals?
Several Illinois online master's programs prepare principals: Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Governors State, Northern Illinois and McKendree offer educational administration degrees that lead to licensure, while Concordia Chicago's educational administration degree does not. Each licensure program should show how its coursework and internship meet the board's principal endorsement conditions.
Can an Illinois Online Master's Lead to a First Teaching License?
An Illinois online master's can lead to a first teaching license at Western Illinois University, whose Master of Arts in Teaching is built as an alternative licensure program. The principal programs here serve people who already hold a license.
Do Illinois Principal Programs Require Teaching Experience First?
Illinois principal programs prepare you for an endorsement that asks for an approved program with an internship or equivalent experience. Check the board's administrative endorsement page for the current conditions.
How Do Private Illinois Universities Compare on an Online Master's in Education?
Private Illinois universities compare with public ones on an online master's in education mostly by price and focus: Concordia Chicago, Greenville, McKendree, Olivet Nazarene and the University of St Francis are private nonprofit, while Illinois State, SIU Edwardsville, Western Illinois, Northern Illinois and Governors State are public. The cost chart shows the in-state rate at each, so compare it with the curriculum before choosing.
Where Do the Figures for Illinois Come From?
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
- IPEDS Institutional Characteristics, 2023-24
- Illinois State Board of Education, administrative endorsements
- Illinois State Board of Education, teaching endorsements
- Illinois State Board of Education, licensure testing
- Illinois State Board of Education, school support personnel
- 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 10 colleges ranked, in 1 state
Concordia University-Chicago Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Greenville University Illinois State University McKendree University Western Illinois University Olivet Nazarene University University of St Francis Northern Illinois University Governors State University