Special education and counseling lead the Kentucky list. The University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg tops it with a master's in learning and behavior disorders for P-12, Campbellsville University follows with a school counseling degree, and Georgetown College adds moderate and severe disabilities. Northern Kentucky, Pikeville, Louisville, Asbury, Western Kentucky, Morehead and Union Commonwealth University make up the rest.
Kentucky has an unusual feature that makes a master's more than a line on a resume: the state's rank system ties graduate degrees to pay. The sections below compare the schools, explain how the Education Professional Standards Board certifies the graduates, and describe what it means to study online with a campus in your own state.
Source: IPEDS, read October 6, 2026. Tuition is the 2023-24 in-state rate.
top score, University of the Cumberlands
95.2
median in-state tuition and fees across the 10 listed, 2023-24
$10,216
schools in Kentucky with a ranked fully online master's in education
17
ranked programs in Kentucky that lead to a license
44
This list covers fully online master's programs at universities located in Kentucky, one per school.
The 10 Best Online Master's in Education Programs in Kentucky
The 10 programs below are at schools in Kentucky, scored at the in-state price and listed one per school.
1
University of the Cumberlands
Master of Arts in Education, Special Education: Learning and Behavior Disorders (P-12)
Williamsburg, Kentucky
95.2- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 304 a year
- Yearly cost
- $4,560
- In-state rate
- $4,560, 2023-24
Williamsburg is home to the University of the Cumberlands, a private nonprofit that charges every student $4,560 a year for 2023-24 and awarded 304 master's degrees in the latest federal count. Its M.A. in Education with a Learning and Behavior Disorders emphasis runs 30 credit hours, and a student can finish in just over a year.
Lectures are archived for viewing at any hour. For Kentucky teachers who want to add a special education credential, supervised field work is part of the plan, and the state's testing requirements must be met before the university recommends a professional certificate. EPSB and SACSCOC both appear among its accreditors, and CAEP recognizes the advanced-level program.
2
Campbellsville University
Master of Arts in Education, School Counseling (P-12)
Campbellsville, Kentucky
88.5- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
- Degrees awarded
- 82 a year
- Yearly cost
- $9,920
- In-state rate
- $9,920, 2023-24
A Kentucky teacher who wants to move into school counseling can read the price first: $9,920 a year in 2023-24, the same for residents and nonresidents, at the private nonprofit in Campbellsville. That covers the M.A. in Education with its school counseling focus for grades P-12.
Supervised practice amounts to roughly 400 hours, and graduates are prepared for Kentucky certification. EPSB approves the program and CAEP accredits it. The school awarded 82 master's degrees in the latest federal count. The program spans 48 hours of coursework, and candidates can finish in 18 months at the quickest. The state joined the SREB State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement in 2016.
3
Georgetown College
Master of Arts in Education, Special Education, Moderate and Severe Disabilities (or Learning and Behavior Disorders)
Georgetown, Kentucky
82.9- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 54 a year
- Yearly cost
- $11,880
- In-state rate
- $11,880, 2023-24
Pricing at Georgetown College is a single figure, $11,880 a year for 2023-24, whether a student lives in Kentucky or elsewhere. For that, a current or future teacher earns the M.A.Ed. in Special Education, taken entirely online, with Moderate and Severe Disabilities or Learning and Behavior Disorders as the area.
Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board certifies teachers in the state. Graduates pursuing either certificate take the Praxis test required for that area. Georgetown College is a private nonprofit in Georgetown, and it awarded 54 master's degrees in the latest federal count. Kentucky has belonged to the SREB State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement since 2016.
4
Northern Kentucky University
Master of Arts in Education in Educational Leadership
Highland Heights, Kentucky
79.8- Public
- Leads to a license
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 41 a year
- Yearly cost
- $10,590
- In-state rate
- $10,590, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $16,044
Highland Heights is where Northern Kentucky University delivers its Master of Arts in Education in Educational Leadership with a P-12 Educational Leadership track and a Higher Education Leadership track. Six rolling admission start dates arrive each year, and the degree can be completed in as few as 12 months. A practicum is joined by a four-course action research sequence, EDG 689 through 692, in which students design, conduct, and present original research on a real educational issue.
The College of Education states that finishing the coursework and required exams leads to a recommendation for Kentucky Level I certification as both Principal P-12 and Supervisor of Instruction P-12. The program carries CAEP accreditation. Kentucky residents pay $10,590 a year and nonresidents $16,044 for 2023-24, and the public university awarded 41 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
5
University of Pikeville
Teacher Leader Master of Arts in Education
Pikeville, Kentucky
79.2- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 28 a year
- Yearly cost
- $8,550
- In-state rate
- $8,550, 2023-24
Teacher leadership is the focus of the Teacher Leader Master of Arts in Education at the University of Pikeville, a 100% online degree aligned with the Teacher Leader Model Standards. Coursework centers on action research, job-embedded professional growth, and field experiences that use the candidate's own classroom or school data. TEACH Grants are available.
Teachers who hold the second credential tier can earn the first through the degree, though it is not a principal or administrator licensure program, and Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board still issues the underlying certificate. The state board accredits the education unit, and CAEP accredits the Patton College of Education. The private nonprofit in Pikeville charges every student $8,550 a year for 2023-24 and awarded 28 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
6
University of Louisville
Master of Arts in Higher Education and Workforce Development
Louisville, Kentucky
76.5- Public
- No license involved
- Trade and Industrial Teacher Education
- Degrees awarded
- 142 a year
- Yearly cost
- $14,418
- In-state rate
- $14,418, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $29,102
The University of Louisville's Master of Arts in Higher Education and Workforce Development offers concentrations in Higher Education Administration, Sport Administration, Workforce Development, and Student Affairs, which is in-person only. The other concentrations are asynchronous online, 30 credit hours in 8-week terms, and a minimum 105-hour internship takes the place of a thesis. The GRE is not required.
This is not a teaching credential, so a Louisville educator who wants the Professional Certificate still goes through Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board. The degree serves people building careers in college administration, athletics, student services, or workforce training. The university's institutional accreditor is SACSCOC. Kentucky residents pay $14,418 a year and nonresidents $29,102 for 2023-24, and the public school awarded 142 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
7
Asbury University
Master of Arts in Education, Principal Licensure concentration
Wilmore, Kentucky
76.5- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 25 a year
- Yearly cost
- $8,779
- In-state rate
- $8,779, 2023-24
Wilmore's Asbury University offers principal preparation as the Principal Licensure concentration of its Master of Arts in Education, a faith-based degree with weekly synchronous online classes. Candidates must already hold a valid Kentucky teaching certificate, and the coursework covers leadership, school management, curriculum development, and staff supervision for K-12 school leadership roles. Other concentrations in the degree are ESL, Learning and Behavior Disorders, and Literacy Specialist P-12.
Asbury's +Grad Program lets undergraduates complete up to 9 graduate credits before finishing a bachelor's degree, which shortens the M.A. to as little as 12 additional months. Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board issues the credentials. The private nonprofit charges every student $8,779 a year for 2023-24, and it awarded 25 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
8
Western Kentucky University
Master of Arts in Teaching in Special Education for Initial Certification
Bowling Green, Kentucky
74.6- Public
- Leads to a license
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 38 a year
- Yearly cost
- $12,140
- In-state rate
- $12,140, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $18,340
Candidates with no prior teaching background are the audience for Western Kentucky University's 33-credit Master of Arts in Teaching in Special Education for initial certification in Bowling Green. They choose Learning and Behavior Disorders or Moderate and Severe Disabilities. Candidates who are not employed complete an unpaid internship in a public school within WKU's service area.
Completion with passing Praxis results leads to a Statement of Eligibility for Kentucky certification, issued through Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board, and candidates who are employed may qualify for a Temporary Provisional Teaching Certificate. Kentucky residents pay $12,140 a year and nonresidents $18,340 for 2023-24 at this public university, which awarded 38 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
9
Morehead State University
Master of Arts in Education (MAE)
Morehead, Kentucky
73.4- Public
- No license involved
- Education, General
- Degrees awarded
- 26 a year
- Yearly cost
- $10,512
- In-state rate
- $10,512, 2023-24
Morehead State University, a public school in Morehead, awards its Master of Arts in Education across Elementary, Middle Grades, and Secondary tracks, with concentrations that include math, English, STEM, and gifted education. A motivated teacher can finish in 15 to 18 months, and each concentration lets the study follow a teacher's subject or interest area.
Admission calls for a valid teaching certificate or a statement of eligibility, so the MAE advances teachers who are already certified instead of serving as an initial-licensure route. Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board remains the body that issues the Professional Certificate. CAEP accreditation applies. Kentucky residents and nonresidents pay the same $10,512 a year for 2023-24, and the university awarded 26 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
10
Union Commonwealth University
Master of Arts in Educational Leadership
Barbourville, Kentucky
69.2- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 17 a year
- Yearly cost
- $8,930
- In-state rate
- $8,930, 2023-24
Barbourville's Union Commonwealth University gives practicing Kentucky educators a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership taught 100% online, with synchronous and asynchronous classes held on Monday through Thursday evenings so working educators can attend. The PK-12 principal certification pathway offers credential options within the Educational Studies Unit.
Certification comes through Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board, which has approved the program, and CAEP accreditation applies. The pathway is meant for practicing licensed educators who are ready to move into a principal role in Kentucky schools. As a private nonprofit, the university charges all students $8,930 a year in 2023-24, and 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 Kentucky 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 Kentucky Lead to a License?
5 ranked programs at schools in Kentucky lead to a license, certificate or endorsement, scored the same way as the list above, one program per school. The Kentucky 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 | University of the Cumberlands | Master of Arts in Education, Special Education: Learning and Behavior Disorders (P-12) | Kentucky special education (LBD P-12) certification | $4,560 |
| 2 | Campbellsville University | Master of Arts in Education, School Counseling (P-12) | Kentucky P-12 school counselor certification | $9,920 |
| 3 | Georgetown College | Master of Arts in Education, Special Education, Moderate and Severe Disabilities (or Learning and Behavior Disorders) | Kentucky Moderate and Severe Disabilities P-12 certification | $11,880 |
| 4 | Northern Kentucky University | Master of Arts in Education in Educational Leadership | Educator license | $10,590 |
| 5 | University of Pikeville | Teacher Leader Master of Arts in Education | Kentucky Rank I (advancement from Rank II) | $8,550 |
What Does an Online Master's in Education Cost in Kentucky?
An online master's in education at a school in Kentucky costs a resident from $4,560 to $14,418 a year in graduate tuition and fees across these 10 programs, with a median of $10,216, 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 Kentucky Universities Offer the Best Online Master's in Education?
The Kentucky universities that offer the best online master's in education pair a route to certification with a large body of graduates. The University of the Cumberlands leads with a Master of Arts in Education in special education, learning and behavior disorders, and its MAEd page describes a program of as little as 30 credit hours.
Campbellsville's school counseling degree is fully online, runs 48 credit hours with supervised internships totaling 400 hours of field work, and prepares graduates for Kentucky P-12 counselor certification. Georgetown offers moderate and severe disabilities, with Kentucky certification. Northern Kentucky, Asbury and Union Commonwealth offer leadership degrees that lead to a license, Western Kentucky offers special education for initial certification, and Louisville offers higher education and workforce development, which does not lead to a license.
How Does Kentucky Certify Graduates of an Online Master's in Education?
Kentucky certifies graduates of an online master's in education through the Education Professional Standards Board, which issues the certificate once an approved program verifies completion. The state applies a process described on its initial certification page, with the Principles of Learning and Teaching test and a content assessment for each area.
Three Kentucky programs name the credential they lead to: special education learning and behavior disorders at Cumberlands, moderate and severe disabilities at Georgetown, and school counselor certification at Campbellsville. The Cumberlands page also mentions Option 6, Kentucky's university-based alternative route. Principals follow a separate route, and the principal statement of eligibility requires an approved program and a leadership assessment. Our Kentucky licensure guide adds the details.
How Does an Online Master's in Education Change a Kentucky Teacher's Rank?
An online master's in education changes a Kentucky teacher's rank because the board's rank system moves a certificate holder from Rank III to Rank II on the strength of a qualifying master's in an approved subject field. A second master's or additional graduate hours then lead to Rank I.
The rank carries a pay effect, since districts place teachers on the salary schedule by rank. Check that the degree is in a field the board accepts, not only that it is a master's, and note the September 15 deadline the rank change page sets for compensation in that school year. Pikeville's Teacher Leader program leads to Kentucky Rank I for a teacher already at Rank II, while a teacher weighing Morehead's general master's should confirm the subject field with the board.
What Does Studying Online at a Kentucky University Mean for Residents?
Studying online at a Kentucky university means the in-state rate and supervised field work in schools near you. Campbellsville's three internships are supervised school counseling placements, so ask how a site and a supervisor are approved before you enroll.
Kentucky belongs to NC-SARA, yet SARA does not address professional licensing board approval, and a resident who relocates finds that the next state's board decides what the Kentucky degree is worth. The federal rule at 34 CFR 668.43 obliges a school that advertises licensure preparation to list the states where it qualifies, which you can request in writing.
Questions About Online Master's in Education Programs in Kentucky
What Is the Cheapest Online Master's in Education in Kentucky?
How Are Online Master's in Education Programs in Kentucky Ranked?
Which Kentucky Online Master's in Education Leads to School Counselor Certification?
Campbellsville University's online Master of Arts in Education in School Counseling is the Kentucky program here that prepares graduates for P-12 school counselor certification. Its page lists 400 hours of supervised field experience, and the state's certificate rules are on the board's counselor regulation.
Do Kentucky Online Master's in Education Programs Raise a Teacher's Pay?
Kentucky online master's in education programs can raise a teacher's pay by moving the teacher from Rank III to Rank II, since rank places a teacher on the salary schedule. The degree has to be in a subject field the board approves, so check before you pay tuition.
Can a Kentucky Career Changer Use an Online Master's to Become Certified?
A Kentucky career changer can use an online master's to become certified through the Option 6 alternative route mentioned on the University of the Cumberlands page. Western Kentucky's Master of Arts in Teaching in special education for initial certification is another degree here aimed at first certification.
How Long Does Campbellsville's Online School Counseling Master's Take?
Campbellsville's online school counseling master's can take as little as 18 months, according to its program page, and totals 48 credit hours with three internships. Confirm the current schedule with the university, since pacing depends on how many courses you take each term.
Where Do the Figures for Kentucky Come From?
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
- IPEDS Institutional Characteristics, 2023-24
- University of the Cumberlands, Master of Arts in Education
- Campbellsville University, MA in Education: School Counseling P-12
- Kentucky Teaching, initial certification
- Kentucky Teaching, principal certification
- Kentucky Teaching, understanding the rank system
- Kentucky Teaching, rank change
- Kentucky Administrative Regulations, 16 KAR 3:060
- 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
University of the Cumberlands Campbellsville University Georgetown College Northern Kentucky University University of Pikeville University of Louisville Asbury University Western Kentucky University Morehead State University Union Commonwealth University