McDaniel College in Westminster leads the Maryland list with a Master of Science in Innovations in Teaching and Learning, the current name for what used to be its Curriculum and Instruction degree. Towson University follows with an Instructional Technology degree whose School Library Media concentration leads to Maryland school library media certification. Every school here is in Maryland, and each is scored on what a Maryland resident pays.
The mix says who the list serves. Public campuses such as Towson, University of Maryland Global Campus and Bowie State sit beside private colleges such as Hood, Stevenson, Notre Dame of Maryland, Mount St. Mary's and Loyola Maryland. Some degrees lead toward a first license, while others suit teachers who already hold one and want a deeper specialty, a reading credential or a step into leadership or learning design.
Source: IPEDS, read October 6, 2026. Tuition is the 2023-24 in-state rate.
top score, McDaniel College
88.0
median in-state tuition and fees across the 10 listed, 2023-24
$11,115
schools in Maryland with a ranked fully online master's in education
13
ranked programs in Maryland that lead to a license
15
This list covers fully online master's programs at universities located in Maryland, one per school.
The 10 Best Online Master's in Education Programs in Maryland
The 10 programs below are at schools in Maryland, scored at the in-state price and listed one per school.
1
McDaniel College
Master of Science in Innovations in Teaching and Learning (formerly Curriculum and Instruction)
Westminster, Maryland
88.0- Private nonprofit
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 70 a year
- Yearly cost
- $9,969
- In-state rate
- $9,969, 2023-24
Westminster is the home of McDaniel College, whose fully online M.S. in Innovations in Teaching and Learning is aimed at working educators and was developed in partnership with PreK-12 leaders. Admission is open to certified teachers, so the degree builds on the Initial Professional License from the Maryland State Department of Education. Its leadership strand is the one that heads toward Maryland's Administrator I credential for those who want to run a building.
The program totals 33 credits at $9,969 for 2023-24, the same for every student, whichever state they live in. Other coursework prepares a teacher to support colleagues and lead change from inside a classroom. The private nonprofit college conferred 70 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
2
Towson University
Instructional Technology, M.S.
Towson, Maryland
82.4- Public
- Leads to a license
- Educational/Instructional Technology
- Degrees awarded
- 137 a year
- Yearly cost
- $12,042
- In-state rate
- $12,042, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $21,780
Towson University offers its Instructional Technology, M.S. in three concentrations: Instructional Design and Development, Educational Technology, and School Library Media. The first is written for learning designers who work in health and business industries, government agencies, the military, non-profits, and higher education. Only School Library Media meets the Maryland State Department of Education requirements for Library Media Specialist Certification.
Students use a multimedia production lab and an immersive VR/AR learning innovation lab, and an accelerated M.S./Ph.D. pathway is available. Maryland residents pay $12,042 for 2023-24, while out-of-state students pay $21,780. The public university in Towson awarded 137 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
3
University of Maryland Global Campus
Master of Science in Learning Design and Technology
Adelphi, Maryland
76.9- Public
- No license involved
- Learning Sciences
- Degrees awarded
- 28 a year
- Yearly cost
- $9,702
- In-state rate
- $9,702, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $12,132
Adelphi-based University of Maryland Global Campus, a public institution, charges Maryland residents $9,702 a year for 2023-24 and nonresidents $12,132 for its Master of Science in Learning Design and Technology. The 30-credit degree is for people who build instruction rather than deliver it in a classroom, the instructional designers and learning specialists who work in schools, colleges and workplaces.
Applied projects run through the coursework, including an adaptive course module and a learning environment designed for a client. A Learning Design Capstone closes the program, and students leave it with a professional portfolio of their work. The degree does not lead to teacher certification in Maryland, so a teacher who needs the Initial Professional License still goes through the Maryland State Department of Education. UMGC conferred 28 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
4
Hood College
Master of Science in Educational Leadership
Frederick, Maryland
76.2- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 26 a year
- Yearly cost
- $9,280
- In-state rate
- $9,280, 2023-24
Administrator I certification in Maryland, the gateway to assistant principal, principal, or central office roles, is what Hood College's Master of Science in Educational Leadership fulfills. The Maryland State Department of Education approves it. Graduates who finish coursework with a 3.0 GPA or pass the ETS School Leaders Licensure Assessment are eligible.
The master's track has 12 courses, and a 6-course certificate-only track fits those with a prior master's degree. A non-degree option covers specific MSDE-required courses. All classes are synchronous online with live sessions, a year-long administrative internship (EDUC 587A/B) is required, and National Board Certification credit counts toward specific courses. Candidacy can extend up to seven years. Hood, a private nonprofit college in Frederick, charges $9,280 for 2023-24 at one rate for all, and awarded 26 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
5
Stevenson University
Master of Education (Integrative Learning)
Owings Mills, Maryland
66.6- Private nonprofit
- No license involved
- Education, Other
- Degrees awarded
- 14 a year
- Yearly cost
- $8,460
- In-state rate
- $8,460, 2023-24
Stevenson University, a private nonprofit school in Owings Mills, grounds its Master of Education in Integrative Learning in whole-child teaching, multiple literacies, STEM, and community-based education for traditional and nontraditional educational settings. The three concentrations are Engaged Learning for 21st Century Skills, Multiple Literacies, and Community Engagement and Leadership.
The degree totals 36 credits, with an accelerated option to finish in 18 months. It adds expertise for an educator in Maryland and does not replace the Initial Professional License from the Maryland State Department of Education. Tuition for 2023-24 is $8,460 a year, the same for residents and nonresidents. Stevenson awarded 14 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
6
Notre Dame of Maryland University
Master of Arts in Teaching
Baltimore, Maryland
64.9- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Secondary Education and Teaching
- Degrees awarded
- 23 a year
- Yearly cost
- $12,705
- In-state rate
- $12,705, 2023-24
Secondary classrooms in Maryland, grades 7 to 12, are the destination of Notre Dame of Maryland University's M.A.T.. Science candidates choose among Biology, Chemistry, Earth/Space Science, Physical Science, and Physics, with further options in the arts, business, and languages. Program accreditation is through CAEP.
Maryland certifies graduates once testing at the national level is done, and the Maryland State Department of Education issues the Initial Professional License. The accelerated route compresses study into 10 months, with a classroom internship over two semesters, and part-timers typically need 2 years. Tuition at this Baltimore private nonprofit is $12,705 for 2023-24 for all students, and the school conferred 23 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
7
Bowie State University
Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Reading Education
Bowie, Maryland
59.5- Public
- Leads to a license
- Reading Teacher Education
- Degrees awarded
- 12 a year
- Yearly cost
- $10,188
- In-state rate
- $10,188, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $15,264
Bowie State University, a public school in Bowie, offers the Master of Education in Reading Education online with synchronous meetings. The 36 credit hours can be completed in two years, and admission asks for no GRE or letters of recommendation. The curriculum is guided by CAEP, International Literacy Association, Maryland Cultural Proficiency, and ISTE standards.
Graduates are prepared for the Maryland Reading Specialist Certificate. A current standard professional teaching certificate is needed to obtain the state certificate, though not for the degree itself, and the Maryland State Department of Education issues it. Maryland residents pay $10,188 for 2023-24, while the out-of-state figure is $15,264. Bowie State awarded 12 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
8
Mount St. Mary's University
Master of Arts in Teaching, Elementary Education (Grades 1-6)
Emmitsburg, Maryland
56.5- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Elementary Education and Teaching
- Degrees awarded
- 17 a year
- Yearly cost
- $14,094
- In-state rate
- $14,094, 2023-24
Emmitsburg is the base for Mount St. Mary's University, a private nonprofit school whose Master of Arts in Teaching, Elementary Education (Grades 1-6) is delivered online. The credential named for the program is Maryland State Department of Education teacher certification for Elementary Grades 1-6, and the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation accredits it.
Maryland uses The Praxis Series as its educator testing system, with details on the Educational Testing Service site at ETS Praxis. Tuition for 2023-24 is $14,094 a year, the same rate for Maryland residents and everyone else. Mount St. Mary's awarded 17 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
9
University of Maryland-Baltimore County
Learning and Performance Technology, M.A. (formerly Instructional Systems Development)
Baltimore, Maryland
51.6- Public
- No license involved
- Educational/Instructional Technology
- Degrees awarded
- 17 a year
- Yearly cost
- $15,840
- In-state rate
- $15,840, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $25,146
The department behind the Learning and Performance Technology, M.A. at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County was previously called Instructional Systems Development and took its new name in June 2020. The 36 credit hours combine 7 core courses and 5 electives and conclude with a professional portfolio.
The degree points toward instructional design and workplace training roles in Maryland. It is not a teacher-certification program, so it does not replace the Initial Professional License issued by the Maryland State Department of Education. Maryland residents pay $15,840 for 2023-24, and out-of-state students pay $25,146. The public university in Baltimore awarded 17 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
10
Loyola University Maryland
Master of Education in Literacy - Reading Specialist
Baltimore, Maryland
46.2- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Reading Teacher Education
- Degrees awarded
- 21 a year
- Yearly cost
- $19,440
- In-state rate
- $19,440, 2023-24
Working with K-12 students in schools is built into Loyola University Maryland's Master of Education in Literacy, Reading Specialist through a sequence of two supervised clinical practica based on a reflexive practitioner model. The Baltimore curriculum pairs an 18-credit Literacy Core with a 12-credit Reading Specialist Track, and it aligns to International Literacy Association standards.
The degree leads to advanced licensure as a Reading Specialist, K-12, from the Maryland State Department of Education. By completion a candidate needs 3 years of licensed teaching experience and a passing result on the Praxis II Reading Specialist exam, number 5302. Loyola is a private nonprofit university, and 2023-24 tuition is $19,440, the same for every student. It awarded 21 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 Maryland 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 Maryland Lead to a License?
5 ranked programs at schools in Maryland lead to a license, certificate or endorsement, scored the same way as the list above, one program per school. The Maryland 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 | Towson University | Instructional Technology, M.S. | Maryland school library media certification (School Library Media concentration only) | $12,042 |
| 2 | Hood College | Master of Science in Educational Leadership | Educator license | $9,280 |
| 3 | McDaniel College | Master of Science in Educational Leadership | Educator license | $9,969 |
| 4 | Notre Dame of Maryland University | Master of Arts in Teaching | Educator license | $12,705 |
| 5 | Bowie State University | Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Reading Education | Educator license | $10,188 |
What Does an Online Master's in Education Cost in Maryland?
An online master's in education at a school in Maryland costs a resident from $8,460 to $19,440 a year in graduate tuition and fees across these 10 programs, with a median of $11,115, 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 Maryland Universities Offer Online Master's Programs in Education?
The Maryland universities that offer online master's programs in education here are a blend of state campuses and independent colleges, each with a different job. Towson University's Instructional Technology M.S. is the largest on the list by degrees awarded, and its School Library Media concentration is the part that carries Maryland school library media certification. Notre Dame of Maryland University in Baltimore offers a Master of Arts in Teaching that leads to a license, and University of Maryland Global Campus in Adelphi offers a Learning Design and Technology M.S. that does not.
Hood College in Frederick and McDaniel College each serve the school leader, Hood with an Educational Leadership degree. Bowie State University and Loyola University Maryland both train reading teachers, Bowie with a Reading Education M.Ed. and Loyola with a Reading Specialist degree. University of Maryland-Baltimore County takes a corporate and instructional design angle with Learning and Performance Technology, while Stevenson University offers an Integrative Learning M.Ed. and Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg offers an elementary Master of Arts in Teaching for grades 1 to 6 that leads to Maryland teacher certification.
How Does a Maryland Teaching License Work for an Online Master's Student?
A Maryland teaching license for an online master's student is issued by the Maryland State Department of Education, whose first rung is the Initial Professional License. Many applications include Praxis scores, and the department sorts its assessment instructions by whether you prepared in a Maryland program or somewhere else. A Maryland school puts you on the in-state side of that sorting.
The Master of Arts in Teaching programs at Notre Dame of Maryland and Mount St. Mary's, Hood's leadership degree, Bowie State's reading degree and Loyola's reading specialist degree lead to a license. Towson's credential covers school library media only. The Global Campus, Stevenson and Baltimore County degrees do not lead to a license. A degree can raise your standing without creating a first license, so ask any school what its program leads to before you apply. The state's own list of pathways shows where a career changer, a licensed teacher and a new graduate each begin, and our Maryland licensure guide covers the tests and what happens if you later move.
What Changes When You Study a Maryland Master's in Education Online?
Studying a Maryland master's in education online changes where the practicum happens more than what the coursework covers. Field placements in a licensure program generally take place in schools near where you live, so ask each program who arranges the site and how it works with your district. Under 34 CFR 668.43 a school must tell you whether a licensure program meets the requirements of the state where you live, and asking for that disclosure in writing costs nothing.
Tuition is the other difference. Because every school here is in Maryland, the rate you see is the resident rate, and the cost chart uses it. Maryland belongs to NC-SARA, but NC-SARA states that its agreement does not address licensing board approval. If you move out of Maryland partway through a licensure program, the new state's board decides what your coursework is worth, not the compact.
Questions About Online Master's in Education Programs in Maryland
What Is the Cheapest Online Master's in Education in Maryland?
How Are Online Master's in Education Programs in Maryland Ranked?
Do Public or Private Schools Lead the Maryland List?
The Maryland list is led by a private college, McDaniel, but public schools follow closely, because Towson University awards the most degrees and University of Maryland Global Campus charges one of the lower resident rates. Several small private colleges also quote low rates, so public status alone does not decide the price.
Which Maryland Online Master's Suits a Teacher Who Is Already Licensed?
A licensed Maryland teacher has the widest choice. McDaniel's Innovations in Teaching and Learning, Stevenson's Integrative Learning M.Ed. and Bowie State's Reading Education degree all build on classroom experience. A teacher moving into the library can look at Towson's School Library Media concentration, and one moving toward the principal's office can look at Hood's Educational Leadership degree.
Can a Maryland Online Master's Lead to a First Teaching License?
A first teaching license can follow from the Master of Arts in Teaching programs at Notre Dame of Maryland University and Mount St. Mary's University, both of which lead to a Maryland license. Confirm the teaching area and any extra assessments with the state department's licensure office before you enroll.
Does Towson's Instructional Technology Degree Require the Library Concentration?
Towson's Instructional Technology M.S. does not need the School Library Media concentration to be a useful degree for trainers and technology coaches. Only that concentration is tied to Maryland school library media certification, so choose it if working as a school librarian is the goal and read the program page for its requirements.
Where Do the Figures for Maryland Come From?
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
- IPEDS Institutional Characteristics, 2023-24
- 34 CFR 668.43, Institutional and programmatic information (eCFR)
- NC-SARA, Professional Licensure
- Maryland State Department of Education, Educator Licensure
- Teach Maryland, Pathway Overview
- ETS, The Praxis Series
- Towson University, Instructional Technology M.S.
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
McDaniel College Towson University University of Maryland Global Campus Hood College Stevenson University Notre Dame of Maryland University Bowie State University Mount St. Mary's University University of Maryland-Baltimore County Loyola University Maryland