Indiana's list is led by a private school and filled with public ones. American College of Education, based in Indianapolis, leads with an educational leadership master's. Purdue's curriculum and instruction degree comes next, and Ball State's special education master's stands out for the number of students who finish it, which is far above most programs on the list.
Educational leadership recurs across Indiana Wesleyan, Purdue Fort Wayne and two Indiana University campuses, so a would-be principal has more choices here than a teacher after a general degree. The sections below explain how the schools differ, what the Indiana Department of Education expects, and what changes when you study online with a university in your own state.
Source: IPEDS, read October 6, 2026. Tuition is the 2023-24 in-state rate.
top score, American College of Education
94.1
median in-state tuition and fees across the 10 listed, 2023-24
$10,192
schools in Indiana with a ranked fully online master's in education
18
ranked programs in Indiana that lead to a license
26
This list covers fully online master's programs at universities located in Indiana, one per school.
The 10 Best Online Master's in Education Programs in Indiana
The 10 programs below are at schools in Indiana, scored at the in-state price and listed one per school.
1
American College of Education
Master of Education in Educational Leadership
Indianapolis, Indiana
94.1- Private for-profit
- Leads to a license
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 1,074 a year
- Yearly cost
- $6,600
- In-state rate
- $6,600, 2023-24
Indianapolis is home to American College of Education, where the M.Ed. in Educational Leadership carries approval toward an Indiana principal license issued by Indiana Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensing. Candidates complete 34 semester credits that end in a capstone built on an internship and practicum.
Because the college serves several states, internship courses are written for AZ, FL, IL, IN, OH, and TX, and an Indiana candidate takes the one that suits the home state. The private for-profit college charges everyone $6,600 a year for 2023-24 and awarded 1,074 master's degrees in the latest federal count. Indiana has belonged to the MHEC State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement since 2014.
2
Purdue University
Master of Science in Education (MSEd) in Curriculum and Instruction
West Lafayette, Indiana
87.9- Public
- No license involved
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 123 a year
- Yearly cost
- $9,992
- In-state rate
- $9,992, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $28,794
Purdue University's West Lafayette campus offers the Master of Science in Education in Curriculum and Instruction online, with no campus visits. Thirty credit hours are completed in about 18 months through 8-week asynchronous courses. Concentrations include English Language Learning, Integrated STEM Education, Gifted, Creative, and Talented Studies, Mathematics Education, Educational Technology, and a non-licensure Special Education option.
The degree does not lead to an educator license in or outside Indiana. The English Language Learning concentration has an optional licensure preparation pathway for Indiana teachers, applied for separately through Indiana Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensing. Indiana residents pay $9,992 a year and nonresidents $28,794 for 2023-24, and this public university awarded 123 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
3
Purdue University Global
Master of Science in Higher Education
West Lafayette, Indiana
86.4- Public
- No license involved
- Higher Education/Higher Education Administration
- Degrees awarded
- 77 a year
- Yearly cost
- $10,521
- In-state rate
- $10,521, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $11,582
Higher education careers are the target of Purdue University Global's online M.S. in Higher Education, where students choose between leadership in college administration and student affairs. Study begins at 45 credits on the quarter system, and program outcomes address finance, ethics, assessment, governance, and research.
This public university in West Lafayette charges Indiana residents $10,521 a year and nonresidents $11,582 for 2023-24, and it awarded 77 master's degrees in the latest federal count. The degree prepares administrators and advisers, not classroom teachers, so an Indiana educator pursuing the Initial Practitioner License still applies through Indiana Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensing.
4
Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global
Master of Science in School Administration
Marion, Indiana
82.2- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 48 a year
- Yearly cost
- $10,391
- In-state rate
- $10,391, 2023-24
Marion, Indiana, is where Indiana Wesleyan University's online M.S. in School Administration is based, at $10,391 a year for every student in 2023-24, resident or not. The private nonprofit awarded 48 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
All candidates share one sequence. Time in a school comes through a half-year internship guided by a principal mentor, and the credits total 33. A graduate can pursue Indiana's administrator license at the building level from Indiana Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensing, or Ohio's principal license, with license types and requirements set separately by each state. Faith shapes the curriculum, which is Christ-centered.
5
Ball State University
Master of Arts in Special Education
Muncie, Indiana
82.0- Public
- Leads to a license
- Education/Teaching of Individuals with Multiple Disabilities
- Degrees awarded
- 877 a year
- Yearly cost
- $11,992
- In-state rate
- $11,992, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $29,196
Concentrations at Ball State University in Muncie organize the Master of Arts in Special Education: Autism, Deaf Education, Early Childhood Special Education, Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, Intense Interventions, Mild Interventions, Special Education Administration, and Visual Impairment. Everything is taught online. Intense Interventions focuses on teaching students with severe and multiple disabilities, and it asks for a minimum of 15 hours in the major area plus 9 hours in a second special education area.
Post-baccalaureate licensure options are part of the offering, including a License Addition for Exceptional Needs: Intense Interventions, and Indiana licenses come from Indiana Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensing. Indiana residents pay $11,992 a year while nonresidents pay $29,196 for 2023-24. The public university awarded 877 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
6
Purdue University Fort Wayne
Educational Leadership (M.S.Ed.)
Fort Wayne, Indiana
74.2- Public
- Leads to a license
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 18 a year
- Yearly cost
- $6,846
- In-state rate
- $6,846, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $15,497
Fort Wayne educators who hold or can qualify for Indiana licensure can pursue the Educational Leadership M.S.Ed. at Purdue University Fort Wayne, which makes graduates eligible for a Building Level Administrator license in Indiana. Admission requires eligibility for Indiana Education Licensure, and the coursework includes immersive field experiences. CAEP, NCATE, the Indiana Department of Education, and NELP all recognize the program.
Indiana has reciprocal licensing agreements with other states, which matters to administrators who may later move, though Indiana Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensing issues the Indiana license itself. The public university charges Indiana residents $6,846 a year and nonresidents $15,497 for 2023-24, and it awarded 18 master's degrees in the latest federal count. The degree suits a licensed teacher stepping into a school leadership role.
7
Indiana University-Bloomington
M.S.Ed. in Educational Leadership (Online)
Bloomington, Indiana
71.9- Public
- Leads to a license
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 29 a year
- Yearly cost
- $11,611
- In-state rate
- $11,611, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $33,410
A single core curriculum carries the online M.S.Ed. in Educational Leadership at Indiana University-Bloomington, covering school and community relations, teacher development and evaluation, legal perspectives, and school finance. The GRE is not required, and CAEP accredits the program.
The degree embeds an Indiana principal's license option for candidates with two years as a licensed teacher or licensed counselor. It also prepares graduates for superintendent or director of exceptional needs licensure, all of it issued through Indiana Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensing. Indiana residents pay $11,611 a year while nonresidents pay $33,410 for 2023-24. The Bloomington public university awarded 29 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
8
Indiana University-East
Master of Science in Education, Educational Leadership (Online Consortium)
Richmond, Indiana
68.8- Public
- Leads to a license
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 16 a year
- Yearly cost
- $8,666
- In-state rate
- $8,666, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $19,575
Richmond's Indiana University-East anchors a consortium in which faculty from IU East, IUPUI, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, IU South Bend, and IU Southeast co-teach the Master of Science in Education in Educational Leadership. The 100% online degree totals 36 credit hours, 27 core and 9 in an elective strand. Strands are Higher Education and Student Affairs, Leadership in Educational Organizations, Learning Sciences, and School Law.
Graduates are prepared for Indiana licensing as a building-level administrator, a superintendent, or a director of exceptional needs, with licensing handled by Indiana Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensing. A public university, IU East charges Indiana residents $8,666 a year and nonresidents $19,575 for 2023-24, and it awarded 16 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
9
University of Southern Indiana
Master of Science in Education, Secondary Mathematics Teaching
Evansville, Indiana
60.3- Public
- No license involved
- Secondary Education and Teaching
- Degrees awarded
- 14 a year
- Yearly cost
- $10,947
- In-state rate
- $10,947, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $20,904
Evansville's University of Southern Indiana pairs 15 credit hours of Teacher Education with 18 credit hours of Mathematics in its Master of Science in Education in Secondary Mathematics Teaching, 33 hours in all. The fully online degree typically takes about 2 years, so a working teacher can complete it while still in the classroom. USI also offers MSE tracks in Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Leadership and Administration, and Special Education.
Applicants must already hold a standard U.S. teaching license, because the degree deepens mathematics teaching expertise rather than providing the Initial Practitioner License from Indiana Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensing. CAEP accreditation applies. Indiana residents pay $10,947 a year and nonresidents $20,904 for 2023-24, and the public university awarded 14 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
10
Indiana State University
Master of Education in Teaching and Learning
Terre Haute, Indiana
60.0- Public
- No license involved
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 10 a year
- Yearly cost
- $8,380
- In-state rate
- $8,380, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $16,210
Terre Haute is the home campus for Indiana State University's Master of Education in Teaching and Learning, a 30-credit degree built from a 21-credit Professional Education Core and 9 credits of directed electives. Electives gather around elementary education, secondary education, special education, teaching English as a second language, and assessment and evaluation. No campus visits are required, and full-time students finish in 18 to 24 months while part-time students have up to 7 years.
The degree is meant for educators who already hold a license, not as a route to the Initial Practitioner License from Indiana Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensing. The Higher Learning Commission and CAEP are among its accreditors. Indiana residents pay $8,380 a year and nonresidents $16,210 for 2023-24, and the university awarded 10 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 Indiana 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 Indiana Lead to a License?
5 ranked programs at schools in Indiana lead to a license, certificate or endorsement, scored the same way as the list above, one program per school. The Indiana 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 | American College of Education | Master of Education in Educational Leadership | Principal / administrative | $6,600 |
| 2 | Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global | Master of Science in School Administration | Indiana building-level administrator (P-12) license; Ohio principal license | $10,391 |
| 3 | Ball State University | Master of Arts in Special Education | Educator license | $11,992 |
| 4 | Purdue University Fort Wayne | Educational Leadership (M.S.Ed.) | Educator license | $6,846 |
| 5 | Indiana University-Bloomington | M.S.Ed. in Educational Leadership (Online) | Educator license | $11,611 |
What Does an Online Master's in Education Cost in Indiana?
An online master's in education at a school in Indiana costs a resident from $6,600 to $11,992 a year in graduate tuition and fees across these 10 programs, with a median of $10,192, 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 Indiana Universities Offer the Best Online Master's in Education?
The Indiana universities that offer the best online master's in education divide into leadership programs, special education and curriculum degrees. American College of Education leads with a Master of Education in Educational Leadership and graduates the most students on the list by a wide margin. Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion offers a Master of Science in School Administration at the building level.
Purdue University Fort Wayne, Indiana University Bloomington and Indiana University East round out leadership. Purdue West Lafayette offers a Master of Science in Education in Curriculum and Instruction, Purdue Global a master's in higher education, Ball State a Master of Arts in Special Education, the University of Southern Indiana secondary mathematics teaching, and Indiana State a teaching and learning degree.
What Does the Indiana Department of Education Require Beyond an Online Master's?
The Indiana Department of Education requires more than an online master's in education for each license, and the leadership programs on this list are the clearest example. A building-level administrator license asks for a master's or higher, an approved Building Level Administration program, a valid professional educator license and years of teaching or counseling experience.
Indiana Wesleyan's page ties its school administration degree to the Indiana building-level license, and the leadership degrees at American College of Education, Purdue Fort Wayne and both Indiana University campuses lead to licensure too, as does Ball State's special education master's. Teachers who want a classroom license start elsewhere, with a recommendation from a university licensing advisor on the department's teacher licensing page and Praxis scores. Our Indiana licensure guide covers the exams and the out-of-state permit.
How Do You Check That an Indiana Online Master's in Education Is Approved?
You check that an Indiana online master's in education is approved by looking the program up on the department's approved educator preparation programs list, which includes Indiana campuses and national providers alike. A school being based in Indiana does not change that step.
Matching a degree to its license matters most for special educators and school counselors. A school counselor needs a master's from an approved counselor program and a Praxis content exam, so a general education master's will not stand in for it. Ask each program which license it prepares you for and which licensing advisor files your recommendation.
What Does Studying Online at an Indiana University Mean for Residents?
Studying online at an Indiana university means paying the in-state rate and arranging practicum or internship hours in a school near you. Educational leadership programs, including the online ones at Bloomington and Indiana University East, normally rely on that local placement, so ask how mentors and sites are approved.
Indiana belongs to NC-SARA, which lets its schools enroll students across state lines, but SARA does not address professional licensing board approval. If you move away, the receiving state's board decides how your degree counts. The federal rule at 34 CFR 668.43 requires a school advertising licensure preparation to name the states where it qualifies, so request that disclosure in writing.
Questions About Online Master's in Education Programs in Indiana
What Is the Cheapest Online Master's in Education in Indiana?
How Are Online Master's in Education Programs in Indiana Ranked?
Which Indiana Online Master's in Education Has the Most Graduates?
American College of Education's online Master of Education in Educational Leadership has the most graduates among the Indiana programs ranked here, with Ball State's special education master's second. Both numbers dwarf the smaller programs at Indiana State and the University of Southern Indiana.
Does Indiana Wesleyan's Online Master's Lead to an Indiana Principal License?
Indiana Wesleyan University's online Master of Science in School Administration is described on its program page as leading to the Indiana building-level administrator license. The state still sets its own conditions, including experience and a content exam, so confirm them with the Department of Education.
Is a Purdue Online Master's in Education a Teaching License?
Purdue's online Master of Science in Education in Curriculum and Instruction is a degree for working educators, not a route to a first Indiana teaching license. Purdue Global's higher education master's serves campus roles, so neither replaces the licensing steps on the department's site.
What Is the Indiana Free After 3 Retest Policy?
The Indiana Free After 3 retest policy took effect on January 1, 2026, and the department's testing page explains how repeat attempts on licensure exams are handled. It matters to anyone sitting a Praxis exam while finishing an Indiana master's.
Where Do the Figures for Indiana Come From?
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
- IPEDS Institutional Characteristics, 2023-24
- Indiana Department of Education, administrative licenses
- Indiana Department of Education, teacher licensing
- Indiana Department of Education, approved educator preparation programs
- Indiana Department of Education, school services employee
- Indiana Department of Education, educator testing
- Indiana Wesleyan University, M.S. in School Administration
- 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
American College of Education Purdue University Purdue University Global Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global Ball State University Purdue University Fort Wayne Indiana University-Bloomington Indiana University-East University of Southern Indiana Indiana State University