In New York the master's is not an optional extra for a classroom teacher. The Professional certificate that follows the Initial certificate requires one, so a teacher who starts with a bachelor's will eventually need a graduate degree, and an online program at a New York campus is a natural way to earn it while working.
The schools below are almost all part of the State University of New York or the City University of New York, with Niagara University as the private exception. Literacy and reading degrees are the clearest pattern among them, and the sections cover how the degree fits the state's certificates and what to check first.
Source: IPEDS, read October 6, 2026. Tuition is the 2023-24 in-state rate.
top score, CUNY Brooklyn College
83.8
median in-state tuition and fees across the 10 listed, 2023-24
$12,470
schools in New York with a ranked fully online master's in education
39
ranked programs in New York that lead to a license
82
This list covers fully online master's programs at universities located in New York, one per school.
The 10 Best Online Master's in Education Programs in New York
The 10 programs below are at schools in New York, scored at the in-state price and listed one per school.
1
CUNY Brooklyn College
Early Childhood Education Teacher (Birth-Grade 2), M.S.Ed.
Brooklyn, New York
83.8- Public
- Leads to a license
- Early Childhood Education and Teaching
- Degrees awarded
- 76 a year
- Yearly cost
- $11,524
- In-state rate
- $11,524, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $20,954
Brooklyn College, part of CUNY, sets three entry points for the Early Childhood Education Teacher (Birth-Grade 2), M.S.Ed., priced in credits: 30, 33 or 45, depending on whether a candidate already holds early childhood certification, Childhood or Special Subjects certification, or none. Add-on extensions cover bilingual early childhood education, gifted education, and students with disabilities. NAEYC and CEC standards guide a curriculum that stresses play-based, culturally sensitive, family-centered practice.
Graduates are positioned for New York's Professional Certificate in Early Childhood Education through the New York State Education Department. Brooklyn is public. New York residents pay $11,524 a year for 2023-24 and nonresidents pay $20,954. The college awarded 76 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
2
Empire State University
Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Curriculum and Instruction
Saratoga Springs, New York
82.8- Public
- Leads to a license
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 58 a year
- Yearly cost
- $11,870
- In-state rate
- $11,870, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $24,350
Saratoga Springs is the home of Empire State University's Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction, a 30-credit degree with Literacy and Foundations of Teaching strands. Two courses, Research Design and Final Project Capstone, close the program, and each student chooses a curriculum, professional development or community-based project.
New York requires P-12 teachers with an initial certificate to complete a related master's degree for professional certification, and this M.Ed. satisfies that requirement. It does not confer initial teaching certification, which a separate M.A.T. program provides, and the certificates themselves come from the New York State Education Department. The public university charges New York residents $11,870 a year for 2023-24 and nonresidents $24,350. It awarded 58 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
3
SUNY Oneonta
Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.) in Literacy Education
Oneonta, New York
80.2- Public
- Leads to a license
- Reading Teacher Education
- Degrees awarded
- 159 a year
- Yearly cost
- $12,532
- In-state rate
- $12,532, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $25,012
Literacy clinics sit at the center of SUNY Oneonta's Master of Science in Education in Literacy Education, where students tutor children and videotape the sessions for review. Oneonta was the first college in New York State to offer an online literacy education program, and delivery is fully asynchronous with optional synchronous collaboration. The degree can be finished in as little as one year.
This single All Grades track leads to initial literacy certification in New York State, and students must pass the NYS Content Specialty Test in Literacy, a requirement set by the New York State Education Department. An accelerated pathway exists for those who already hold a master's degree in education. New York residents pay $12,532 a year for 2023-24, and nonresidents pay $25,012. Oneonta awarded 159 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
4
SUNY College at Potsdam
Master of Science for Teachers (M.S.T.) in Childhood Education
Potsdam, New York
79.4- Public
- Leads to a license
- Elementary Education and Teaching
- Degrees awarded
- 100 a year
- Yearly cost
- $12,752
- In-state rate
- $12,752, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $24,542
Up near the St. Lawrence River, SUNY College at Potsdam grants the Master of Science for Teachers in Childhood Education, which is tied to New York State initial teacher certification in Childhood Education for Grades 1-6. CAEP accredits the preparation, and the college awarded 100 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
New York residents pay $12,752 a year for 2023-24, and nonresidents pay $24,542. Certification itself is issued by the New York State Education Department. Potsdam is a public college, so the resident rate applies to anyone living in New York State, and the SUNY program page and the college's graduate cost of attendance pages carry the current details.
5
State University of New York at Cortland
Master's Degree in Literacy Education
Cortland, New York
78.9- Public
- Leads to a license
- Reading Teacher Education
- Degrees awarded
- 116 a year
- Yearly cost
- $13,055
- In-state rate
- $13,055, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $24,845
A single track leads to New York State literacy specialist certification for grades K-12 in the State University of New York at Cortland's Master's Degree in Literacy Education. Candidates need a bachelor's degree and an initial teaching certificate in an education-related field. Coursework is fully online and mainly asynchronous, with no GRE or MAT required.
Field experience is delivered virtually: an early 25-hour experience through a virtual writing clinic and a 25-hour summer practicum through a virtual tutoring program. The public college in Cortland charges New York residents $13,055 a year for 2023-24 and nonresidents $24,845. It awarded 116 master's degrees in the latest federal count, and the New York State Education Department issues the certification.
6
University at Albany
Master of Science in Curriculum Development and Instructional Technology
Albany, New York
76.8- Public
- Leads to a license
- Educational/Instructional Technology
- Degrees awarded
- 99 a year
- Yearly cost
- $13,625
- In-state rate
- $13,625, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $25,875
At the University at Albany, the 30-credit Master of Science in Curriculum Development and Instructional Technology offers a thesis option, the Master's Thesis in Educational Theory and Practice, or a choice of internship, field experience, study abroad or clinical experience courses. It belongs to the OpenSUNY+ network.
NYSED recognizes the degree, as of 7/26/2024, as a related field of study that can satisfy the master's requirement for New York State Professional Teacher Certification. It is not an initial-certification program, and the certificates come from the New York State Education Department. New York residents pay $13,625 a year for 2023-24, and nonresidents pay $25,875. The Albany campus awarded 99 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
7
SUNY College at Geneseo
MSEd in Teaching of Reading and Literacy (Birth-Grade 12)
Geneseo, New York
74.7- Public
- Leads to a license
- Reading Teacher Education
- Degrees awarded
- 41 a year
- Yearly cost
- $12,270
- In-state rate
- $12,270, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $24,490
Full-time students at SUNY College at Geneseo take 12 credits a term and can finish the MSEd in Teaching of Reading and Literacy in three semesters. Doctoral faculty teach small classes, and an intensive reading practicum serves as the capstone. A dyslexia microcredential is optional, and teacher certification exam results can stand in for the GRE.
The degree requires prior initial certification in Early Childhood, Childhood or Adolescence. It leads to initial certification in Reading and Literacy B-12 and eligibility for New York State professional certification as a literacy teacher through the New York State Education Department. AAQEP accredits the preparation. Residents pay $12,270 a year for 2023-24, and nonresidents pay $24,490. Geneseo awarded 41 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
8
Niagara University
Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.), Elementary Education
Niagara University, New York
74.6- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Elementary Education and Teaching
- Degrees awarded
- 245 a year
- Yearly cost
- $14,850
- In-state rate
- $14,850, 2023-24
Niagara University, a private nonprofit, grants the Master of Science in Education in Elementary Education with preparation tied to New York State initial certification in elementary education, covering early childhood and childhood, Birth to Grade 6. The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation accredits the preparation, and the university awarded 245 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
The school charges the same published tuition rate to everyone, $14,850 a year for 2023-24, so New York residents and out-of-state students pay alike. That single figure covers tuition for the whole year. Teaching certification itself is issued by the New York State Education Department.
9
SUNY Brockport
Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.) in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
Brockport, New York
74.1- Public
- Leads to a license
- Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language/ESL Language Instructor
- Degrees awarded
- 40 a year
- Yearly cost
- $12,408
- In-state rate
- $12,408, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $14,668
Brockport runs one unified TESOL program, so every candidate follows the same Master of Science in Education in TESOL. A practicum of at least 20 days in a formal setting with English language learners is the hands-on piece, and transfer credit from other accredited institutions is capped at 12. The program is for people already certified in B-2, 1-6 or 7-12 by New York State, and its payoff is ESOL certification for PK-12 from the New York State Education Department.
Middle States accredits the college. Tuition for 2023-24 is $12,408 a year for New York residents and $14,668 for nonresidents. SUNY Brockport awarded 40 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
10
CUNY Queens College
Master of Science in Applied Literacy
Queens, New York
73.9- Public
- No license involved
- Reading Teacher Education
- Degrees awarded
- 33 a year
- Yearly cost
- $11,612
- In-state rate
- $11,612, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $21,042
Queens College points its 30-credit Master of Science in Applied Literacy at practicing content-area teachers rather than aspiring literacy specialists, with a 5 to 12 focus on literacy across subjects and attention to English-language learners and students with disabilities. The coursework is fully online, and a post-master's certificate in Applied Literacy is also offered.
The degree does not lead to New York State literacy certification. Teachers who hold NYS Initial Certification may use it toward Professional Certification through the NYSED TEACH Certificate Progression Pathway, administered by the New York State Education Department. New York residents pay $11,612 a year for 2023-24, and nonresidents pay $21,042. The Queens campus awarded 33 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 New York 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 New York Lead to a License?
5 ranked programs at schools in New York lead to a license, certificate or endorsement, scored the same way as the list above, one program per school. The New York 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 | CUNY Brooklyn College | Early Childhood Education Teacher (Birth-Grade 2), M.S.Ed. | New York initial/professional certificate, Early Childhood | $11,524 |
| 2 | Empire State University | Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Curriculum and Instruction | New York professional certification (master's requirement) | $11,870 |
| 3 | SUNY Oneonta | Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.) in Literacy Education | Educator license | $12,532 |
| 4 | SUNY College at Potsdam | Master of Science for Teachers (M.S.T.) in Childhood Education | New York State initial teacher certification, Childhood Education (Grades 1-6) | $12,752 |
| 5 | State University of New York at Cortland | Master's Degree in Literacy Education | Educator license | $13,055 |
What Does an Online Master's in Education Cost in New York?
An online master's in education at a school in New York costs a resident from $11,524 to $14,850 a year in graduate tuition and fees across these 10 programs, with a median of $12,470, 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 New York Universities Offer the Best Online Master's in Education Programs?
New York universities with online master's in education programs are led by CUNY Brooklyn College, whose Early Childhood Education Teacher (Birth to Grade 2) M.S.Ed. leads to a New York certificate, and Empire State University, whose M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction meets the master's requirement for the New York professional certificate.
Reading and literacy master's degrees come from SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Cortland, SUNY Geneseo and CUNY Queens College. SUNY Potsdam and Niagara University run childhood and elementary degrees that lead to initial certification, SUNY Brockport offers a TESOL master's, and the University at Albany has a degree in curriculum development and instructional technology.
Why Does a New York Teacher Need a Master's Degree?
A New York teacher needs a master's degree because the Professional certificate depends on one: the state's Office of Teaching Initiatives asks for a master's, three years of teaching and mentored experience before an Initial certificate can advance. The degree may lead to certification, sit in your certificate area or a related one, or be in any field with graduate content study added.
Special education, literacy, educational technology, curriculum and instruction, and TESOL all count as related areas, which is why the literacy and instructional technology programs here attract working teachers. The New York licensure guide sets out the rule in more detail.
Which New York Online Master's Programs Lead to Certification?
New York online master's programs that lead to certification include the Brooklyn College early childhood degree, SUNY Potsdam's childhood education degree and Niagara University's elementary degree, along with the reading and literacy master's degrees at SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Cortland and SUNY Geneseo and SUNY Brockport's TESOL degree. These programs sit at New York campuses, so the school can speak to the state's own process for recommending you for the matching title.
Empire State's curriculum and instruction degree and Albany's curriculum development and instructional technology degree meet the master's requirement for the professional certificate. CUNY Queens College's applied literacy master's does not lead to certification, so treat it as advanced study for a certified teacher. Ask the education department at each campus how a recommendation works. New York examinations come from the state's certification testing program.
How Does Studying Online at a New York School Work for Residents?
Studying online at a New York school works the way it does for any campus student on price, since residents are billed the in-state rate that the cost section charts, while field experience happens in a school near your home and not in the town where the campus sits. SUNY and CUNY campuses stretch from Potsdam near the Canadian border to Brooklyn, so a placement far from campus is common, and you should ask each program how it handles distance.
New York is a member of NC-SARA, but NC-SARA says it does not address licensing board approval, and New York does not pre-approve programs completed elsewhere. If you might move, ask the school for its disclosure under 34 CFR 668.43.
Questions About Online Master's in Education Programs in New York
What Is the Cheapest Online Master's in Education in New York?
How Are Online Master's in Education Programs in New York Ranked?
Which New York Online Master's Suits a Teacher Who Needs the Professional Certificate?
A New York teacher working toward the Professional certificate should look at the literacy, curriculum and instruction, and instructional technology degrees, since each is in an area the state accepts as related. Confirm with the Office of Teaching Initiatives that your title and degree combine.
Is a SUNY Online Master's in Literacy Valid for Reading Teachers Outside New York?
A SUNY literacy master's prepares you for New York certification, and other states judge it on their own rules. NC-SARA does not settle teacher licensure, so a teacher planning to leave New York should ask the target state's agency first.
Can I Earn a New York Early Childhood Certificate Through an Online Master's?
An early childhood certificate is possible through CUNY Brooklyn College, which offers an online M.S.Ed. covering birth to grade 2 that leads to a New York certificate. Ask the college how field placements are arranged for students who live outside Brooklyn.
Which New York Agency Decides Whether My Online Degree Counts?
The agency that decides whether your online degree counts is the New York State Education Department's Office of Teaching Initiatives, not the university or an accrediting group. Its website lists certificate types, required examinations and the steps for each title.
Where Do the Figures for New York Come From?
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
- IPEDS Institutional Characteristics, 2023-24
- New York State Education Department, Office of Teaching Initiatives
- CUNY Brooklyn College, Early Childhood Education M.S.Ed.
- SUNY Empire State University, M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction
- New York State Teacher Certification Examinations
- NC-SARA, professional licensure
- eCFR, 34 CFR 668.43
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
CUNY Brooklyn College Empire State University SUNY Oneonta SUNY College at Potsdam State University of New York at Cortland University at Albany SUNY College at Geneseo Niagara University SUNY Brockport CUNY Queens College