For teachers, a master’s degree can mean a significant difference in pay over the course of your career, which makes it a must-have for any educator in 2023 wanting to increase their earning potential. Unfortunately, getting your master’s degree often means more student loans and possibly more time before you can begin your career, if you go straight from your bachelor’s into a master’s program. This is why cost is often top-of-mind for many prospective students.
An online master’s in education (M.Ed.) program may allow you to complete your degree from the comfort of your own home for less money than you might expect. Certainly, you don’t become a teacher for the money, which is why you shouldn’t go deep into debt to get your degree. This guide reviews the most affordable online M.Ed. programs, gives tips for lowering the cost of tuition, and tells you what to look for in an accredited and budget-friendly online graduate program.
Most Affordable Online Master’s in Education Programs for 2023
Factors to consider when looking for the most affordable online master’s in education programs include coursework focus, program alignment with your goals, and available student resources. The biggest factor for most students, though, is affordability. With these factors in mind, we ranked these master’s in education programs based on affordability and overall quality. These rankings were derived from data by the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Learn more about these rankings by clicking on the “about the ranking” button below.
Bridgewater State University’s Master of Education in Higher Education Administration is perfect for current professionals seeking a mid-level management or leadership position at a college, university, or other institution of higher learning. To help these students meet these goals, the Higher Education Administration master’s degree program possesses several key features. Students will enjoy greater attention due to smaller class sizes. All of the coursework is delivered online, for flexible and convenient learning. To provide the most effective learning possible, students will complete a practicum for experiential learning. To help pay for their education, there are many fellowships, conference grants, and assistantships that students can apply for.
Program Highlights:
Master of Education in Higher Education Administration
- Credits: 33
- Length: About two years
- Cost: $488.50/credit
- Mode: Partially online
- Accreditation: NECHE
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | NECHE |
Framingham State University offers two online education-related programs at the master’s level. First, there’s the Master of Education in Education Technology. This is a 100% online program that requires students to complete 10 courses, which includes three core classes, six concentration classes, and one elective class. Second, there’s the Master of Education in Nutrition Education. Unlike the education technology program, the curriculum is offered in a hybrid format with most classes offered online, but students need to complete an in-person internship. The curriculum for the nutrition education program is comprised of seven core classes and three elective classes.
Program Highlights:
M.Ed. in Education Technology
- Credits: Varies
- Length: Varies
- Cost: $1,360/course
- Mode: Fully online
- Accreditation: NECHE
M.Ed. in Nutrition Education
- Credits: Varies
- Length: Varies
- Cost: $1,360/course
- Mode: Partially online
- Accreditation: NECHE
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | NECHE |
Students seeking to take the next steps as teachers and instructors will be interested in the two master’s degree programs from Cabrini University. Educators interested in supervisory and leadership roles can consider the Master of Education in Educational Leadership program. The majority of the coursework can be completed either online or on campus. However, students must meet the 180-hour fieldwork experience requirements embedded into select courses. Teachers wanting to advance their instructional skills should consider the Master of Education in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment program. Most of the courses can be completed online, although students have the option of taking them on campus. To accommodate the busy schedules of many of the students, the courses in this program last just eight weeks.
Program Highlights:
M.Ed. in Educational Leadership
- Credits: 33
- Length: Varies
- Cost: $720.00/credit
- Mode: Partially online
- Accreditation: MSCHE
M.Ed. in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
- Credits: 30
- Length: Varies
- Cost: $720.00/credit
- Mode: Partially online
- Accreditation: MSCHE
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | MSCHE |
The University of Texas – Permian Basin offers several CAEP-accredited online education master’s degrees. These programs are tailored to current educators who want to take on leadership responsibilities or obtain additional skills to work with special needs students. These programs include a Master of Arts in Education Leadership and a Master of Arts in Special Education. This latter degree path has three tracks: general, autism spectrum disorders, and educational diagnostician. Most of these programs are set up so that all courses can be completed online, but students must complete at least one practicum to obtain face-to-face learning experience.
Program Highlights:
MA in Educational Leadership
- Credits: 36
- Length: About one to two years
- Cost: $274.87/credit
- Mode: Partially online
- Accreditation: CAEP
MA in Special Education, Educational Diagnostician
- Credits: 45
- Length: About two to three years
- Cost: $274.87/credit
- Mode: Partially online
- Accreditation: CAEP
MA in Special Education, Autism Spectrum Disorders
- Credits: 36
- Length: About one to two years
- Cost: $274.87/credit
- Mode: Partially online
- Accreditation: CAEP
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
The Masters of Education in Early Childhood Education offered by Salem State University consists of 13 courses and takes most students about two years to complete. Upon graduation, students will meet the requirements to become a licensed teacher in Massachusetts for students in preschool up to second grade. Depending on the incoming student’s prior education, they can complete the coursework and practicum requirements for teaching licensure in the middle of the program. They can then work as a full-time teacher while completing the rest of the Master of Education program requirements. The curriculum is designed for students who have full-time jobs, with a mixture of online and in-person courses. The latter are typically held once a week in the late afternoons.
Program Highlights:
M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education
- Credits: 39
- Length: About two years
- Cost: $8,985.60/semester (in-state); $10,648.80/semester (out-of-state)
- Mode: Partially online
- Accreditation: CAEP
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | NECHE |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | NECHE |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | NECHE |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | HLC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | HLC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | HLC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | HLC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | HLC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | HLC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | HLC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | HLC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | HLC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | HLC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | HLC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | HLC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | NWCCU |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | HLC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | NWCCU |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | HLC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | TRACS |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | HLC |
School Services & Accreditation
| Career Services | Yes |
| Academic Counseling | Yes |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC |
Funding Your Online Master’s Degree in Education: 5 Ways to Save
While tuition costs are important to consider, they aren’t the only indicator a program will fit in your budget. There are a variety of ways to make a master’s in education more affordable, and we’ve rounded up five of the most effective.
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Apply to scholarships, grants, and fellowships created for M.Ed. students.
One of the most effective ways to lower the cost of tuition is to apply for scholarships, grants, and fellowships. There are a variety of general scholarships for those pursuing master’s degrees with some being designed solely for M.Ed. students, including the BHD Endowed Scholarship for Teachers and Hach Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Scholarship. When looking for scholarships, note that most are for specific fields of education, meaning there will be less competition but fewer you’ll qualify for. For more scholarships, check out OMD’s scholarships and resources guide.
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Work-Study or Assistantships
Another way to fund your M.Ed. is through an assistantship or a work-study position. Assistantship availability is based on individual program needs and often means helping a professor as a teaching or research assistant. Check with individual programs for available assistantships and their requirements.
A work-study position is a campus job, perhaps twenty hours a week for the Department of Education, to help offset tuition costs. Work-study programs are run through the federal government, and more information can be found on its website.
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Employer Tuition Reimbursement Programs
Many schools will reimburse part or all of an employee’s tuition. This is especially common since many states have regulations around continuing education for teachers. The federal government also has a program, the Teach Grant, for reimbursing teachers for their master’s in education.
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Payment Plans
Many schools offer payment plans where you can put money towards your tuition in more manageable quantities. If you don’t have enough money to pay for an entire semester upfront or are waiting on reimbursement for your employer, for example, payment plans allow you to make monthly installments. To find out if this is an option, check with each program you are applying to.
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Paid Teaching Opportunities
A paid part-time or flexible teaching position provides an opportunity to utilize your coursework in a classroom setting while also earning money to offset the cost of tuition. This option is especially ideal for those who are not obtaining their master’s while working as full-time educators. There are some paid student teaching opportunities, but many are unpaid. Teach for America offers paid opportunities to give in-class experience and you don’t have to be a licensed educator yet to qualify.
FAQs about Affordable Master’s Programs in Education
Q. What impacts the affordability of an online master’s program?
Factors impacting whether an online master’s program is affordable include if a school is private or public, whether you’re paying in-state or out-of-state tuition, and the availability of scholarships, work-study positions, and assistantships. Public and in-state schools are often more affordable than out-of-state and private institutions.
Q. What is the ROI on an online Master’s Degree in Education?
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics found that a master’s degree in education often leads to a $10,000 to $13,000 annual salary boost. Those with master’s degrees also saw higher pay raises throughout their teaching careers. Of course, the ROI is greater the more affordable your master’s degree is.
Q. How can I ensure that an affordable Master’s in Education program is high-quality?
A high-quality master’s in education program is accredited and meets state licensure requirements for those seeking a teaching license. Beyond these criteria, pay attention to how the program aligns with your goals, the percent of students who finish the program and find jobs, and the resources available to help students do well in the program and advance their careers.
Q. Is an online master’s degree more affordable than an in-person?
An online master’s degree is usually more affordable than an in-person program because it is more affordable for universities to run. An online program doesn’t require in-person meeting space and resources, and one professor can teach larger class sizes. Additionally, it saves money on transportation costs because you don’t have to commute.
Q. Can job experience count towards a master’s degree and help cut costs?
Job experience can sometimes count towards a master’s in education. This is especially true if your program has a student teaching element or another requirement for in-classroom hours. However, each program is different, so check with each specific program to see if it counts job experience toward your degree.
Q. How can I know if an affordable master’s degree program is right for me?
To determine if a program is affordable for you, make a list of everything you want in a master’s program and determine how much you can realistically put towards tuition each semester. Once you have this list and your maximum budget, you can better determine if a program is both affordable and will help advance your career based on your specific professional goals.