Austin Peay State University in Clarksville leads Tennessee's list with an Educational Leadership Studies M.A.Ed. that its own program page ties to the Tennessee Instructional Leader License. That sets the tone for a state where many online master's programs are built around a specific license, from the University of Memphis's library route to the University of Tennessee at Martin's initial-licensure teaching degree.
The list mixes public campuses with private colleges such as Bryan, Tusculum, Union and Lipscomb, and every one is in Tennessee, so residents pay the in-state rate and work with schools nearby. The details that matter most are which license a program reaches and what the state requires on top of it.
Source: IPEDS, read October 6, 2026. Tuition is the 2023-24 in-state rate.
top score, Austin Peay State University
87.6
median in-state tuition and fees across the 10 listed, 2023-24
$11,403
schools in Tennessee with a ranked fully online master's in education
17
ranked programs in Tennessee that lead to a license
20
This list covers fully online master's programs at universities located in Tennessee, one per school.
The 10 Best Online Master's in Education Programs in Tennessee
The 10 programs below are at schools in Tennessee, scored at the in-state price and listed one per school.
1
Austin Peay State University
Educational Leadership Studies, M.A.Ed.
Clarksville, Tennessee
87.6- Public
- Leads to a license
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 89 a year
- Yearly cost
- $10,127
- In-state rate
- $10,127, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $15,113
Clarksville's Austin Peay State University turns experienced teachers into principals in one year through its Educational Leadership Studies, M.A.Ed., using 7.5-week terms. Learning is job-embedded and cohort-style, with monthly mentoring sessions from administrative coaches, and no GRE or MAT is required. Accreditation comes from CAEP.
The degree leads to the Tennessee Instructional Leader License, Beginning, in Administration and Supervision, and students can earn the Aspiring license before graduation. Candidates need a passing result on the SLLA 6990 Praxis exam and at least three years of experience as a licensed educator or school service provider. The Tennessee Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensure issues the credential. Tennessee residents pay $10,127 for 2023-24, while out-of-state students pay $15,113. The school awarded 89 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
2
University of Memphis
Master of Science in Instruction and Curriculum Leadership
Memphis, Tennessee
84.0- Public
- Leads to a license
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 130 a year
- Yearly cost
- $11,214
- In-state rate
- $11,214, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $15,228
Memphis offers the Master of Science in Instruction and Curriculum Leadership through the University of Memphis to licensed teachers who want to expand their teaching areas and to non-licensed professionals in education-related settings. Concentrations include Instructional Design and Technology, Literacy, and School Library Information Specialist, and the last leads to Tennessee Library Information Specialist licensure.
No GRE is required, and most online classes are recorded and archived for asynchronous access by working professionals. Licensure runs through the Tennessee Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensure. Tennessee residents pay $11,214 for 2023-24, while out-of-state students pay $15,228. The public university awarded 130 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
3
The University of Tennessee-Martin
MSED: Teaching - Initial Licensure (Elementary concentration; Secondary and K-8 Special Education Interventionist concentrations also offered)
Martin, Tennessee
83.1- Public
- Leads to a license
- Teacher Education, Multiple Levels
- Degrees awarded
- 93 a year
- Yearly cost
- $11,592
- In-state rate
- $11,592, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $12,636
Career-changers holding a bachelor's degree in a non-teaching field are the audience for the MSED: Teaching, Initial Licensure at The University of Tennessee-Martin. Tracks cover Elementary, Secondary, K-8 Special Education Interventionist, and K-12 initial licensure. The program touts small class sizes and low student-to-teacher ratios.
It prepares candidates to obtain an initial Tennessee teaching license from the Tennessee Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensure. The Tennessee State Board of Education approves the program and CAEP accredits it. Martin is home to this public campus, which charges Tennessee residents $11,592 for 2023-24, against $12,636 for out-of-state students. It awarded 93 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
4
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Master of Science with a Major in Teacher Education (Practitioner Concentration)
Knoxville, Tennessee
77.7- Public
- Leads to a license
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas, Other
- Degrees awarded
- 149 a year
- Yearly cost
- $13,620
- In-state rate
- $13,620, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $32,108
At the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, a candidate earns a license while working as teacher of record in a partner school. That job-embedded model defines the Practitioner Concentration of the Master of Science with a Major in Teacher Education, aimed at high-needs areas: math, science, special education, world languages, and ESL. Courses are fully asynchronous online, 30 to 38 credit hours over about 24 months.
A Student Teaching Concentration with a Deaf Education specialization leads to a Tennessee special education (hearing) license after 15 weeks of student teaching. Non-licensure concentrations include Applied Behavior Analysis, Educational Studies, and Instructional Technology. Tennessee residents pay $13,620 for 2023-24, against $32,108 out of state. The public university awarded 149 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
5
Middle Tennessee State University
Special Education, M.Ed.
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
73.2- Public
- Leads to a license
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 29 a year
- Yearly cost
- $11,124
- In-state rate
- $11,124, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $28,170
Ten three-hour courses, self-paced and asynchronous, make up the Special Education, M.Ed. at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, and they can be finished within one rolling year, with a semester of residency for clinical practice. Concentrations are Special Education Intervention (K-8 or 6-12) and Special Education Comprehensive (K-12).
Candidates without prior certification can pursue an initial teaching license, which in Tennessee comes from the Tennessee Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensure, while already-licensed teachers can add endorsements by passing Praxis exams. Tennessee residents pay $11,124 for 2023-24, and out-of-state students pay $28,170. The public university awarded 29 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
6
Bryan College-Dayton
Master of Arts in Teaching
Dayton, Tennessee
71.9- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Education, General
- Degrees awarded
- 21 a year
- Yearly cost
- $9,830
- In-state rate
- $9,830, 2023-24
Bryan College in Dayton teaches its Master of Arts in Teaching within a Christian worldview framework. Choices are Elementary Education, English 6-12, Physical Education K-12, and Math, Biology, or History 6-12. Candidates can follow the Student Teaching Pathway, a 15-week internship, or the Job-Embedded Practitioner Pathway, which lets teachers already employed in Tennessee schools earn the degree and licensure while they keep teaching.
Both lead to Tennessee teaching licensure through the Tennessee Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensure, whose Practitioner License fits the job-embedded route. A Non-Licensure option also exists for educators who are already licensed. Bryan is a private nonprofit college, and 2023-24 tuition is $9,830 a year, the same for every student. Bryan's federal completions record shows 21 master's degrees conferred in a year.
7
Tusculum University
Master of Arts in Education
Greeneville, Tennessee
68.8- Private nonprofit
- Education, General
- Degrees awarded
- 37 a year
- Yearly cost
- $14,400
- In-state rate
- $14,400, 2023-24
Tusculum University in Greeneville designed its Master of Arts in Education for K-12 classroom teachers who are already licensed. The 30 hours can be done in 12 months. Curriculum and Instruction is offered online, and Special Education Interventionist K-8 and Comprehensive K-12 are hybrid, with add-on endorsements possible through the Special Education concentration.
The degree does not replace the Practitioner License from the Tennessee Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensure. It builds on that credential for a teacher who intends to stay in a Tennessee classroom. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges accredits Tusculum. Tuition is $14,400 for 2023-24, the same rate for in-state and out-of-state students. The private nonprofit school awarded 37 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
8
East Tennessee State University
Master of Education in Curriculum & Instruction
Johnson City, Tennessee
65.9- Public
- Leads to a license
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 18 a year
- Yearly cost
- $10,784
- In-state rate
- $10,784, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $25,904
East Tennessee State University in Johnson City designed its Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction for educators who already hold a valid Tennessee teaching license, since it does not lead to an initial K-12 license. Focus areas include Elementary education, Middle and secondary teaching, STEM education, English as a Second Language, and K-12 add-on endorsement sequences.
Students choose between a thesis and a non-thesis option, and non-thesis students complete a pass/fail culminating event. The degree builds on the Practitioner License from the Tennessee Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensure, and does not replace it. Tennessee residents pay $10,784 for 2023-24, against $25,904 out of state. The public university awarded 18 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
9
Union University
Master of Arts in Education
Jackson, Tennessee
65.6- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Education, General
- Degrees awarded
- 21 a year
- Yearly cost
- $11,953
- In-state rate
- $11,953, 2023-24
Union University in Jackson places its Master of Arts in Education in a Christian liberal arts context. A thesis option needs a minimum of 33 semester hours, and a non-thesis option needs 39 with a Capstone Research Seminar. Either takes about 24 months. As of Fall 2024, elementary, middle grades, and secondary licensure coursework is fully online.
The licensure route suits people entering education from another discipline and leads to Tennessee initial teacher licensure through the Tennessee Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensure. It is available in all endorsement areas Union offers, including secondary and special education, and Curriculum and Instruction and Human Growth and Development are non-licensure options. Tuition is $11,953 for 2023-24, the same for every student. This private nonprofit university awarded 21 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
10
Lipscomb University
Master of Education in Special Education
Nashville, Tennessee
54.4- Private nonprofit
- Leads to a license
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 24 a year
- Yearly cost
- $17,100
- In-state rate
- $17,100, 2023-24
Lipscomb University in Nashville structures its Master of Education in Special Education as stackable pieces: a certificate, another certificate, and a research component. Tracks are K-8 Interventionist, 6-12 Interventionist, and K-12. A dedicated course covers Special Education Law and Ethics, a non-credit edTPA course is required, and an Applied Behavior Analysis certificate is optional.
Two routes lead to the Tennessee Special Education Interventionist License: traditional student teaching for 15 weeks, or a job-embedded practitioner license route that asks for a minimum of one year as teacher-of-record. The Tennessee Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensure issues it. The private nonprofit university charges $17,100 for 2023-24, the same for residents and nonresidents, and awarded 24 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee Lead to a License?
5 ranked programs at schools in Tennessee lead to a license, certificate or endorsement, scored the same way as the list above, one program per school. The Tennessee 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 | Austin Peay State University | Educational Leadership Studies, M.A.Ed. | Tennessee Instructional Leader License - Beginning (ILL-B), Administration and Supervision | $10,127 |
| 2 | University of Memphis | Master of Science in Instruction and Curriculum Leadership | Tennessee Library Information Specialist (librarian) licensure, via the same M.S. in Instruction and Curriculum | $11,214 |
| 3 | The University of Tennessee-Martin | MSED: Teaching - Initial Licensure (Elementary concentration; Secondary and K-8 Special Education Interventionist concentrations also offered) | Educator license | $11,592 |
| 4 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | Master of Science with a Major in Teacher Education (Practitioner Concentration) | Educator license | $13,620 |
| 5 | Middle Tennessee State University | Special Education, M.Ed. | Educator license | $11,124 |
What Does an Online Master's in Education Cost in Tennessee?
An online master's in education at a school in Tennessee costs a resident from $9,830 to $17,100 a year in graduate tuition and fees across these 10 programs, with a median of $11,403, 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 Tennessee Universities Lead the Online Master's List?
Austin Peay State University leads the Tennessee universities on this list because its in-state price and its degree volume score well together. The University of Memphis follows with its Master of Science in Instruction and Curriculum Leadership, then the University of Tennessee at Martin and the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, whose Master of Science in Teacher Education has a Practitioner Concentration.
Middle Tennessee State University offers a Special Education M.Ed., East Tennessee State University a Curriculum and Instruction M.Ed. and Lipscomb University in Nashville a special education master's, which carries the highest in-state price of the group. Bryan College in Dayton, Tusculum University in Greeneville and Union University in Jackson round out the private side with a Master of Arts in Teaching, a Master of Arts in Education and a Master of Arts in Education respectively.
Which Tennessee Online Master's Programs Lead to a License, and Which License?
Several Tennessee online master's programs lead to a license, and the license differs by program. Austin Peay's degree leads to the Instructional Leader License, requires three years of teaching and a mentor principal, and runs as an accelerated cohort of ten courses followed by the Praxis school leader exam. Memphis offers a track in its instruction and curriculum degree that leads to a library information specialist license, while its general concentration is for people already licensed or working in education-related settings.
The University of Tennessee at Martin's degree is titled as initial licensure with elementary, secondary and special education interventionist options. The University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Middle Tennessee State, Bryan, Union and Lipscomb also lead to a credential, and East Tennessee State's Curriculum and Instruction M.Ed. leads to Tennessee K-12 add-on endorsements for teachers who already hold a license.
What Does Tennessee Add to a Master's Before It Issues a License?
Tennessee adds a program recommendation, qualifying assessment scores and a literacy requirement to a master's before it issues a license. The Practitioner License is the first credential, and the department's assessment rules say an in-state program graduate takes the edTPA, or the Principles of Learning and Teaching where no edTPA exists. A qualifying degree from an approved program can excuse the specialty content test, with exceptions for early reading and young children.
The Tennessee Literacy Success Act adds a training or assessment step for licenses with qualifying endorsements, and a master's in reading does not replace it. A principal also needs the advanced degree, experience and a state-approved leader program.
Details, including transfers and counselor requirements, are in our Tennessee licensure guide.
How Does Studying Online at a Tennessee University Work for Residents?
Studying online at a Tennessee university works for residents through in-state tuition, shown in the cost chart, and through placements in your own district. Because the program and the school district are both inside Tennessee, the recommending university and the state licensing office speak the same language, which shortens the paperwork for a first license.
Tennessee joined NC-SARA in 2015 through the southern compact. If you move away, SARA does not address licensing-board approval, so a Tennessee license does not travel with the degree. Ask the program for its licensure disclosure for the state you are heading to.
Questions About Online Master's in Education Programs in Tennessee
What Is the Cheapest Online Master's in Education in Tennessee?
How Are Online Master's in Education Programs in Tennessee Ranked?
Can I Earn Tennessee's Principal License Through an Online Master's?
Austin Peay's online Educational Leadership Studies M.A.Ed. is built for exactly that, according to its program page, with a mentor principal, ten courses and the school leader exam. The state also requires three years of qualifying experience, so check eligibility before you apply.
Does the University of Memphis Offer an Online Route to a Librarian License?
The university's Instruction and Curriculum program lists a Library Information Specialist track that leads to licensure, available as an add-on for licensed teachers and as an initial route for others. Confirm which online courses apply to your situation with the department.
Is a Tennessee Online Master's Enough to Renew a Literacy-Endorsed License?
Not by itself. The Tennessee Literacy Success Act adds training or an assessment to the renewal and advancement of licenses that carry qualifying endorsements, and the department's page lists only those two ways to comply. A reading master's does not substitute.
Which Tennessee Schools Are Best for Teachers Who Already Hold a License?
The University of Memphis describes its Instruction and Curriculum concentration as a degree for people who already hold a license, so it is the clearest fit. East Tennessee State's Curriculum and Instruction M.Ed. also fits, since it leads to K-12 add-on endorsements. For any other program, read the admission requirements and ask whether the courses can count toward a license advancement.
Where Do the Figures for Tennessee Come From?
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
- IPEDS Institutional Characteristics, 2023-24
- Austin Peay State University, Educational Leadership Studies M.A.Ed.
- University of Memphis, Instruction and Curriculum M.S.
- Tennessee Department of Education, Praxis requirements
- Tennessee Department of Education, Literacy Success Act
- NC-SARA, Professional Licensure
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
Austin Peay State University University of Memphis The University of Tennessee-Martin The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Middle Tennessee State University Bryan College-Dayton Tusculum University East Tennessee State University Union University Lipscomb University