Missouri State University in Springfield leads the Missouri list with an online Master of Arts in Teaching, a program its outreach page describes as an initial teacher certification route across 28 subject areas. Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville follows with a building-level leadership master's, the degree behind Missouri's K-12 principal certificate. Both are public, both are inexpensive for residents, and both lead to Missouri certification.
The rest of the list shows how many ways Missouri schools approach the master's in education. Lindenwood, Evangel, William Woods, Park and Missouri Baptist represent private institutions, while Southeast Missouri State, the University of Central Missouri and the University of Missouri-Columbia add public depth. School counseling appears twice, at Mizzou and at Missouri Baptist, and educational technology at Park in Parkville.
Source: IPEDS, read October 6, 2026. Tuition is the 2023-24 in-state rate.
top score, Missouri State University-Springfield
93.1
median in-state tuition and fees across the 10 listed, 2023-24
$8,652
schools in Missouri with a ranked fully online master's in education
19
ranked programs in Missouri that lead to a license
36
This list covers fully online master's programs at universities located in Missouri, one per school.
The 10 Best Online Master's in Education Programs in Missouri
The 10 programs below are at schools in Missouri, scored at the in-state price and listed one per school.
1
Missouri State University-Springfield
Master of Arts in Teaching
Springfield, Missouri
93.1- Public
- Leads to a license
- Teacher Education, Multiple Levels
- Degrees awarded
- 61 a year
- Yearly cost
- $7,476
- In-state rate
- $7,476, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $13,704
Missouri State University-Springfield delivers its Master of Arts in Teaching 100% online, and candidates complete field and practicum experience in their own home district. Subject areas run from Art, Biology, Business and Chemistry to Mathematics, Music, Physical Education, Spanish and Speech and Theater, for grades K-12 or 9-12 depending on the subject.
Candidates receive Missouri teaching certification concurrently with the master's degree, and the university also offers certification support for other states. CAEP and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education approve the preparation. Missouri residents pay $7,476 a year for 2023-24, and nonresidents pay $13,704. The university awarded 61 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
2
Northwest Missouri State University
Master of Science in Education in Educational Leadership
Maryville, Missouri
92.4- Public
- Leads to a license
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 221 a year
- Yearly cost
- $7,946
- In-state rate
- $7,946, 2023-24
Maryville's Northwest Missouri State University awarded 221 master's degrees in this field in the latest federal count. The Master of Science in Education in Educational Leadership weaves in 96 or more hours of field work, and the capstone is a choice between a curriculum audit and a supervised practicum in K-12 leadership.
A single K-12 building-level leadership track serves applicants certified to teach. Completing the degree opens the Missouri principal credential, handled by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Accreditation comes through AAQEP, with DESE and Higher Learning Commission recognition behind it, and the public university charges $7,946 a year for 2023-24 whatever a student's residency.
3
Lindenwood University
Master of Arts in Education (MAE)
Saint Charles, Missouri
85.8- Private nonprofit
- No license involved
- Education, Other
- Degrees awarded
- 47 a year
- Yearly cost
- $8,550
- In-state rate
- $8,550, 2023-24
Lindenwood University's Master of Arts in Education in Saint Charles offers concentrations in Curriculum and Instruction, Designing and Implementing K-12 e-Learning, Endeavor STEM Teaching, and Integrated School Library Media and Technology. Each can be paired with an associated graduate certificate.
The degree does not lead to Missouri teacher certification, so it fits Missouri educators who want added expertise in one of those areas rather than a credential from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Lindenwood is a private nonprofit and charges $8,550 a year for 2023-24, residents and nonresidents alike. It awarded 47 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
4
Southeast Missouri State University
Educational Leadership, Master of Arts (MA)
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
80.5- Public
- Leads to a license
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 27 a year
- Yearly cost
- $7,371
- In-state rate
- $7,371, 2023-24
Cape Girardeau's Southeast Missouri State University publishes a degree map for its Educational Leadership, Master of Arts: 30 credit hours, a 3.25 graduation GPA and a closing exam coded GR698. Internship coursework puts candidates in schools. The curriculum draws on Missouri Leadership standards as well as PSEL and NELP.
For a Missouri teacher heading toward a principal's office, this is preparation for PK-12 principal licensure, with the credential itself handled by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The public university charges $7,371 a year for 2023-24 to every student, resident or not, and it awarded 27 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
5
University of Missouri-Columbia
Master of Education in Educational, School and Counseling Psychology, emphasis in School Counselor (Elementary and Secondary) Certification
Columbia, Missouri
79.6- Public
- Leads to a license
- Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
- Degrees awarded
- 138 a year
- Yearly cost
- $13,029
- In-state rate
- $13,029, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $31,029
The University of Missouri-Columbia teaches school counseling as a 60-credit-hour online sequence taken one course at a time, with two required practicum placements and no campus visits. The Master of Education in Educational, School and Counseling Psychology rests on a science-practitioner training model and offers elementary, secondary or all-levels K-12 certification options.
Graduates are eligible for Missouri school counselor certification at both the elementary and secondary levels, awarded by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The preparation is recognized by ASCA and accredited through CAEP and the Higher Learning Commission. Missouri residents pay $13,029 a year for 2023-24, and nonresidents pay $31,029. The Columbia campus awarded 138 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
6
Evangel University
Master of Education in Curriculum & Instruction Leadership
Springfield, Missouri
78.3- Private nonprofit
- No license involved
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 28 a year
- Yearly cost
- $8,754
- In-state rate
- $8,754, 2023-24
Evangel University, a private nonprofit in Springfield, lets graduate students pick an emphasis in Literacy, TESOL, Leadership or Curriculum inside its Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction Leadership. The degree totals 30 to 32 credits and is entirely online. Classes begin in fall, spring or summer, and faculty mentor each student one on one.
The M.Ed. carries no license and does not replace the Initial Professional Certificate from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Evangel charges $8,754 a year for 2023-24, one rate for Missouri residents and everyone else. The university awarded 28 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
7
William Woods University
Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Educational Leadership
Fulton, Missouri
77.3- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 56 a year
- Yearly cost
- $13,800
- In-state rate
- $13,800, 2023-24
In Fulton, William Woods University keeps each cohort together through five-week online courses in its Master of Education in Educational Leadership. Students document 300 or more field-experience hours across five leadership domains. A Special Education Director concentration adds 9 credits to the Building Level K-12 track.
Coursework meets Missouri DESE building-level principal certificate requirements. Initial building-level administration certification from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education also calls for 3 years of DESE-approved teaching experience and passing state assessments. William Woods is a private nonprofit and charges $13,800 a year for 2023-24, one rate for Missouri residents and everyone else. It awarded 56 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
8
University of Central Missouri
Master of Science in Education in Elementary Education, Curriculum and Instruction
Warrensburg, Missouri
77.3- Public
- No license involved
- Teacher Education, Multiple Levels
- Degrees awarded
- 30 a year
- Yearly cost
- $9,954
- In-state rate
- $9,954, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $18,498
Accomplished Teacher and Instructional Coaching emphases shape the Master of Science in Education in Elementary Education at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg. The 30 credit hours are 100% online, can be completed in 12 to 24 months and finish with a capstone project. School-district partners who qualify receive a 20% tuition discount.
Admission requires existing teacher certification or professional endorsement, so the degree serves practicing licensed teachers and is not an initial licensure route. It does not replace the Initial Professional Certificate from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. CAEP and DESE accredit the preparation, and the program has held accreditation since 1954. Missouri residents pay $9,954 a year for 2023-24, and nonresidents pay $18,498.
9
Park University
Master of Education in Educational Technology for Teachers
Parkville, Missouri
73.1- Private nonprofit
- No license involved
- Educational/Instructional Technology
- Degrees awarded
- 18 a year
- Yearly cost
- $7,942
- In-state rate
- $7,942, 2023-24
Park University's Parkville campus is a private nonprofit home for the Master of Education in Educational Technology for Teachers, a 30-hour degree taught in 8-week terms. A student keeping a steady pace reaches the finish in 2 years. The ISTE Standards for Teachers frame the coursework, and Missouri educators can try each idea in their own classrooms while they study.
No state teacher certification comes with the degree, and it does not replace the Initial Professional Certificate from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The yearly price is $7,942 for 2023-24, identical for Missouri residents and nonresidents, and 18 master's degrees were awarded in the latest federal count.
10
Missouri Baptist University
Master of Arts in School Counseling
Saint Louis, Missouri
72.5- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
- Degrees awarded
- 30 a year
- Yearly cost
- $11,538
- In-state rate
- $11,538, 2023-24
Counselors-in-training at Missouri Baptist University work through a Master of Arts in School Counseling entirely online, in 8-week courses, with 24 months as the shortest route to the degree. Practicum and internship hours are spent in partner districts instead of on the Saint Louis campus.
A K-8 track and a 7-12 track are on offer, and graduates are eligible for the K-12 School Counseling Certification in Missouri. Missouri DESE approves the program. Tuition at the private nonprofit is $11,538 a year for 2023-24, one rate for everyone, and 30 master's degrees were awarded in the latest federal count. Final requirements come from the state certification office.
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 Missouri 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 Missouri Lead to a License?
5 ranked programs at schools in Missouri lead to a license, certificate or endorsement, scored the same way as the list above, one program per school. The Missouri 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 | Missouri State University-Springfield | Master of Arts in Teaching | Initial teacher certification (28 subject areas) | $7,476 |
| 2 | Northwest Missouri State University | Master of Science in Education in Educational Leadership | Building-level administrator (Missouri K-12 principal) | $7,946 |
| 3 | Southeast Missouri State University | Educational Leadership, Master of Arts (MA) | Educator license | $7,371 |
| 4 | University of Missouri-Columbia | Master of Education in Educational, School and Counseling Psychology, emphasis in School Counselor (Elementary and Secondary) Certification | Educator license | $13,029 |
| 5 | William Woods University | Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Educational Leadership | Educator license | $13,800 |
What Does an Online Master's in Education Cost in Missouri?
An online master's in education at a school in Missouri costs a resident from $7,371 to $13,800 a year in graduate tuition and fees across these 10 programs, with a median of $8,652, 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 Missouri Online Master's Programs Lead to Certification?
The Missouri online master's programs that lead to certification are the Master of Arts in Teaching at Missouri State University, the leadership degrees at Northwest Missouri State, Southeast Missouri State and William Woods, and the school counseling programs at the University of Missouri-Columbia and Missouri Baptist.
Northwest's Educational Leadership page names the Building Leader K-12 credential, which leads to a principal's certificate. The Mizzou counseling degree carries an emphasis in school counselor certification for elementary and secondary levels, and it is the highest-priced public program here. Degrees at Lindenwood, Evangel, Central Missouri and Park do not lead to certification, so they suit teachers who already hold a certificate and want advanced coursework in curriculum, leadership or educational technology.
How Does Missouri Certify a Teacher Who Studies for a Master's Online?
Missouri certifies a teacher who studies for a master's online through the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, which issues an Initial Professional Certificate first. A master's is not required for that first certificate, so a Missouri candidate can choose a master's with certification attached or earn certification some other way and take the graduate degree later.
Because the Missouri State MAT is built as a route to initial certification, it works for a career changer who holds a bachelor's degree in another field. Teachers who already hold a certificate have the opposite need, and for them the curriculum, leadership and technology degrees at Lindenwood, Evangel, Central Missouri and Park are the natural fit. Program completers sit the Praxis assessments that the department designates. Missouri's in-state programs also give a graduate access to the department's rules for program completers, which differ from those for people prepared elsewhere. Our Missouri licensure guide covers the exams and the application for a non-Missouri graduate.
What Does Studying Online at a Missouri University Cost You Besides Tuition?
Studying online at a Missouri university costs you more than tuition in a few predictable ways. Certification candidates pay for assessments, background checks and transcripts, and counseling or leadership students may travel for site visits or an internship in a nearby school.
The resident rates in this ranking cover tuition and fees, and every school here is in Missouri. The federal rule at 34 CFR 668.43 asks a school to tell you whether its program meets your state's certification requirements. Missouri's membership in NC-SARA covers selling online courses across state lines, yet NC-SARA states that it does not address licensing board approval, so a Missouri certificate earned here is not a promise of a certificate elsewhere.
Questions About Online Master's in Education Programs in Missouri
What Is the Cheapest Online Master's in Education in Missouri?
How Are Online Master's in Education Programs in Missouri Ranked?
Can a Missouri Online Master's Lead to School Counselor Certification?
Missouri online master's programs can lead to school counselor certification at the University of Missouri-Columbia and Missouri Baptist University in Saint Louis. Mizzou's program names the elementary and secondary school counselor certification emphasis, so ask each school about practicum hours and where students complete them.
Does Missouri Require a Master's to Become a Principal?
Aspiring school leaders in Missouri have three choices, since Northwest Missouri State, Southeast Missouri State and William Woods all offer educational leadership degrees that lead to Missouri administrator certification, and Northwest names the K-12 building leader credential. Confirm current principal certificate requirements with the state department's certification office before choosing.
Which Missouri Master's Is for Educational Technology?
Park University in Parkville offers a Master of Education in Educational Technology for Teachers, at a resident rate near the bottom of the Missouri group. It does not lead to certification, so it fits a classroom teacher looking to build technology skills.
Is the Missouri State Online MAT for People Who Already Teach?
The Missouri State MAT is aimed at people seeking initial certification, not at experienced Missouri teachers. A teacher who already holds a certificate usually looks instead at a curriculum, leadership or specialty master's, such as the ones at Central Missouri, Evangel or Lindenwood.
Where Do the Figures for Missouri Come From?
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
- IPEDS Institutional Characteristics, 2023-24
- Missouri DESE, Educator Certification
- 34 CFR 668.43, Institutional and programmatic information (eCFR)
- NC-SARA, Professional Licensure
- Missouri State University, online Master of Arts in Teaching
- Northwest Missouri State University, Educational Leadership
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
Missouri State University-Springfield Northwest Missouri State University Lindenwood University Southeast Missouri State University University of Missouri-Columbia Evangel University William Woods University University of Central Missouri Park University Missouri Baptist University