The University of Mississippi opens the list with a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction, elementary emphasis, that pairs one of the largest graduating classes with a public resident rate. Mississippi State University follows with a secondary education master's that leads to the Class AA license upgrade, and Delta State University in Cleveland adds an educational administration degree that leads to a Mississippi school administrator license.
This is a public-heavy state page. Jackson State, Southern Miss and Mississippi University for Women sit with Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Delta State, while Belhaven, William Carey, Mississippi College and Blue Mountain Christian University represent private schools. Because most of the schools are public, the choice of field and campus often matters more than a few thousand dollars of tuition.
Source: IPEDS, read October 6, 2026. Tuition is the 2023-24 in-state rate.
top score, University of Mississippi
89.2
median in-state tuition and fees across the 10 listed, 2023-24
$9,717
schools in Mississippi with a ranked fully online master's in education
10
ranked programs in Mississippi that lead to a license
24
This list covers fully online master's programs at universities located in Mississippi, one per school.
The 10 Best Online Master's in Education Programs in Mississippi
The 10 programs below are at schools in Mississippi, scored at the in-state price and listed one per school.
1
University of Mississippi
Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction, Elementary Education (K-6) emphasis
University, Mississippi
89.2- Public
- No license involved
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 85 a year
- Yearly cost
- $9,412
- In-state rate
- $9,412, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $26,980
The University of Mississippi, in the town of University, offers an asynchronous online Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with an Elementary Education (K-6) emphasis. Other emphases cover Special Education, Literacy Education and Secondary Education, with English, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies specializations. Applicants must already hold or be eligible for a teaching license, and completing the degree does not lead to initial licensure.
The requirements are 30 credit hours of coursework, 45 clock hours of field-based learning, a professional portfolio and a comprehensive exam, planned across five semesters. Mississippi residents pay $9,412 for 2023-24, while nonresidents pay $26,980. The Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensure remains the source of the Standard License. The university awarded 85 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
2
Mississippi State University
Master of Science in Secondary Education
Mississippi State, Mississippi
88.5- Public
- Leads to a license
- Secondary Education and Teaching
- Degrees awarded
- 55 a year
- Yearly cost
- $9,815
- In-state rate
- $9,815, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $26,580
Mississippi State University offers its online Master of Science in Secondary Education to teachers who already hold a license in their subject area and may then be eligible for the Class AA Mississippi Educator License. Concentrations run K-12 or 7-12 across Biology, Business, Chemistry, English/Language Arts, Foreign Language, Mathematics, Physics, Physical Education, Reading, Social Studies and other areas by advisor approval.
In the final semester comes a comprehensive written examination, four hours over two sessions, required for graduation. All online students are offered in-state tuition rates, so a Mississippi teacher pays $9,815 for 2023-24, even though the published out-of-state figure is $26,580. The Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensure issues the license. The public university awarded 55 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
3
Delta State University
Master of Education in Educational Administration and Supervision
Cleveland, Mississippi
85.5- Public
- Leads to a license
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 46 a year
- Yearly cost
- $8,605
- In-state rate
- $8,605, 2023-24
Delta State University, a public university in Cleveland, Mississippi, charges every student $8,605 for 2023-24 for its Master of Education in Educational Administration and Supervision. The curriculum totals 30 semester hours and a motivated student can complete it in a single year.
Those who pick the Public School concentration are working toward a Mississippi administrator license, which the Office of Educator Licensure at the state Department of Education grants. The degree is a step toward that license, not the license itself. The Higher Education concentration serves people aiming at campus leadership and carries no license. In the latest federal count, 46 master's degrees were awarded here.
4
Belhaven University
Master of Education in Curriculum & Instruction Generalist
Jackson, Mississippi
83.7- Private nonprofit
- Education, General
- Degrees awarded
- 99 a year
- Yearly cost
- $11,430
- In-state rate
- $11,430, 2023-24
Belhaven University in Jackson opens its online Master of Education in Curriculum & Instruction Generalist to teachers who hold, or are eligible for, a standard five-year Mississippi teaching license. Options include Enhanced Teaching and Instruction and a TESOL Licensure Endorsement. Seven-week terms run year-round. National Board Certified Teachers receive 6 credit hours of advanced standing, which cuts the course count from 11 to 9, and educators pay a reduced per-credit rate.
The Mississippi Board of Education approves the university to offer teacher education programs. The degree does not automatically qualify graduates for licensure in other states, because requirements vary. This private nonprofit charges all students $11,430 for 2023-24 and awarded 99 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
5
Jackson State University
Master of Science in Education in Early Childhood Education
Jackson, Mississippi
81.4- Public
- No license involved
- Kindergarten/Preschool Education and Teaching
- Degrees awarded
- 34 a year
- Yearly cost
- $8,795
- In-state rate
- $8,795, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $9,795
Jackson State University delivers its Master of Science in Education in Early Childhood Education through JSU Online. It requires a minimum of 36 semester hours, and up to 9 transfer semester hours are accepted if completed within 8 years. The work sits in the department that houses Elementary and Early Childhood Education, and Reading. Institutional accreditation comes from SACSCOC.
The degree leads to no license, and it does not replace the Standard License from the Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensure. For a Mississippi early childhood teacher, it means advanced coursework while keeping a classroom job. In-state students pay $8,795 for 2023-24, and out-of-state students pay $9,795. The public university in Jackson awarded 34 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
6
William Carey University
Master of Education in Secondary Education
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
80.2- Private nonprofit
- No license involved
- Secondary Education and Teaching
- Degrees awarded
- 86 a year
- Yearly cost
- $12,672
- In-state rate
- $12,672, 2023-24
William Carey University is a private nonprofit in Hattiesburg that charges every student $12,672 for 2023-24, in-state or not, for its Master of Education in Secondary Education. All of it happens online, and no session requires a login at a set hour. The 30-credit minimum can be met within 12 to 15 months, with each course feeding a portfolio the teacher builds for use at their own school.
The degree leads to no license. A Mississippi secondary teacher holds the Standard License from the Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensure, and this program adds graduate study to that base. Master's completions at William Carey numbered 86 in the latest federal count, which shows steady enrollment in the field.
7
Mississippi College
Master of Education in Educational Leadership (Licensure Track)
Clinton, Mississippi
77.9- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 93 a year
- Yearly cost
- $13,596
- In-state rate
- $13,596, 2023-24
Clinton is home to Mississippi College, where the Master of Education in Educational Leadership licensure track leads to a K-12 administrator endorsement and a Class AA administrative license in Mississippi once the School Leaders Licensure Assessment is passed. A separate Non-Licensure (ISA) track is also available.
The 36 credit hours use problem-based learning across six leadership dimensions, and 320 total field-experience hours include an internship under a certified administrator. Full-time students can finish in 12 months, and part-time students in 20 months. CAEP accredits the program, and the license is issued by the Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensure. This private nonprofit charges all students $13,596 for 2023-24. Master's completions at the college numbered 93 in the latest federal count.
8
University of Southern Mississippi
Educational Curriculum and Instruction (Elementary Education), Master of Education
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
72.6- Public
- Leads to a license
- Education, General
- Degrees awarded
- 22 a year
- Yearly cost
- $9,618
- In-state rate
- $9,618, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $11,618
In Hattiesburg, the University of Southern Mississippi gives practicing elementary teachers a 3-semester, part-time, 100% online Master of Education in Educational Curriculum and Instruction. Applicants must already hold a degree in Elementary Education and a valid Mississippi elementary teaching license, and graduates are eligible for an AA-level license from the Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensure.
Faculty mentor an action research project that each teacher carries out in their own classroom, school or district. Accreditation comes through CAEP. The College of Education and Human Sciences separately offers M.Ed. and M.A.T. tracks in Special Education, Secondary Teacher Education, Dyslexia Therapy and Educational Data Analytics. Mississippi residents pay $9,618 for 2023-24, while nonresidents pay $11,618. Southern Miss conferred 22 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
9
Mississippi University for Women
Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)
Columbus, Mississippi
64.5- Public
- Leads to a license
- Secondary Education and Teaching
- Degrees awarded
- 12 a year
- Yearly cost
- $8,092
- In-state rate
- $8,092, 2023-24
Columbus is home to Mississippi University for Women, a public university whose Master of Arts in Teaching serves people entering Mississippi classrooms through the alternate route. Everyone pays the same $8,092 for 2023-24, in state or out. The Office of Educator Licensure at the Mississippi Department of Education issues each credential along the way: a candidate teaches on a starter license while finishing the degree, moves to a renewable one at completion, and reaches a higher tier once the master's is conferred.
Most of the practical work happens during a full internship in the candidate's own classroom, so the placement is the school where they already teach. Content areas run from the elementary grades to secondary subjects, and Praxis testing applies to Mississippi licensure. The university conferred 12 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
10
Blue Mountain Christian University
Master of Education: Literacy/Reading K-12
Blue Mountain, Mississippi
39.6- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Reading Teacher Education
- Degrees awarded
- 6 a year
- Yearly cost
- $12,466
- In-state rate
- $12,466, 2023-24
Blue Mountain Christian University, a private nonprofit in the town of Blue Mountain, offers a Master of Education: Literacy/Reading K-12 that meets the requirements for the Class AA (master's) Mississippi educator license in Reading K-12. That license is administered by the Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensure. Ten courses make up 30 semester hours, and an internship course is part of the sequence. One year is enough to finish.
The university is one of four named Mississippi Emerging Science of Reading Educator Preparation Programs for 2025-26, and SACSCOC authorizes it to award master's degrees. Tuition is $12,466 for 2023-24, the same for every student. It awarded 6 master's degrees in the latest federal count, so cohorts are small.
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 Mississippi 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 Mississippi Lead to a License?
5 ranked programs at schools in Mississippi lead to a license, certificate or endorsement, scored the same way as the list above, one program per school. The Mississippi 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 | Mississippi State University | Master of Science in Secondary Education | Mississippi Class AA educator license (advanced license upgrade) | $9,815 |
| 2 | Delta State University | Master of Education in Educational Administration and Supervision | Mississippi school administrator | $8,605 |
| 3 | William Carey University | Master of Education in Mild and Moderate Disabilities | Educator license | $12,672 |
| 4 | Mississippi College | Master of Education in Educational Leadership (Licensure Track) | Educator license | $13,596 |
| 5 | University of Southern Mississippi | Educational Curriculum and Instruction (Elementary Education), Master of Education | Educator license | $9,618 |
What Does an Online Master's in Education Cost in Mississippi?
An online master's in education at a school in Mississippi costs a resident from $8,092 to $13,596 a year in graduate tuition and fees across these 10 programs, with a median of $9,717, 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 a Master's Change a Mississippi Teaching License?
A master's changes a Mississippi teaching license by raising its class, since the state labels licenses by the degree behind them and Class AA is the master's level. The Mississippi Department of Education, through its Office of Educator Licensure, issues the Standard License first and lets a holder upgrade it once the higher degree is complete.
That is the logic behind Mississippi State's secondary education master's, which leads to a Class AA upgrade. Other Mississippi degrees lead to a license for different reasons: Mississippi College's educational leadership licensure track and Delta State's administration degree prepare school administrators, and the Mississippi University for Women Master of Arts in Teaching, Southern Miss's elementary degree and Blue Mountain Christian's literacy program serve classroom or reading roles. Our Mississippi licensure guide covers the Praxis requirements behind each class.
Which Mississippi Universities Offer the Lowest-Priced Online Master's Degrees?
The Mississippi universities with the lowest-priced online master's degrees are mostly public, and Mississippi University for Women in Columbus has the lowest rate on the list with its Master of Arts in Teaching. Delta State follows with its administration degree, Jackson State with early childhood, and Southern Miss and Ole Miss with elementary education programs.
The private colleges cost more, as Mississippi College, William Carey and Blue Mountain Christian do, while Belhaven is a little cheaper than those three. Since the public schools bunch together, choosing by field fits better than choosing by cost. Teachers wanting a leadership license should look at Delta State or Mississippi College, those who want a reading focus at Blue Mountain Christian, and those who want a classroom credential at Mississippi University for Women or Mississippi State. William Carey's Master of Education in Secondary Education is a private alternative that does not lead to a license.
What Does Studying Online at a Mississippi School Require of You?
Studying online at a Mississippi school requires you to arrange the in-person parts yourself, with help from the program. Student teaching and administrator internships happen in a school building near your home, so ask who finds the site, who supervises, and how many semesters it takes before you commit.
Every price shown here is a resident rate. A federal rule, 34 CFR 668.43, makes schools disclose whether a program meets licensure requirements where you live, and the answer for a Mississippi resident at a Mississippi school should be a plain yes or a plain list of gaps. If you move later, NC-SARA's statement that it does not address licensing board approval applies: Mississippi's compact membership will not decide whether another state accepts your coursework.
Questions About Online Master's in Education Programs in Mississippi
What Is the Cheapest Online Master's in Education in Mississippi?
How Are Online Master's in Education Programs in Mississippi Ranked?
Does a Mississippi Master's Make a New Teacher Licensed?
A Mississippi master's does not by itself make a new teacher licensed. A first license comes from the department's traditional route, which asks for an education degree leading to licensure, student teaching and approved Praxis scores. A master's then raises that license to Class AA.
Which Mississippi Online Master's Is for School Administrators?
Two Mississippi schools are built for school leaders. Delta State University in Cleveland offers a Master of Education in Educational Administration and Supervision, and Mississippi College in Clinton offers a Master of Education in Educational Leadership with a licensure track. Both lead to Mississippi administrator licensure.
Can a Mississippi Online Master's Focus on Reading?
Blue Mountain Christian University offers a Master of Education in Literacy and Reading for kindergarten through grade 12, and it leads to a Mississippi license. Elementary candidates in Mississippi also face a state reading rule, so ask the program how its coursework lines up.
Is Belhaven University's Online Master's a Licensure Program?
Belhaven University's Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction Generalist is built for teachers who already hold a license, and an optional TESOL track can add a Mississippi endorsement. Its online master's page describes the program, and the school can confirm whether any Mississippi upgrade applies.
Where Do the Figures for Mississippi Come From?
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
- IPEDS Institutional Characteristics, 2023-24
- Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensure
- 34 CFR 668.43, Institutional and programmatic information (eCFR)
- NC-SARA, Professional Licensure
- ETS, The Praxis Series
- Belhaven University, online master's in education
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 Mississippi Mississippi State University Delta State University Belhaven University Jackson State University William Carey University Mississippi College University of Southern Mississippi Mississippi University for Women Blue Mountain Christian University