Walden University, headquartered in Minneapolis, leads the Minnesota list with a general Master of Science in Education that graduates the largest class of any program here. Concordia University, Saint Paul comes second with a Master of Arts in Teaching that includes K-6 licensure, the most direct route to a first Minnesota teaching license among the ten. The rest of the list is a mix of state universities, church-related colleges and a second for-profit school, Capella.
Special education is the field where Minnesota's public universities stand out. Minnesota State University, Mankato and Bemidji State both appear with special education master's degrees, and Bethel University adds a private one in Saint Paul. Hamline, Saint Mary's of Minnesota and Martin Luther College fill out the general education and curriculum space, with Martin Luther College in New Ulm quoting the lowest in-state rate on the page.
Source: IPEDS, read October 6, 2026. Tuition is the 2023-24 in-state rate.
top score, Walden University
85.8
median in-state tuition and fees across the 10 listed, 2023-24
$10,424
schools in Minnesota with a ranked fully online master's in education
17
ranked programs in Minnesota that lead to a license
19
This list covers fully online master's programs at universities located in Minnesota, one per school.
The 10 Best Online Master's in Education Programs in Minnesota
The 10 programs below are at schools in Minnesota, scored at the in-state price and listed one per school.
1
Walden University
Master of Science in Education
Minneapolis, Minnesota
85.8- Private for-profit
- No license involved
- Education, General
- Degrees awarded
- 683 a year
- Yearly cost
- $10,657
- In-state rate
- $10,657, 2023-24
Walden University, a private for-profit school with a Minneapolis address, offers a Master of Science in Education in 14 online specializations, including a self-designed one, and it can be completed in as few as 15 months at 45 to 56 quarter credits. The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation accredits it through June 2026 via the Richard W. Riley College of Education and Human Sciences.
Only the Educational Leadership and Administration Principal Preparation specialization is state-approved for licensure, and that approval leads to an Ohio Building Level Principal license, not a Minnesota one. Every other specialization, from Elementary Education to Teacher Leadership, leads to no teacher licensure or certification, so Minnesotans would still go to the state licensing board. Tuition is $10,657 a year for 2023-24 at one rate, and Walden awarded 683 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
2
Concordia University-Saint Paul
Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) with K-6 Licensure
Saint Paul, Minnesota
85.0- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas, Other
- Degrees awarded
- 42 a year
- Yearly cost
- $8,550
- In-state rate
- $8,550, 2023-24
Concordia University in Saint Paul trains elementary teachers through its Master of Arts in Teaching with K-6 Licensure, an accelerated 22-month cohort that meets in one synchronous online session each week. Candidates complete 36 credit hours, including a 6-credit Clinical Experience and Professional Foundations K-6 placement in a school.
The outcome is the Minnesota Initial teaching license for kindergarten through grade 6, issued by the state's Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board. Candidates also sit the Minnesota Teacher Licensure Examinations, the MTLE, as part of the licensing process. The Higher Learning Commission accredits this private nonprofit. Tuition for 2023-24 is $8,550 a year, charged at the same rate to residents and nonresidents, and the university awarded 42 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
3
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Master of Arts in Education
Winona, Minnesota
81.5- Private nonprofit
- No license involved
- Education, General
- Degrees awarded
- 121 a year
- Yearly cost
- $12,222
- In-state rate
- $12,222, 2023-24
Winona's Saint Mary's University of Minnesota teaches its Master of Arts in Education in 30 credits, about 1.5 years, and ends it with an action research paper rather than a traditional thesis. There are six start dates a year, varying by specialization. Specializations include the standard Curriculum and Instruction program, a custom option for Educate Pathways students from a Wisconsin partnership, and a Lasallian Education specialization for Buttimer Institute and Brother John Johnston Institute participants.
Applicants seeking an initial license are directed to the university's Master of Arts in Teaching, because this degree does not lead to one. Minnesota licensure itself is handled by the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board. Tuition is $12,222 a year for 2023-24 for residents and nonresidents alike. Saint Mary's is a private nonprofit, and it awarded 121 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
4
Minnesota State University-Mankato
Special Education, Master of Science
Mankato, Minnesota
81.1- Public
- Leads to a license
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 40 a year
- Yearly cost
- $10,030
- In-state rate
- $10,030, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $19,212
Mankato's Special Education, Master of Science runs 34 credits and closes with a required capstone project. Five areas of emphasis are available: Autism Spectrum Disorders, Developmental Cognitive Disabilities, Early Childhood Special Education, Emotional/Behavioral Disorders and Learning Disabilities. Graduate certificate credits can double-count toward the master's degree. The catalog entry for the M.S. spells out the course sequence.
Students choose the degree alone or combine it with an initial or add-on Minnesota teaching license, which the state's Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board grants. Program quality is vouched for by CAEP, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation. Minnesota State University, Mankato charges Minnesotans $10,030 a year for 2023-24, and nonresidents pay $19,212. The university awarded 40 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
5
Bemidji State University
Master of Special Education
Bemidji, Minnesota
81.0- Public
- Leads to a license
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 40 a year
- Yearly cost
- $10,048
- In-state rate
- $10,048, 2023-24
Northern Minnesota is home to Bemidji State University, a public school whose special education master's gives teachers five ways in, shaped by prior coursework and any license already held. Tracks cover autism, behavior and learning needs, and the Academic and Behavioral Strategist credential is available too. SAIL, the summer intensive, can wrap up in one summer.
Graduates serving learners up to age 21 with mild-to-moderate needs become eligible for the state credential, which PELSB grants after the MTLE exams. Minnesota has been a SARA member since January 2015, through the MHEC compact. Residents and nonresidents pay the same $10,048 a year for 2023-24. Bemidji conferred 40 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
6
Bethel University
Master of Arts in Special Education
Saint Paul, Minnesota
79.4- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 40 a year
- Yearly cost
- $10,566
- In-state rate
- $10,566, 2023-24
Saint Paul's Bethel University opens new sections at six-week intervals for its special education master's, so a Minnesota teacher rarely waits long to begin. An add-on pathway for district administration leads to a Director of Special Education credential, and the teaching comes from a Christian perspective.
PELSB approves the curriculum, which satisfies Minnesota's practice standards for the state's licensed teachers. Licensure itself runs through the MTLE exams and the Tier 3 License. The private nonprofit charges $10,566 a year for 2023-24, with residents and nonresidents paying alike, and it has been a SARA participant through MHEC since January 2015. Study time is stated as 18 to 31 months. Bethel conferred 40 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
7
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Master of Science in Curriculum & Instruction
Moorhead, Minnesota
78.8- Public
- No license involved
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 49 a year
- Yearly cost
- $11,537
- In-state rate
- $11,537, 2023-24
Moorhead's public university, Minnesota State, lets teachers anywhere complete its online M.S. in Curriculum & Instruction, and the format works for learners abroad too. Every candidate picks an emphasis worth 15 to 16 credits, with choices such as Kodaly, Biology or Chemistry. The shared base is educational foundations, curriculum theory and research, which gives working teachers both a theoretical footing and practical application.
This M.S. awards no license. A Minnesota educator pursuing the Tier 3 License still works with PELSB and sits the MTLE exams. The university charges $11,537 a year for 2023-24, one rate for residents and nonresidents, and Minnesota has been a SARA member since January 2015. In the latest federal count, 49 master's degrees were awarded.
8
Capella University
Master of Science in Education
Minneapolis, Minnesota
74.7- Private for-profit
- No license involved
- Education, General
- Degrees awarded
- 52 a year
- Yearly cost
- $15,066
- In-state rate
- $15,066, 2023-24
Capella University, a for-profit school headquartered in Minneapolis, delivers its Master of Science in Education in a self-paced GuidedPath format with a tuition cap, and neither the GRE nor the GMAT is required. Concentrations include Adult Education, Curriculum and Instruction, Early Childhood Education Studies, English Language Learning and Teaching, Higher Education Leadership and Administration, Instructional Design and Educational Technology, Leadership in Educational Administration, and Special Education Teaching.
The degree page carries general professional licensure disclosures but does not say the degree leads to a teaching license, so a Minnesotan seeking a Tier 3 License would apply through the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board separately. Capella holds institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission and cites no education-specific accreditor. Tuition is $15,066 a year for 2023-24 with a single rate for all students. It awarded 52 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
9
Hamline University
Master of Arts in Education (MAEd)
Saint Paul, Minnesota
73.4- Private nonprofit
- No license involved
- Education, General
- Degrees awarded
- 25 a year
- Yearly cost
- $10,281
- In-state rate
- $10,281, 2023-24
Hamline University's Master of Arts in Education (MAEd) asks each student to pick an embedded graduate certificate, such as Adult Basic Education, Adult ESL, Advanced Literacy Leadership, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Climate Literacy, Environmental Education or Nature-based Early Learning. It combines 20 credits of core coursework with that certificate and ends in a capstone project and thesis. Admission is rolling, with three start terms each year. The MAEd page details every certificate.
This degree does not lead to initial teaching licensure. Hamline's separate Master of Arts in Teaching handles that, and the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board still issues the license. For Minnesota teachers already in classrooms, it adds a specialty. Tuition is $10,281 a year for 2023-24 at one rate for everyone, and the private nonprofit awarded 25 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
10
Martin Luther College
Master of Science in Education
New Ulm, Minnesota
66.8- Private nonprofit
- No license involved
- Education, General
- Degrees awarded
- 12 a year
- Yearly cost
- $5,940
- In-state rate
- $5,940, 2023-24
New Ulm is home to Martin Luther College, which serves called and lay teachers of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod through its Master of Science in Education. Emphases are Educational Technology, Instruction, Leadership and Special Education, and a student can take a double emphasis. The degree can also be paired with post-baccalaureate teacher licensure at the same time, though admission requires an existing undergraduate degree in education from an accredited institution.
The degree on its own is not a license, and any Minnesota credential still comes from the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board. Pricing is a quiet strength here: 2023-24 tuition is $5,940 a year, charged the same to Minnesota residents and everyone else. The private nonprofit college awarded 12 master's degrees in the latest federal count, so it is one of the smaller graduate cohorts in the state.
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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota Lead to a License?
5 ranked programs at schools in Minnesota lead to a license, certificate or endorsement, scored the same way as the list above, one program per school. The Minnesota 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 | Walden University | Master of Science in School Counseling | School counselor license | $10,657 |
| 2 | Concordia University-Saint Paul | Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) with K-6 Licensure | Minnesota K-6 elementary teaching license | $8,550 |
| 3 | Minnesota State University-Mankato | Special Education, Master of Science | Educator license | $10,030 |
| 4 | Bemidji State University | Master of Special Education | Educator license | $10,048 |
| 5 | Bethel University | Master of Arts in Special Education | Educator license | $10,566 |
What Does an Online Master's in Education Cost in Minnesota?
An online master's in education at a school in Minnesota costs a resident from $5,940 to $15,066 a year in graduate tuition and fees across these 10 programs, with a median of $10,424, 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.
How Does Minnesota License a Teacher Who Earns an Online Master's?
Minnesota licenses a teacher who earns an online master's by tier, through the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board, known as PELSB. The Tier 3 license is the usual entry point for a prepared teacher, and the master's is not what moves you from one tier to the next. Experience in the field does that, so a master's is a choice rather than a gate.
That changes how to read the list. Concordia Saint Paul's Master of Arts in Teaching, Minnesota State Mankato, Bemidji State and Bethel University lead to a Minnesota license. The other degrees, Walden's included, do not lead to a Minnesota license, so they suit people who already hold one. Candidates also face the Minnesota Teacher Licensure Examinations in most fields, and our Minnesota licensure guide explains the exemptions that exist.
Which Minnesota Master's Programs Focus on Special Education?
The Minnesota master's programs that focus on special education are at Minnesota State University, Mankato, Bemidji State University and Bethel University. Mankato offers a Master of Science in Special Education, Bemidji a Master of Special Education, and Bethel a Master of Arts in Special Education. All three lead to a Minnesota license, so each can serve a teacher who needs a new area of licensure.
The state schools are public and the private option is in Saint Paul, so the choice often comes down to geography and advising. A student in the north may find Bemidji closer to home, while a teacher near the Twin Cities might lean toward Bethel. Ask each program how it places special education candidates in field experiences near your home district, and what the final assessment looks like.
What Does a Minnesota Resident Gain by Studying Online in Minnesota?
A Minnesota resident who studies online in Minnesota gains in-state pricing and a program built around the state's own board. The Minnesota Teacher Licensure Examinations, Tier 3 requirements and PELSB paperwork are what these schools prepare candidates for every year. A school outside the state would be teaching to a different set of rules.
Distance still shapes student teaching. Placements usually happen in a district near where you live, so ask who arranges the site and whether the supervisor is local. Federal rule 34 CFR 668.43 requires schools to disclose if a program meets licensure requirements in your state. Minnesota is in NC-SARA, but the compact says it does not address licensing board approval, so moving out of the state later means checking the new board's rules.
Questions About Online Master's in Education Programs in Minnesota
What Is the Cheapest Online Master's in Education in Minnesota?
How Are Online Master's in Education Programs in Minnesota Ranked?
Does a Minnesota Teacher Need a Master's to Move Up a Tier?
A Minnesota teacher does not need a master's to move up a tier. The Tier 3 to Tier 4 step depends on years of field-specific teaching as teacher of record, which is why most programs here appeal to teachers adding a specialty, a leadership credential or advanced skills rather than meeting a requirement.
Are the For-Profit Schools on the Minnesota List Regionally Accredited?
Walden University and Capella University are both Minneapolis-based for-profit schools on the Minnesota list. The ranking uses degree volume and in-state price, not accreditation findings, so check each school's accreditation and its licensure disclosure before you rely on a degree for a Minnesota license.
Is There a Minnesota State University Curriculum and Instruction Master's?
Minnesota State University Moorhead offers a Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction, a public option in the northwest of the state. It does not lead to a license, so it suits teachers who are already licensed and who want pedagogy coursework in a state university setting.
Can a Minnesota Online Master's Lead to K-6 Licensure?
The Master of Arts in Teaching with K-6 Licensure at Concordia University, Saint Paul is built for that purpose, and its title names the Minnesota K-6 elementary license. The university catalog describes the program, so read it for admission and student teaching requirements.
Where Do the Figures for Minnesota Come From?
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
Walden University Concordia University-Saint Paul Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Minnesota State University-Mankato Bemidji State University Bethel University Minnesota State University Moorhead Capella University Hamline University Martin Luther College