Wayne State College leads the Nebraska list with a Master of Science in Education in Curriculum and Instruction with an instructional leadership focus, at the lowest resident price among the ten. York University follows at nearly the same price with a Master of Arts in Education that offers a principal endorsement pathway and an early childhood one. Both give Nebraska teachers a route to a graduate credential at a price well under what most of the other schools on this list charge.
Nebraska's list is dominated by curriculum and instruction. Wayne State, Kearney, Doane, Peru State and Concordia University, Nebraska all offer a version of it, while Lincoln, Omaha and Midland add leadership, and Chadron State offers school counseling. That pattern fits a state where the Professional teaching certificate is tied to a master's in curriculum and instruction, educational technology or a content area.
Source: IPEDS, read October 6, 2026. Tuition is the 2023-24 in-state rate.
top score, York University
94.7
median in-state tuition and fees across the 10 listed, 2023-24
$7,922
schools in Nebraska with a ranked fully online master's in education
13
ranked programs in Nebraska that lead to a license
22
This list covers fully online master's programs at universities located in Nebraska, one per school.
The 10 Best Online Master's in Education Programs in Nebraska
The 10 programs below are at schools in Nebraska, scored at the in-state price and listed one per school.
1
York University
Master of Arts in Education
York, Nebraska
94.7- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Education, General
- Degrees awarded
- 86 a year
- Yearly cost
- $5,700
- In-state rate
- $5,700, 2023-24
York, Nebraska, is home to York University, a private nonprofit that charges $5,700 a year in 2023-24 to residents and nonresidents alike for its Master of Arts in Education. Class sizes follow a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio, and no one buys textbooks because the readings are free open resources.
Within the concentrations, one leads to a principal endorsement at building level and another leads to a PK-3rd grade endorsement, each layered onto a Nebraska license through the Nebraska Department of Education. Sports Administration, Social-Emotional Leadership and Curriculum and Instruction stop short of state certification. The 36 credits arrive in 8-week blocks, six times a year, all asynchronous. York awarded 86 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
2
Wayne State College
Master of Science in Education, Curriculum and Instruction (Instructional Leadership)
Wayne, Nebraska
94.7- Public
- No license involved
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 83 a year
- Yearly cost
- $5,640
- In-state rate
- $5,640, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $9,960
Wayne State College charges Nebraska residents $5,640 a year in 2023-24, with a rate of $9,960 for students from elsewhere, for its Master of Science in Education in Curriculum and Instruction with an Instructional Leadership focus. The 36 credit hours are 100% online in 8- and 16-week terms, and no entrance exam is required. A candidate can finish in as little as two years, though up to 10 years are allowed.
Fourteen emphasis areas let a teacher choose among subjects such as Social Sciences Education, Elementary Education and Skilled and Technical Sciences Education. The degree is the M.S.E., and it adds to the Initial Teaching Certificate from the Nebraska Department of Education without replacing it. Wayne, a public college, awarded 83 master's degrees in the latest federal count, and its educator preparation holds CAEP accreditation.
3
University of Nebraska at Kearney
Master of Arts in Education in Curriculum and Instruction
Kearney, Nebraska
92.6- Public
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 104 a year
- Yearly cost
- $7,866
- In-state rate
- $7,866, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $15,570
Kearney, Nebraska, is the base for the University of Nebraska at Kearney's fully asynchronous Master of Arts in Education in Curriculum and Instruction, a 36 credit hour degree that can be completed in as little as two years. Admission requires a bachelor's degree and an existing teaching certificate. Concentrations run from Early Childhood and Elementary through Reading/Special Education, STEM and Instructional Effectiveness, and the School Librarian concentration is recognized by the American Library Association.
The degree grants no initial certification itself, but the ESL concentration adds a supplemental PK-12 ESL endorsement to a Nebraska teaching certificate from the Nebraska Department of Education. Nebraska residents pay $7,866 a year in 2023-24, and out-of-state students pay $15,570. UNK awarded 104 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
4
Doane University
Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction
Crete, Nebraska
89.1- Private nonprofit
- No license involved
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 113 a year
- Yearly cost
- $9,223
- In-state rate
- $9,223, 2023-24
Crete, Nebraska, hosts Doane University, a private nonprofit. Its Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction is for classroom teachers in K-12 schools who are certified now. The degree builds on the teaching certificate from the Nebraska Department of Education rather than replacing it. Learning to design curriculum, teach it and assess it makes up the core, and each student picks electives and a concentration.
Weekend and evening class times, along with summer sessions, are available online. Every graduate student pays $9,223 a year, in or out of state, and Doane awarded 113 master's degrees in the latest federal count. CAEP and HLC accredit the offering, which the Nebraska education department has approved.
5
Peru State College
Master of Science in Education
Peru, Nebraska
88.9- Public
- Leads to a license
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 91 a year
- Yearly cost
- $9,408
- In-state rate
- $9,408, 2023-24
Peru State College, a public school in Peru, Nebraska, charges $9,408 a year to everyone, in or out of state, for 2023-24. For that, teachers get a Master of Science in Education of 36 credit hours. One route leads to a credential: the ESL supplemental track points toward Nebraska ESL PK-12 certification from the Nebraska Department of Education. The rest is professional study that does not itself change a license.
A Regular schedule uses 8-week online courses all year, while the Accelerated schedule takes 19 months. Up to 9 graduate credits from elsewhere can transfer in. The college awarded 91 master's degrees in the latest federal count, and its teacher education programs carry NCATE accreditation.
6
Concordia University-Nebraska
Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Curriculum & Instruction
Seward, Nebraska
88.2- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 49 a year
- Yearly cost
- $7,650
- In-state rate
- $7,650, 2023-24
Seward, Nebraska, is where Concordia University-Nebraska, a private nonprofit, teaches its Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. Exceptional Learner is offered for birth to 3rd grade and for K-12 secondary, alongside Secondary Education and Computer Science. Endorsements in English as a Second Language and Instructional Technology Leadership attach to a teaching certificate that the Nebraska Department of Education has already issued to the candidate.
Every graduate student pays the same $7,650 a year in 2023-24, whether or not they live in Nebraska. Concordia awarded 49 master's degrees in the latest federal count, and CAEP accreditation covers its educator preparation. The wide range of concentrations lets a teacher point the degree at a specific classroom need.
7
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Master of Arts in Educational Administration
Lincoln, Nebraska
85.8- Public
- No license involved
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 43 a year
- Yearly cost
- $8,168
- In-state rate
- $8,168, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $20,318
Lincoln hosts the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Master of Arts in Educational Administration, which has two specializations, Higher Education and Community College, and Student Affairs Administration. Serving 300+ graduate students across P-12 and higher education tracks, the department offers a Nebraska P-12 administrative endorsement as a separate program next to the M.A. The degree alone does not stand in for credentials from the Nebraska Department of Education.
As of December 5, 2025, the University of Nebraska Board of Regents voted to eliminate the P-12 Educational Administration doctoral programs and certificates, which leaves the M.A. with its two specializations as the main active offering. Anyone planning around the separate endorsement should confirm its status with the school. Nebraska residents pay $8,168 a year in 2023-24, and nonresidents pay $20,318. The university awarded 43 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
8
Chadron State College
Master of Science in Education, School Counseling
Chadron, Nebraska
84.8- Public
- Leads to a license
- Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
- Degrees awarded
- 33 a year
- Yearly cost
- $6,383
- In-state rate
- $6,383, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $11,183
Chadron State College, a public school, charges Nebraska residents $6,383 a year in 2023-24 and out-of-state students $11,183 for its Master of Science in Education in School Counseling. The college awarded 33 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
School counselors in Nebraska hold an endorsement from the Nebraska Department of Education, and this degree supplies the academic training behind an application for it, at PK-12 breadth when a student completes the longer 42 credit-hour option. Applicants without classroom experience take a second path that requires added education courses, while experienced teachers with a valid certificate take the first. Admission is by cohort, reviewed twice a year, and CAEP accredits the program.
9
Midland University
Master of Education in Leadership in Teaching and Learning
Fremont, Nebraska
68.2- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 36 a year
- Yearly cost
- $14,596
- In-state rate
- $14,596, 2023-24
Principal endorsements for PK-12, PK-8 or 7-12 are among the Nebraska-approved pathways in the Master of Education in Leadership in Teaching and Learning at Midland University in Fremont. English as a Second Language endorsements (PK-12, PK-6 or 4-9) and High Ability Education are the other emphases, and the Nebraska Department of Education approves the endorsement programs. Core coursework of 18 credits is paired with 18 credits in the chosen emphasis, and a capstone experience closes the degree.
Full-time teachers apply leadership skills in their own school or district while they study. Midland charges $14,596 a year, the same for Nebraskans and out-of-state students, in 2023-24. Higher Learning Commission accreditation covers the university, a private nonprofit, which awarded 36 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
10
University of Nebraska at Omaha
Master of Science in Educational Leadership
Omaha, Nebraska
60.7- Public
- Leads to a license
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 10 a year
- Yearly cost
- $7,978
- In-state rate
- $7,978, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $16,860
Teachers in Omaha who want a principal certificate or a special education supervisor certificate can start with the University of Nebraska at Omaha's Master of Science in Educational Leadership. Three tracks are offered: Building Administration, Special Education Leadership, and a non-administrative Teacher Leader option. The 36 credit hours are 100% online, with classes one night a week in fall and spring or three days a week in summer, so the work can finish in as little as 3 summers. A comprehensive exam is required, and an endorsement-only option serves those who already hold a master's.
Certification is handled by the Nebraska Department of Education. Nebraska residents pay $7,978 a year in 2023-24, and nonresidents pay $16,860. UNO awarded 10 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 Nebraska 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 Nebraska Lead to a License?
5 ranked programs at schools in Nebraska lead to a license, certificate or endorsement, scored the same way as the list above, one program per school. The Nebraska 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 | York University | Master of Arts in Education | Principal endorsement (Educational Leadership pathway) / PK-3 early childhood endorsement, both added to an existing Nebraska license | $5,700 |
| 2 | Peru State College | Master of Science in Education | Nebraska ESL PK-12 supplemental endorsement | $9,408 |
| 3 | Concordia University-Nebraska | Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Curriculum & Instruction | Nebraska ESL or Instructional Technology Leadership endorsement added to an existing Nebraska Teaching Certificate | $7,650 |
| 4 | Chadron State College | Master of Science in Education, School Counseling | Educator license | $6,383 |
| 5 | Wayne State College | Master of Science in Education (MSE) in School Administration | Educator license | $5,640 |
What Does an Online Master's in Education Cost in Nebraska?
An online master's in education at a school in Nebraska costs a resident from $5,640 to $14,596 a year in graduate tuition and fees across these 10 programs, with a median of $7,922, 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.
Why Do so Many Nebraska Master's Degrees Focus on Curriculum and Instruction?
So many Nebraska master's degrees focus on curriculum and instruction because the state's Professional teaching certificate asks for a master's in curriculum and instruction, educational technology or the teacher's content area, earned within the past 10 years. A teacher with an Initial certificate who wants the next tier has a clear target, and schools respond with the matching degree.
The same department answers a question teachers often ask: a leadership master's can lead to an administrative certificate, but it does not count toward the Professional teaching certificate. That distinction matters when you look at the Nebraska list, where Lincoln, Omaha and Midland offer leadership-type degrees and the rest lean toward classroom practice. Choose by the certificate you want, then by the campus.
Which Nebraska Online Master's Programs Add an Endorsement?
The Nebraska online master's programs that add an endorsement include York University's Master of Arts in Education, whose program page describes a principal endorsement pathway and an early childhood endorsement pathway. Concordia University, Nebraska pairs its Curriculum and Instruction M.Ed. with an ESL or Instructional Technology Leadership endorsement added to an existing Nebraska teaching certificate, as its graduate page describes.
Chadron State College's school counseling degree and Midland University's and the University of Nebraska at Omaha's leadership degrees lead to Nebraska licensure too, and Peru State's Master of Science in Education leads to a PK-12 ESL supplemental endorsement. Wayne State, Doane and Lincoln do not lead to licensure, so they fit teachers who already hold a certificate and want a graduate credential. Nebraska has dropped the Praxis content test for program completers, and our Nebraska licensure guide explains where it still applies.
What Does a Nebraska Resident Get From Studying Online in Nebraska?
A Nebraska resident who studies online in Nebraska gets in-state pricing, a graduate program shaped around the state's certificate system and a practicum that can happen in the school where you already work. Several of these programs are designed for working teachers, so ask whether your own classroom can serve as the setting for the field work.
The costs in the ranking are resident rates for tuition and fees. Under 34 CFR 668.43, a school must disclose whether its program meets the licensure requirements of the state where you live. Nebraska is an NC-SARA member, but NC-SARA says it does not address licensing board approval, so a move out of state means a fresh review by the new board, with the endorsement you earned counted on its merits.
Questions About Online Master's in Education Programs in Nebraska
What Is the Cheapest Online Master's in Education in Nebraska?
How Are Online Master's in Education Programs in Nebraska Ranked?
Does a Nebraska School Counseling Master's Lead to Licensure?
Chadron State College's Master of Science in Education, School Counseling leads to Nebraska licensure. The Nebraska Department of Education certifies counselors, so ask the program how its internship hours are arranged for a student who lives a long way from Chadron.
Can a Nebraska Master's in Higher Education Administration Be Done Online?
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Educational Administration M.A. offers higher education, community college and student affairs specializations. It does not lead to a K-12 certificate, so it is aimed at campus careers rather than school buildings.
Do Nebraska Teachers Still Need a Praxis Test for a Master's Program?
Program completers in Nebraska no longer need a Praxis content test for the regular teaching certificate, a change the department dates to June 2025. The department's Praxis page notes that tests still matter for certain endorsements, so check before you assume you are exempt.
Can a Nebraska Teacher Add an ESL Endorsement Through a Master's?
A Nebraska teacher can add an ESL endorsement through the Concordia University, Nebraska Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction, which leads to an endorsement added to an existing Nebraska teaching certificate. Confirm the exact endorsement requirements with the school and with the state department.
Where Do the Figures for Nebraska Come From?
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
- IPEDS Institutional Characteristics, 2023-24
- Nebraska Department of Education, Teacher Certification
- Nebraska Department of Education, Professional Teaching Certificate
- Nebraska Department of Education, Praxis content test
- 34 CFR 668.43, Institutional and programmatic information (eCFR)
- NC-SARA, Professional Licensure
- York University, online Master of Arts in Education
- Concordia University, Nebraska, Curriculum and Instruction
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
York University Wayne State College University of Nebraska at Kearney Doane University Peru State College Concordia University-Nebraska University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chadron State College Midland University University of Nebraska at Omaha