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As a field, marketing contains multitudes. Each type of marketing has its own complex subsystem of delivery methods, and they’re only proliferating as life becomes more digital and our attention more diffuse. Attracting consumers’ notice is the chief currency of the attention economy, and figuring out how to do that takes a lot of research and skill—the kind of skill that gets honed with an advanced degree. Even better, an advanced degree–such as one from our list of the best online Master’s programs in Marketing Management–that can be completed online part-time in as little as a year.

Like the field it studies, a Master’s degree in marketing management can take a couple of different forms, as a degree in marketing itself, or as a concentration within a broader degree like a Master of Business Administration. Some schools dive deep into all the facets of marketing, while others add them on to a larger understanding of how business works. It all depends on students’ goals and career interests.

What signposts should guide their aspirations? A good place to start is the Bureau of Labor Statistics, that treasure trove of data about careers in the United States. Its Occupational Outlook Handbook for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers takes a high-level view of the industry, forecasting 8% growth through 2028—the national average for all occupations is 5%— with another 21,800 jobs expected to be added in the next decade. That’s a total of 308,600 jobs for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers. Interestingly, the BLS says that the highest-paying industries for those jobs are scientific research and development services, followed by cable and subscription programming. Who knew?

The industries with the most jobs in these fields? “Management of Companies and Enterprises,” which is almost comically broad, followed by more specific categories like Computer Systems Design and Related Services and Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services. The places with the most jobs? California, Illinois, New York, Massachusetts, and Texas, on a state level, though New York, Chicago, Boston, LA, and San Francisco are the metropolitan areas with the most.

In its rankings for best jobs, U.S. News & World Report lists marketing manager as the No. 1 position among Best Sales and Marketing Jobs, No. 15 for Best Paying Jobs, and No. 31 in the 100 Best Jobs – better than physical therapist assistant, but not as good as dental hygienist. Marketing managers earn above-average scores for upward mobility and stress, but below average for flexibility (i.e., “alternative working schedule and work-life balance”). U.S. News takes a dimmer view of future growth in the field than the BLS – a 2 out of 10 – but doesn’t go into specifics about how it arrived at that figure. The publication seems to base it on BLS data, so when in doubt, go with the BLS. CareerBuilder.com also has a good overview of life as a marketing manager, listing common responsibilities and typical working environments, but as it says on that page, the job can vary significantly by company and industry. Marketing is a vast world, so making generalizations about the day-to-day experiences of a marketing manager is difficult.

Common Application and Admission Questions

Perhaps the first thing to know when it comes to online degrees is that distance learning is heavily regulated, which means each state has say over schools that offer education within their boundaries. So if you live in Colorado and want to study at the University of Cincinnati, the school needs Colorado’s permission to teach you. The process was streamlined with the passage of the State Authority Reciprocity Agreement, wherein states agreed to a set of baseline standards for distance learning. Every state except California participates in SARA, so institutions that want to offer instruction there have to deal with a different governing body.

Confused yet? Fear not. Every school that offers online education has regulatory information on its website, so it’s a pretty easy thing to check. (The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements also has a directory.) The University of Cincinnati even has a cool, clickable map of the U.S. that gives state-by-state information. So in the hypothetical case of a person from Colorado wanting to study at the U. of C.? All good, because Ohio and Colorado are SARA states. The gist: make sure to verify the school you pick can teach you.

Speaking of schools, as mentioned above, they tend to treat a management Master’s in one of two ways: as a concentration within a larger degree, or as the degree itself. A bachelor’s degree generally suffices for admission, though one with a business focus helps. Many programs require students to have a basic level of proficiency in certain related areas, such as accounting, finance, statistics, etc. Anyone lacking those things will need to take foundational courses, which will add time to their degree. Schools often include foundational coursework in their curriculum, but waive the requirement if students have completed similar classes during undergraduate studies or have relevant professional experience. It varies by school, though, so make sure to check those details first.

Most of the universities in our top 10 offer MBAs with an emphasis in marketing. The marketing focus varies, some via three electives and others via more courses integrated into the core studies. Then there are places like Golden Gate University (No. 10), whose Master of Science in marketing not only focuses on marketing, but also offers three concentrations within that so students can further specialize what type of marketing they wish to pursue. Some schools require the GRE or GMAT, but nearly all of them require some kind of personal statement (generally an essay about your background and experience, and what you’d bring to the program) and letters of recommendation.

The online experience can vary greatly, too. While most schools stick to popular platforms like Canvas or Blackboard, some have their own proprietary systems. Nearly all of them, if not all, are asynchronous, meaning you don’t have to be online at a certain time to complete the coursework. Schools aim to be as flexible as possible, especially when it comes to part-time students who probably work full time, so watching lectures and completing coursework can be done on their schedule. That said, expect regular assignments that have to be turned in on a deadline, and live chats with other students and instructors will naturally fall at a certain time. All schools offer tech support for their online learners, and all try to make the experience as communal as possible so it doesn’t feel like a solitary journey. It shouldn’t—according to the National Center for Education Statistics, 1,011,864 people were enrolled in graduate online education courses in 2015, the most recent year for data.

What about Financial Aid & Scholarships?

The average cost of an academic year of schooling for the programs on our list is $17,602, and the median is $17,326. We calculate those numbers using the base tuition as a starting point and factor in financial aid opportunities. The price ranges from $9,989 (University of Texas – Dallas) to $34,139 (Florida Institute of Technology), a huge difference by any measure.

While the bad news is that the cost of college tuition will likely continue to rise, the good news is that every university offers some kind of assistance with financial aid. That could be as basic as helping connect students with loans and scholarships, or creating a cost breakdown of their degree, to offering grants and scholarships themselves. Higher education—especially the online variety—is a competitive business, so schools need to be accommodating to attract students. The more they can assist students in finding a way to pay for education, the better it is for the schools themselves.

Scholarships are generally based on merit, and grants on need, and there are a far greater number open to undergraduates than grad students. Searching for scholarships on the internet returns about a million results, most of them sites aggregating scholarship information from elsewhere, though GoGrad.org (which focuses on graduate scholarships) and scholarships.com have very robust listings – the latter even has lists for distance learning and business and marketing. Even student-loan provider SallieMae has a lot of information, via its Scholarship Search tool and collections of scholarships for minorities. Unlike, say, STEM fields, marketing doesn’t have a big push from government and private industry for people to pursue it in their education. (“Go into marketing!” doesn’t quite have the same appeal as “Become a scientist!”)

But the best place to start looking for financial aid is with your employer, if you have one. Many companies offer to pay for, or help pay for, continuing education, especially if it’s related to what you do and will improve your work. Veterans have a lot of options, as universities are eager to attract them. The University of Massachusetts – Lowell even has an Office of Veterans Services, and U.S. News and World Report offers a Best Colleges for Veterans list, based on how much they get in federal initiatives to help veterans and active-duty military. Veterans also have the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which can help significantly with education costs. Beyond all the grants and scholarships lie regular old student loans, whose sketchier providers have faced an intense backlash from students and government investigators in recent years. See the Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid site for an easy overview on how loans work, and it’s also the place to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid to check if you qualify for federal programs.

How Much Can I Make With a Master’s in Marketing Management?

An enviable amount. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says the average wage for marketing managers is $147,240, with the bottom 10% still bringing in nearly $70,000 and the top 75% pulling down $181,780. That means even the people earning the least are still making nearly double the U.S. median wage for all workers, which currently stands at $38,640, per the BLS. On top of that, U.S. News & World Report lists the unemployment rate for marketing managers at a low 1.8% and a median salary of $132,230.

Salaries fluctuate by location, with the highest salaries coinciding with the places with higher costs of living: New York, San Francisco, Silicon Valley. Boulder, CO, isn’t cheap, either, but the average wage for the 500 marketing managers living there is $191,890 – a very good living no matter how you cut it. Or consider places like “non-metropolitan” northwest Minnesota, where the 200 or so marketing management jobs pay an average of $125,390 – more than double the state’s average wage, per the BLS. Those are great numbers, so justifying the expense of a marketing degree shouldn’t be difficult.

All of those statistics are tied to the role of marketing manager, but because the field is so large and full of numerous specializations, a variety of jobs can follow a Master’s in marketing. Washington State University lists the top three on the website for its marketing MBA: marketing director, business development manager, and the aforementioned marketing manager. Directors operate on a higher level than managers, obviously, using “advanced knowledge of their competitors and industry climate to formulate big-picture operational strategy,” says WSU. Business development managers – “biz dev” if you want to throw around the lingo – bring in the work, choosing which “potential business partners to target and negotiate terms of those new partnerships.” Obviously, the specifics of the roles vary, and marketing jobs extend further than those top three.

Most of the programs on our list offer marketing as a specialization within an MBA, a degree with a wider business focus and thus even more potential industries and careers. A strong business foundation with marketing know-how can go a long way in a variety of environments, making the MBA track an attractive option. That’s probably why 189,328 Master’s degrees in business were given out in 2013-2014, per the National Center for Education Statistics. Those numbers have probably only gone up in the years since as the career opportunities expand. As we noted earlier, the BLS expects there to be 21,800 more jobs for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers in the next decade. That means more than 300,000 jobs out there with a median salary of $132,620. What more incentive do you need?

Our Ranking Criteria

We have a time-tested four-part formula designed for ranking the best colleges in the nation that we’d love to share with you. We prioritize four major factors: Earnings Potential, Affordability, Student Satisfaction, and Selectivity. Reliable research and well-harvested data are the main ingredients in our recipe for success. We don’t make recommendations based on personal opinions, or financial incentives. Our revenue and content are completely separate, and sponsored schools have no impact on our rankings. The only way to make it onto one of our lists is to have an incredible academic program!

What Are the Best Online Master’s Programs in Marketing Management?

We know that you have educational goals that you’re itching to pursue, but you may not know where to start. The editors of Master’s Programs Guide utilize a unique ranking methodology based on the following three aspects:

 40% Potential Salary After Graduation: Average mid-career salary of school alumni

30% Institutional Accreditation: Regional and National Accreditation for the 2019-2020 school year

30% Overall Degree Affordability: Average cost of undergraduate and graduate tuition per school

At Master’s Programs Guide, we strive to do our best to guide you and your family toward a fruitful academic career. The pursuit of knowledge is a noble one, and we want to help you reach your goals. For questions, comments, badge downloads, or data corrections, please feel free to reach out to us at editor@collegerank.net.

Check out our ranking of the 10 best online Master’s programs in marketing management!

#1. Arizona State University

Master of Business Administration, Marketing Emphasis

Back in 2000, the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State debuted its first online MBA program, which was available exclusively to John Deere employees. People who worked outside the farm-equipment world got their first taste of an online MBA four years later, when the W.B. Carey Online MBA debuted. Since those days, U.S. News & World Report has ranked it highly, most recently No. 6 for Best Online MBA Programs and No. 33 for Best Business Schools.

Like a lot of online programs, the Carey School of Business doesn’t distinguish between its online and on-campus courses, as both are taught by the same faculty and have the same curriculum. Designed for working professionals with 5 to 10 years of experience, the online MBA lasts 21 months, with start dates in January and August. Students take two courses at a time in seven and a half week sessions, which conclude with final exams or projects.

Marketing is one of four areas of emphasis within the MBA—rounded out by finance, international business, and supply chain management—and it blends marketing strategy with services marketing and management, per the program’s website. Coursework in marketing comes via electives, such as Business to Business Marketing, Services Marketing & Management, and Global Marketing Strategy. The core MBA coursework comprises nine classes (Statistics for Managers, Financial Performance Reporting, Operations and Supply Management, etc.) and a capstone in Strategic Management.

ASU has a good overview video describing the online course experience, which is pretty high-tech. For instance, the school maintains the “integrity” of the program via anti-plagiarism software, remote proctoring (so no need to find someone to watch you take a test), and biometric identifiers to ensure people are who they say they are. In addition to all that anti-cheating tech, the courses feature a lot of interactivity among students in “media rich discussions” (i.e., videos, graphics, etc.), searchable transcriptions for lecture videos, and conferencing tools to facilitate easy collaboration. There’s an in-house support staff that works 24/7 to help with technical issues, though the system requirements are pretty simple: a computer and a fast internet connection. Thankfully, course assignments do not require special software.

All of it begins with a mandatory orientation on-campus at Arizona State, where students meet the other remote students who will be their peers over the following 21 months. This being a distance-learning situation, traveling to Tempe, AZ may not be an option for some, who can petition to attend a “virtual orientation.”

Before anyone can meet each other, they have to be admitted to the program, though the prerequisites are pretty standard: a bachelor’s degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA in the last 60 semester hours; letters of recommendation; GMAT/GRE test scores; a current resume; references; a personal statement; official transcripts; and the answers to a pair of short essay questions that provide some personal background.

Earn admission and complete your Master’s, and you’ll be in good company: according to ASU data, its 2018 MBA graduates earned an average salary of $100,303 with an average signing bonus of $16,696. Considering the net cost of the school’s online MBA program is $13,731 per academic year, the degree can pay for itself pretty quickly.

#2. University of Massachusetts – Lowell

Master of Business Administration

The University of Massachusetts at Lowell has a relatively short history within the UMass system, having joined it in 1991. Prior to that, it was known as the University of Lowell and other names stretching back to 1894, when it began as a teaching college called the Lowell Normal School. While the university’s main campus is located about 80 miles southwest in Amherst, Lowell has a good-sized student body (more than 18,000) and, more pertinent to this program, the No. 51 best online MBA program, per U.S. News & World Report.

Like many other schools on this list, marketing is a concentration area within the UMass-Lowell MBA program. There are nine options, including accounting, international business, and IT, and all of them share the same required business courses. Marketing electives provide the specialization in courses like Market Research, Digital Marketing, International Marketing, and four others. Students take up to 16 courses for a total of 42 credits, but 12 of those credits come from “foundations courses” in topics like Financial Accounting, Operations Fundamentals, etc., though the foundations can be waived for people who have completed similar courses with a B or better within the past ten years. After building the foundation, students complete seven courses (21 credits) in core MBA courses such as Corporate Finance, Management Information Systems, Operations Management, and more. Capping it off are three elective courses for nine credits, though not every course is offered each semester.

Coursework is done 100% online via Blackboard, a popular web-learning platform, with no required campus visits—though on-campus resources are available to distance learners. UMass-Lowell has a really helpful FAQ that spells out a lot of details of its program, which a lot of places surprisingly lack. For instance, the school says students will spend eight to 12 hours per week on each course, including the three credit hours of class time. (For reference, part-time online students usually take one or two courses per semester, and the program can be finished in as little as 18 months.) The coursework can be completed at each person’s pace – they don’t need to log into their class a certain day or time, so long as they turn in assignments by the due date. To help make it a little more personal, each course has an optional one-hour Chat Hour every week, where students can interact with each other, their instructor, and review course material. Speaking of other students, class sizes ranges from 20 to 40 of them.

To earn that MBA, students need to maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA, and MBA students are allowed to receive only two grades below a B. (Rack up a third C or lower, and you’ll need to take an additional class and get a B in it.) What about getting into the MBA program? UMass requires the usual stuff: statement of purpose (“highlighting academic and career goals”), three letters of recommendation, official transcripts, GMAT score (which can be waived if applicants have proof of eight or more years of professional/managerial experience), and a resume. At $18,257, UMass’ MBA is a little more than the average cost of the schools on this list, with a clear, easy-to-understand program guide that is not typical for similar programs.

#3. University of Maryland Global Campus

Master of Science in Management with Marketing Specialization

Where most universities offer continuing education and online coursework in addition to their on-campus opportunities, as UMGC puts it, “It’s what we do.” The school’s history goes back to the late 1940s, when it began as the College of Special and Continuation Studies, so it has known no other mission than to educate adults. As such, it was early to the online-learning game, first offering courses via the web in the mid-’90s. Now distance learning is its focus, with more than 80,000 students worldwide.

While marketing management is generally offered as a specialization of a broader advanced business degree, UMGC goes beyond the “Three electives oughta do it” approach of some other programs: First, its degree is an MS in management, not an MBA, so it already has a narrower focus. Second, it offers six marketing-specific courses within its management MS, such as Management, Legal and Ethical Issues (a biggie worth six credits), Consumer Behavior, Brand Management, and others. They’re all part of a program that requires 36 credits for a Master’s: 12 credits in core courses (Organizational Theory and Behavior, Financial Decision Making for Managers, Statistics for Managerial Decision Making), 21 credits in specialization courses, and then three credits for the Strategic Management Capstone. The final project is “an investigation of how strategy interacts with and guides an organization within its internal and external environments,” with a focus on the entire strategic process.

It feels like you need an MBA just to decipher the capstone description, but maybe that’s just all part of the experience. UMGC notes the coursework will have students learning how to prepare a marketing plan for a real-world product or solution; completing a consumer-experience project mindful of ethical marketing; developing a consumer-intervention strategy based on research; and understanding digital-marketing channels and learning how to calculate ROI.

Because UMGC exists to serve continuing education, it keeps its admission requirements approachable: prospective students need only a bachelor’s degree. No GRE or GMAT, no letters of recommendation, personal statements, resumes, or anything like that – just an undergrad degree from an accredited university. That said, the school politely suggests that students lacking recent experience in statistics take Introduction to Research Methods. People who don’t have experience with finance or accounting should check out Introduction to Accounting & Financial Management. And anyone who wants to polish their writing skills will want to take Effective Graduate Writing. None of those courses will count toward a Master’s, but feeling more comfortable in graduate-level classes is its own reward.

The pro-student approach extends to the program cost: $13,672, well below the average and median for the schools on this list. All classes are taken via UMGC’s Learning Experience Online, a.k.a. LEO, a proprietary system created by the university. It has an interactive calendar to track assignments, deadlines, and other course events; easy access to online classrooms from smart devices; an “enhanced progress tool” that shows “where you stand in a class”; and audio and other messaging functions that streamline instructor feedback. As laid back as UMGC is, students need to maintain a 3.0 GPA to graduate, and must complete all of their coursework within five consecutive years. It has to draw the line somewhere!

#4. The University of Texas – Dallas

Master of Science in Marketing

At $9,989 per academic year, the University of Texas at Dallas has at least one thing going for it: affordability. It’s the cheapest option in our top 10 list, and nearly half the average price for schools listed here. (Oklahoma residents and veterans, along with their spouses and dependents, may be eligible for special in-state tuition rates.) It also happens to be ranked No. 7 for Best Online Graduate Business Programs (Excluding MBA) by U.S. News and World Report.

As part of Naveen Jindal School of Management at UTD – named after its most famous alumnus, the industrialist and Indian politician – the online Master of Science in marketing is a 36 credit-hour program that drills deep into its subject. This isn’t an elective specialization tacked onto a broader business degree. It begins with 15 semester credit hours of core courses like Marketing Management and Statistics & Data Management, including a capstone in Marketing Decision Making. The capstone is a simulation where students group up to compete for market share, profits, and stock price in a fictional market. The groups make strategic decisions like production, price, advertising, etc. to compete with other teams for different parts of the marketplace.

Beyond the core courses are 20 available electives. Students need 21 credit hours from them, at least nine of which come from marketing management electives—some with simple names (Pricing) and others more technical (Predictive Analytics Using SAS). The remaining 12 hours can come from a list of non-marketing management electives, such as Spreadsheet Modeling and Analytics (sexy!) and another simple-sounding one (Negotiation). Not all courses are offered every semester, but students can work with the program director to find a workable substitute when necessary. There’s also a one-credit-hour prerequisite Professional Development course that nearly all students within the Jindal School of Management have to take.

All told, the Master of Science in marketing program at UTD requires 36 hours to earn the degree. The coursework involves prerecorded sessions that students access any time that’s convenient— there’s no need to be online at a certain time on a certain day. Most of them also involve online exams, some of which will need to be proctored.

The program begins in the fall, spring, and summer, and UTD gets a little more specific with its admissions requirements: the GMAT or GRE; transcripts, resume with a detailed work history; letter of recommendation; and a personal-objectives statement. Some applicants may be able to skip the GMAT/GRE requirement, if their undergraduate degree is from a school accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Everyone else: plan to take one of those. Although the school doesn’t specify a score to earn admission, it discloses that current averages among admitted students are 600 for the GMAT and 310 for the GRE.

If anyone’s on the fence about whether an MS in marketing is worth the effort, UTD has a career outcomes page that shares data for average salary based on work experience, salary comparison by major, job placement rates, and more. The gist of all of them: yes, the degree is worth it. According to the school’s data, 95% of its graduates had a job six months after graduation, with an average salary of $85,000. A Master’s degree increases salaries by an average of 15%, according to UTD. Those kinds of numbers are enough to nudge anyone off the fence.

#5. University of South Dakota

Master of Business Administration – Marketing Specialization

The University of South Dakota’s Beacom (yes, with an “m”) School of Business has been around since 1927, the same year work began on Mount Rushmore on the other side of the state, some 400 miles from the university’s home in Vermillion. It took 14 years to finish Mount Rushmore, but USD students earning an MBA online should be able to finish in about two, with significantly less rock-blasting required.

Like some other programs on this list, the university offers marketing as a specialization within an MBA, via nine credit hours atop 27 credit hours of core coursework. The core stuff is nine courses, four of which have “managerial” in their name: Managerial Accounting, Managerial Finance, Managerial Marketing, Managerial Economics. We’ll also count Operations Management and Strategic Management, because they’re close enough. Marketing folks take one required class, Advanced Consumer Behavior, then select two more courses from a list of five, such as Data Mining for Managers, Supply Chain Management, and New Product Development. The lesson: don’t come to USD unless you are ready and willing to manage.

Other than that, the admissions requirements are pretty low-key: an undergrad degree with a minimum GPA of 2.7, a “satisfactory” GMAT score (though it doesn’t specify what qualifies as satisfactory), three letters of recommendation (at least one professional), and a foundational curriculum. That’s where USD gets tricky: its MBA program requires 36 credit hours to graduate, but if students lack the foundational coursework, that number jumps to 54. Those are six classes, almost all of whose names begin with “Foundations of…”—accounting, finance, calculus and statistics for business, marketing and organizational behavior, and economics.

These are the entry-level courses designed for people who lack any undergraduate or professional business training; anyone who has completed equivalent courses will be given “advanced standing” and proceed on to the 36 hours of MBA studies. People who have completed some of the basics will have an individualized program of study created for them. What if you don’t have the coursework, but know your stuff? Then put your knowledge to the test via challenge exams, which are available.

Once all of that is figured out, students within the program will find a pretty robust curriculum that examines marketing from several angles, including the factors that contribute to purchasing decisions, the ins and outs of developing and marketing a brand, a detailed examination of the product development process (from conception through prototyping, forecasting demand, production and launch), and exploring data to identify customers, products, and processes.

That’s a lot to cram into nine credit hours of specialized marketing instruction, but MBA programs are designed to pack a lot into a little bit of time. Like other schools, USD doesn’t distinguish between on-campus and online, with distance learners working with the same instructors and same curriculum as their local counterparts. They also have access to a suite of student support services, from IT support to writing assistance and even a personal Library Liaison who can help with research needs. Completing the MBA program at USD will cost $17,354 per academic year, almost a bull’s eye for the median price for programs on this list.

#6. University of North Texas

Master of Business Administration in Marketing

On the top of the homepage for its online MBA in marketing, the University of North Texas has a pretty sweet stock photo from the ’90s of business executives having what looks like a very important business meeting about business. It looks like the kind of high-level discussion open only to senior executives with MBAs, though when the photo was taken, completing coursework online involved a dial-up modem and barebones interactivity.

That’s not the kind of thing UNT students will find today with the school’s online MBA in marketing. Designed to provide “an excellent conceptual foundation and managerial skills,” it ties with the University of North Dakota for No. 31 in Best Online MBA Programs, according to U.S. News and World Report. Getting into the program is pretty typical: a bachelor’s degree; GMAT (520-540) or GRE (153 verbal, 154 quantitative); an updated resume; three letters of recommendation, no older than a year; transcripts; etc. However, if that bachelor’s degree includes a 3.5 or higher GPA, the school waives the GRE/GMAT requirement.

At $12,600, the cost is better than typical, falling significantly below the average and median prices for the programs on our list. Also typical, the 36 credit hours required to earn the MBA, which includes six courses (18 hours), two required marketing courses (six hours), three supporting courses (nine hours), and one elective (three hours). There are also 18 hours of basic “background” courses – Economic Concepts, Management Issues, Marketing Concepts, etc.—that may be required if students don’t have enough undergrad experience. The admissions department assesses the need for any background classes while it evaluates undergraduate transcripts.

The MBA in marketing program kicks in for real with the six core classes, such as Accounting for Management, Financial Management, Marketing Management, and others lacking “management” in their name. The two required courses are Information in Strategic Marketing Decisions and Effective Marketing Planning in Dynamic Environments, then students choose three of four potential supporting courses. Those lean more on broader business concepts, such as logistics and supply-chain management, though Decision Marketing in Global Markets is also an option. The single elective must fall outside of marketing, and the choice of course for that is made in consultation with an advisor.

Speaking of faculty, UNT assures prospective students that their instructors are attentive and reachable, organizing student chats and discussion threads, monitoring their progress, and generally staying on top of things via email. Coursework is completed at the students’ schedule through a combination of the popular distance-learning platforms Canvas and Blackboard, and UNT has a variety of IT support options for students via live chat, trouble tickets, and email, along with phone calls and even walk-in assistance for people who live near Denton, TX. The program rotates through fall, summer, and spring, so new students have several opportunities to begin the MBA in marketing program each year. Get through it, and you too can be an important business executive talking business in a business meeting.

#7. Washington State University

Master of Business Administration in Marketing

Washington State University first began offering online courses in 1992, which qualifies as “prehistoric” in the timeline of internet history. How prehistoric? That was the year someone posted a photo on the internet for the first time. It was the year that saw the phrase “surfing the internet” become a thing, even though most people had no idea what “the internet” was. Anyway, it was a long time ago, which means WSU has had a lot of experience in the world of distance learning.

Unsurprisingly, the school treats its online students the same as the ones who matriculate on campus in Pullman, WA. WSU’s Global Campus features the same curriculum and same instructors, and the school tries to make the experience feel more communal with student engagement activities like live webinars, meet-ups, clubs, etc. For its efforts, WSU earns high rankings in U.S. News and World Report’s overview of online programs, including No. 13 for Best Online MBA Programs.

Marketing is one of four concentrations within the MBA, along with finance, international business, and hospitality business management, anchored by three courses: International Marketing Management, New Product Marketing, and Promotional Management. They build on Marketing Management, one of the nine core courses in the MBA degree. WSU says the marketing concentration allows students to understand consumer behavior and the psychology behind it, analyze and react to consumer trends, grasp the differences between foreign and domestic markets and learn to work with those differences, and more. All of the coursework adds up to 36 credits: 21 core, nine from the marketing concentration, and six more from three capstone courses.

For the final capstone course, students create a business plan, and the two preceding capstone courses prepare them for what they need to deliver—first with a feasibility study, then creating the plan based on the study. The whole shebang can be completed as quickly as 22 to 29 months, according to WSU, but may take longer if your undergraduate and/or professional experience lacks business competencies. In that case, WSU offers a suite of seven foundation courses, providing basics in operations management, business law, marketing, finance, and more. People who earned a bachelor’s degree in business or took equivalent courses with a B average are exempt, but students need to confer with an enrollment advisor to plan their approach.

The coolest part of WSU’s MBA program is an optional field study, where students travel to Finland and Estonia for a weeklong residency—really putting the “distance” in “distance learning.” The idea is the trip gives students a peek into businesses in some of the world’s fastest growing economies, taking “an in-depth look into how digital citizenship affects entrepreneurs” and checking out international tourism strategies.

Also notable for WSU: what defines its admissions approach. The school takes its land-grant mission seriously, so it wants to be open to just about anyone who’s willing to do the work. So it evaluates “the whole of a person’s experiences” when considering admission, with no one thing defining the candidacy of prospective students. They’ll need transcripts, a resume, one letter of recommendation, a statement of purpose, and a GMAT score (which can be waived based on certain criteria). They’ll also need $17,297 per academic year, which is about the median price for schools in our top 10.

#8. Florida Institute of Technology

Master of Business Administration in Marketing

Florida Tech was founded in 1958 to educate professionals working in Florida’s Space Coast, so it may seem like a surprising fit for a marketing concentration in an MBA. But Florida Tech comes in hot with a list of things students will learn in its program: how to identify marketing opportunities and develop successful strategies; how to position a brand and build equity; how to use statistical and economic data to identify and manage risk; how to integrate financial, personnel, operations, and marketing initiatives; and more.

The MBA program offers a mix of “core business fundamentals with an in-depth knowledge of marketing strategies, consumer behavior, market research, multinational business policy, product management, and legal responsibility.” That comes from 36 credits of study, 21 from core courses, 12 from marketing specialization courses, and a three-credit capstone. Included with the core coursework—featuring classes like Managerial Economics, Managerial Accounting, Essentials of Business Development 1 and 2—are two general electives, chosen based on the student’s goals and interests. The marketing specialization curriculum comes from four courses: Strategic Marketing, International Business, Consumer Behavior Strategies, and Advanced Market Research. The capstone, which rules dictate must be taken the final semester before graduation, uses real-world examples and simulations to provide a practical grounding in what could easily get lost in hypotheticals.

The whole process takes two years to complete, with the 12 courses in the program running eight weeks apiece. Getting into the program is a surprisingly simple process: Florida Tech handles the transcripts once you submit a request form, there’s no GRE or GMAT requirement, no letters of recommendation or resume, and no application fee. Florida Tech is the only school on this list that doesn’t charge one, but maybe it’s included in the overall price, because Florida Tech doesn’t come cheap: $34,139, nearly double the median price for this list and a whole lot more than the average.

While that is a lot of money, especially for a degree earned exclusively online, the school tries to make the money count. When students are accepted into the program, they work with student representatives that help them prepare, from answering questions about the online learning process, to assisting with class registration and ordering textbooks. Students interact with classmates and their instructors via discussion boards, email, and chats.

The courses themselves take a variety of formats, with a lot of video and interactive media. The asynchronous setup means students don’t have to be at a certain place at a certain time to do their work – they learn on their own time, while minding the due dates for assignments. How much time students spend on each class every week varies; instructors will provide all the requirements when classes begin. As coursework winds down, students can work with Florida Tech’s Career Management Services to assist with writing a good resume and looking for a job.

#9. University of Cincinnati

Master of Business Administration

On its website, the University of Cincinnati lists 11 “firsts” associated with the school from the first oral polio vaccine (by U. of C. researcher Albert Sabin), to the “first safe anti-knock gasoline” (take that, creators of the first dangerous anti-knock gasoline), to the spiritual ancestor of online learning, the first degree program offered via satellite. These days, online learning remains a focus at U. of C., with the school racking up five top 20 spots for online learning rankings by U.S. News and World Report and, pertinent to this degree, No. 66 for Best Online MBA Programs.

Like so many other schools, Cincinnati offers marketing as a concentration area within an MBA. Students take 26 credit hours of program courses and up to six electives (for 12 credit hours) in marketing. The curriculum offers eight courses in marketing, including Marketing for Managers, Systematic Innovation Tools, Buyer Behavior, New Product Development, and others. All of it concludes with a capstone project, where students “demonstrate competency in applying both the strategy and functional course concepts and tools in an integrative experience,” though what exactly that means isn’t clear.

The MBA program itself requires 38 credit hours, though the coursework can jump to 48 credit hours if students need to take 10 hours of business foundations courses. Those can be waived if they have “demonstrated previous undergraduate coursework,” which an enrollment advisor can verify. Speaking of enrollment, it’s the usual stuff: a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a B grade average, GMAT/GRE scores or a waiver (earned via professional experience and having another degree or CPA certification), resume, goal statement, letters of recommendation, and transcripts.

Like Washington State University above, the University of Cincinnati assesses admissions “in a holistic manner,” such as “academic and professional achievement, strong communication skills, and a proven track record of leadership.” Applicants who don’t quite clear all of the hurdles may still earn conditional admittance. Once in, the program can be completed in only one year, though probably longer if foundational courses are involved. Expect to spend $20,085 per academic year, which in this case may just be one.

Coursework is completed via Blackboard, and the university offers several tutorials online to understand how the process works. There are also videos providing general guidance on topics like instructor expectations, time management, distance learning myths, and that annoying portmanteau, netiquette. Online students also have a variety of library resources at their fingertips, including librarians specializing in certain subjects, specialized guides—the business one has 73 different topics—and instructions on finding scholarly and peer-reviewed articles. The university also offers Enrollment Services Advisors and Student Success Coordinators to assist with admissions and course selection, respectively, in what U. of C. calls “start-to-graduation support.”

#10. Golden Gate University

Master of Science in Marketing

Where many programs on this list limit their marketing curriculum to a concentration within a broader degree, San Francisco’s Golden Gate University offers discrete marketing concentrations within its MS in marketing. The whole degree is geared toward marketing, with three specialty areas within it: digital marketing, marketing analytics, and a bespoke “individualized concentration” created by the student and advisor, perhaps in brand management, PR, or integrated marketing communications, as the school suggests.

The point is that Golden Gate University devotes all of the attention in its program to marketing itself, and for a field as vast and nuanced as marketing, that’s a good thing. The school also keeps admission requirements minimal: Prospective students need a bachelor’s degree and the right skills—beyond the proficiency basics, they also need the “quantitative, writing, and computing skills” and “academic and professional capability” to hack it on the graduate level.

What are the proficiency basics? Golden Gate lists three areas: business, math, and writing. The business one requires knowledge of U.S. business practices, math needs a skill level commensurate with GGU’s Intermediate Algebra course, and the writing one requires a Graduate Writing Placement Exam. In it, students have to read an article and write a multi-paragraph response. Students with a high GRE or GMAT score can earn a waiver for the test, though.

The program itself requires 39 units to graduate: nine from foundation (Fundamentals of Business, Professional Skills for Business, Data Analysis for Managers), 18 from core courses (Marketing Management, Consumer Behavior, Digital Marketing & eCommerce, etc.), and 12 from a concentration (six from concentration classes, six from electives). The program ends with a Marketing Strategy & Planning capstone, a research course that uses case studies for planning long-range market development. GGU’s program really shines in the concentrations, though. Digital marketing is a good one, as the website notes, because it’s “one of the fastest growing areas of marketing globally.”

The curriculum, based on two of three possible courses, studies search engine marketing, web and social network analytics, social media marketing, and e-commerce. Marketing analytics dives deeper into the data with its two classes: Advanced Statistical Analysis with R & Python, and Web & Social Network Analytics. What goes into the individualized concentration depends on the student’s interests and career goals, but it offers a way to further specialize their MS for maximum impact after graduation.

Whatever track students take, they can expect to have at least eight learning outcomes, which GGU outlines on its site, including obtaining and applying insights into consumer behavior, using research for marketing purposes, demonstrating analytical and problem-solving skills for making marketing decisions, and much more. The school has 19 faculty members devoted to marketing and public relations, so students draw from a wealth of experience during their studies. Because this is a fairly new program for GGU, we don’t have enough information to calculate a net cost for it, so we’ll stick to the basic tuition number: $18,900, which is about $1,000 more than the average and median cost for programs on this list.

OTHER NOTABLE PROGRAMS

#11. University of Saint Mary

Location: Leavenworth, KS

Degree: Master of Business Administration – Marketing and Advertising Concentration

Net Price: $20,558

Website

#12. University of Massachusetts – Amherst

Location: Amherst, MA

Degree: Master of Business Administration – Marketing Concentration

Net Price: $21,740

Website

#13. Wichita State University

Location: Wichita, KS

Degree: Master of Business Administration – Marketing

Net Price: $14,256

Website

#14. Saint Joseph’s University

Location: Philadelphia

Degree: Master of Science in Marketing

Net Price: $35,344

Website

#15. Bellevue University

Location: Bellevue, NE

Degree: Master of Science in Strategic Marketing

Net Price: $9,635

Website

#16. LaSalle University

Location: Philadelphia

Degree: Master of Business Administration, Marketing Specialization Online

Net Price: $24,473

Website

#17. West Virginia University

Location: Morgantown, WV

Degree: Master of Science in Data Marketing Communications

Net Price: $12,181

Website

#18. University of North Carolina

Location: Chapel Hill, NC

Degree: Master of Business Administration, Marketing concentration

Net Price: $11,649

Website

#19. St. Bonaventure University

Location: Bonaventure, NY

Degree: Master of Business Administration

Net Price: $21,613

Website

#20. Saint Leo University

Location: Saint Leo, FL

Degree: Master of Business Administration – Marketing

Net Price: $20,036

Website

IF YOU ENJOYED THAT THEN CHECK OUT OUR ARTICLE ON EARNING AN ONLINE MBA (EVEN WITHOUT A BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN BUSINESS).

COMMON APPLICATION AND ADMISSION QUESTIONS

Teaching demands a higher level of commitment than many other professions. Those teachers who are ready to take their careers to the next level through a graduate degree program–like from our list of the best Master’s programs in Secondary Education–must be ready to devote themselves fully to the rigors of study and assessed teaching practice. 

As you know, every higher education institution has different admission standards, and so does each individual department and program. Because they are so challenging, graduate programs usually have a very high bar for admittance and competition can be stiff. That’s why it pays to spend ample time on your application. You must not only make sure everything sufficiently meets minimum program entry criteria, but also submit a package that makes the department stand up and take notice! 

Many students like to draft up three columns to write their options in—their dream schools, good chance schools, and safety schools. A safety school is one you’re almost certain to be accepted, whereas a good chance school is one you might prefer but has tougher standards. Those dream schools are the ones you’d love to attend but may be long shots. 

We encourage you to apply for all the programs you’re both interested and qualified for! Our list of Best Master’s Programs in Secondary Education consists of schools which are highly ranked and recognized as leaders in the education field. Some have more stringent requirements than others, and it’s imperative to review all prerequisites and other requirements very carefully. Pay special attention to any listed minimum GPA or test scores. 

There are other critical factors to watch out for, too. If the program asks for a letter of recommendation or resume, read their notes telling you what type of information they want to see on these documents, because they are not always the same. If you’re applying to different programs, odds are you may need to customize your letters and resume for each one. If that’s the case, it can be helpful to let your letter writers know about this in advance. In some cases, it can also be useful to draft sample letters for them, which they can then edit and add to as they wish. 

Perhaps the one document which needs the most custom tailoring is your statement of purpose. A resume or letter of recommendation speaks primarily about your past, whereas the statement of purpose is geared towards how you plan to succeed in—and contribute to—each specific program you’re applying to. You’ll want your statement to match up with what they’re looking for. 

It is beneficial to have colleagues look over your application materials. In fact, finances-permitting, it never hurts to hire a professional editor to review your resume and statement of purpose to catch errors and suggest ways to make them even more compelling! 

International prospects should take note of English language proficiency requirements, and keep in mind that certain programs deal with diverse linguistic environments. All applicants should be fully prepared to handle the academic workload of the programs they’re applying for. Sometimes students focus so much on getting accepted that they don’t recognize the full scope of what they’re getting into! Most programs are clear about the time-commitments needed to be successful, but if not, we suggest contacting a department advisor. 

See Also: 10 Best Master’s in Industrial Engineering 

WHAT ABOUT FINANCIAL AID & SCHOLARSHIPS?

Graduate degrees often lead to higher salaries but paying for those degrees is an obstacle for many students. Many teaching programs have such hefty time requirements that students can’t work during the programs. When your income is put on hold, this can obviously make funding even more difficult!

Student loans and need-based grants are offered through Federal Student Aid. They have a handy Financial Aid for Graduate or Professional Students brochure outlining the various programs offered, and their Who Gets Aid page list many of the specific eligibility requirements. 

The most crucial aspect of applying for any funding is to meet deadlines! It can help to create a tracker of some kind, using a notebook or spreadsheet, so you never miss a cutoff date. The Federal Student Aid site also has a handy Graduate School Preparation Checklist which lets you check off your “To Do” items.  

Graduate students may qualify for unsubsidized federal loans of up to $20,500. But before going that route, we recommend seeing what grants are out there before borrowing money, since grants don’t have to be repaid. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) site let’s prospective grad students apply for the options they’re eligible for and the schools they’re interested in applying to. After the FAFSA is submitted, a Student Aid Report (SAR) is sent to you showing your Expected Family Contribution, if applicable. Look this over and contact them immediately if you spot an error. 

All information is also sent directly to the prospective schools you listed, and they should assemble financial aid packages on your behalf for any federal aid you qualify for. Do not take this for granted! Call their financial aid offices and speak to them directly, to verify they received your information and to ask questions about any further actions you may need to take. Financial aid officers are beehives of activity, so be patient but persistent and proactive. Always take notes on who you spoke with and what they said. When possible, emails can sometimes be better, since there is a trail of communication and you may have a chance to work with the same individual, versus having to reintroduce yourself and your situation every time. 

It is recommended to ask about school-administered Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG), as well. Every little bit helps! 

Federal Student Aid Pell Grants are mainly for undergraduate students, but there are Fulbright Grants, TEACH Grants, and Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants available. 

Most universities have dedicated pages outlining college-based financial aid options. And, specific for teachers, there are numerous scholarship opportunities offered by individual states and organizations, such as: 

• Funds for Teachers
• The Harry Passow Classroom Teacher Scholarship
• The Maley/FTEE Scholarship
• The Mathematics Study & Professionalism Grants for Teachers Grade PreK-6
• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award
• James Madison Memorial Foundation
• Knowles Science Teaching Foundation
• Teacher Professional Development Grants Grades 6-8
• ITEEA/FTEE Scholarships
• The NEA Foundation

Veterans and their eligible dependents can take advantage of their GI Bill to pay for college, and should contact their prospective school’s Veterans Affairs benefits program manager for assistance. If the university is part of the federal Yellow Ribbon Program, there could be zero out-of-pocket expenses for those on the Post 9/11 GI Bill!  

HOW MUCH CAN I MAKE WITH A MASTER’S IN EDUCATION? 

Now that we’ve looked at how to pay for going back to college, let’s consider how much it pays to go back to college! Not all degree paths will lead graduates to the exact same careers, naturally, so there is going to be a wide range of income opportunities to students who complete a Master’s in Education. We can gain some insights on average salaries from sources such as Glassdoor, which bases their figures on reported data: 

Per Glassdoor, the average salary reported by K-12 teachers is $40,795 per year, with a high end reported as $49,000. A Virtual Teacher may earn an average of $39,607 a year, up to $47,000. Special Education Teachers report an average income of $39,459 a year, up to $44,000, and Language Teachers reported $61,015, up to $80,000. 

PayScale establishes a salary range of $34,000 to $75,000 for secondary school teachers, based on 1,273 reportings. 

Again, these numbers represent reported salaries and do not breakout teachers holding advanced degrees, but it may be assumed that such teachers will earn within the higher end of the brackets. Salaries will greatly depend on the state and district where graduates work, since geographic location is a huge factor impacting salaries. Other factors include years of experience and the scope of responsibility and specific duties. 

The Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is another great resource for examining salary and other employment-related metrics. Their online Occupational Outlook Handbook listings for High School teachers states that the 2018 Median Pay is $60,320 per year, but this is with a bachelor’s degree. Per BLS, the highest paid 10% made over $97,500. Interestingly, it also notes that local secondary schools earned an average of $61,040, whereas private schools paid an average of $54,150. 

In 2018, there were 1,072,500 High School teachers, and BLS predicts a 4% job growth, which is roughly the same as the average for all other careers. However, they also note that teachers qualified in math, science, English as a second language, and special education will be in higher demand than others. 

The highest number of employees were in the states of California, Texas, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The highest concentration of employees were in Missouri, Ohio, Maine, Arkansas, and Connecticut. New York and California teachers had the highest salaries, with averages of $85,300 and $80,510, respectively.

In 2018, there were 615,700 Middle School teachers, and they earned a Median Pay of $58,600 per year. The job outlook for this area is 3% growth through 2028. The highest number of employees were in the states of Texas, California, New York, Ohio, and Florida. The highest concentration of employees were in West Virginia, New Jersey, Ohio, Delaware, and Maine. New York Middle School teachers earned the most, at $83,490, followed by Massachusetts at $79,030 a year. 

The BLS Occupational Employment Statistics pages for each category feature specifics on state and metropolitan area profiles, employment numbers, and annual mean wages.

NOTABLE STATISTICS

A University of Pennsylvania study “Teachers Have It Easy: The Big Sacrifices and Small Salaries of America’s Teachers” revealed that 33% of teachers quit their job within three years. The rate goes up to 46% within the first five years. 

According to the Chicago Tribune, surveys showed that the military and teachers contribute the most to society’s well-being.

The pay gap between genders was once essentially bragged about, when the Littleton School Committee in Massachusetts proclaimed it was “poor policy to pay a man” to be a teacher when women were not only better at it but worked at “one third of the price.” Granted, this was back in 1849, but still!

Teachers across the nation continue to pay out of pocket for classroom supplies which are necessary but not funded by their respective schools. As one middle school teacher in New York noted to Business Insider, they paid “at least $500 to $1000 on supplies.” 

NeaToday noted that 94% of teachers used their own money, with an average of $479 spent per year for supplies. 

In terms of demographics, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the number of female public school teachers has increased from 75% in 2000 to 77% by 2016, and the number of White teachers dropped from 84% to 80% percent, while the number of Black teachers also dropped from 8% to 7%. Hispanic teachers increased from 6% to 9%. 

During the same period, the number of teachers with a post baccalaureate degree rose from 47% to 57%, showing a significant trend in advanced degree attainment.

Pupil/teacher ratios since 2008 have increased at public schools and were at 16.0 as of 2015. The private school ratio was 11.9 in that year. The average public secondary school class size in 2012 was 26.8 pupils.

There are many misconceptions about teachers, including working hours. When classes let out, this is not the end of the workday! Most teachers come early to prepare, work late, and take assignments home for grading. 

Per NECS, the average teacher in a public school has 14 years of experience and works ~53 hours a week. 

55% of teachers said they were unsatisfied with their salaries. Teachers in unions or education associations were significantly more likely to be satisfied.

During an interview with NPR, Linda Darling-Hammond, the president of the Learning Policy Institute, discussed the institute’s report which noted that half of all schools and 90% of high-poverty schools struggle to find qualified special education teachers. 

Darling-Hammond further noted that, “…1 in 5 teachers in high-minority schools and high-poverty schools is unprepared for teaching.”

Corporal punishment in schools is prohibited in most states, but still legal in 19 of them. 

Now that your mind is filled with notable statistics and trivia related to the world of education, and you’ve reviewed the application tips, notes on funding, and employment stats, it’s time to move on. So get out those notebooks and prepare to dive into our list of the Best Master’s Programs in Secondary Education in the nation! 

OUR RANKING CRITERIA 

We have a time-tested four-part formula designed for ranking the best colleges in the nation that we’d love to share with you. We prioritize four major factors: Earnings Potential, Affordability, Student Satisfaction, and Selectivity. Reliable research and well-harvested data are the main ingredients in our recipe for success. We don’t make recommendations based on personal opinions, or financial incentives. Our revenue and content are completely separate, and sponsored schools have no impact on our rankings. The only way to make it onto one of our lists is to have an incredible academic program! 

WHAT ARE THE BEST MASTER’S PROGRAMS IN SECONDARY EDUCATION?

We know that you have educational goals that you’re itching to pursue, but you may not know where to start. The editors of Master’s Programs Guide utilize a unique ranking methodology based on the following three aspects:

40% Potential Salary After Graduation: Average mid-career salary of school alumni 

30% Institutional Accreditation: Regional and National Accreditation for the 2019-2020 school year 

30% Overall Degree Affordability: Average cost of undergraduate and graduate tuition per school

At Master’s Programs Guide, we strive to do our best to guide you and your family toward a fruitful academic career. The pursuit of knowledge is a noble one, and we want to help you reach your goals. For questions, comments, badge downloads, or data corrections, please feel free to reach out to us at editor@collegerank.net.

#1. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE

MASTER OF ARTS IN TEACHING IN ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

A relatively new member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, the University of California, Irvine, offers a dynamic and practical Master of Arts in Teaching in elementary and secondary education (M.A.T.) via their School of Education. With an emphasis on “Learning to Learn from Teaching,” grad students in UCI’s program explore exactly how their teaching methods can affect their own future K-12 students in the classroom. 

The 14-month M.A.T. can be completed with either a Single Subject Credential, for those wishing to teach math, social science, English, science, or art at the middle/high school level; or a Multiple Subject Credential, which preps candidates to teach across the range of elementary subject areas. 

Per the M.A.T. program’s homepage, applicants must complete certain steps before admission, to include: passing the California Basic Educational Skills Test, passing California Subject Matter Tests or a subject-matter preparation program in the content area, and obtaining a valid California-issued Certificate of Clearance or Substitute Teaching Permit. Lastly, applicants must have proof of a recent, negative tuberculosis (TB) test result.

The Program of Study offers options for Single or Multiple Subject Credentials. It doesn’t lay out the exact course load per quarter but does list a breakout of courses held. All classes must be passed with a grade of at least a B. 

An example of the dozens of course offerings throughout the academic year include: 

• Children’s Sense Making in Science
• Outcomes of Schooling/Student Assessment
• Culture, Diversity, and Educational Equity
• Teaching Physical and Health Education in Elementary School

• Curriculum and Methods for Elementary School Reading

• Teaching the Visual and Performing Arts in Elementary School
• Supervised Teaching in Bilingual Education, Elementary

UCI’s General Catalogue features full descriptions of each course. 

After coursework is finished, students must pass a comprehensive exam in their second Summer quarter, via EDUC 248 Understanding Teacher Agency. 

For students in the Multiple Subject option – during the first quarter of student teaching, they must complete full days, four times a week. During the second quarter, they’ll do five days a week. Single Subject candidates teach five days a week for the duration of a public school semester. 

To qualify for student teaching, candidates will be assessed by the quality of their academic output, professional conduct, and potential for success. Those unable to advance to student teaching will be considered for removal from the M.A.T. program.

To acquire a California Credential, candidates must also demonstrate knowledge of the U.S. Constitution, hold a CPR certificate, and pass a Teaching Performance Assessment. Once the basic credential is obtained, students can add more teaching authorizations later. 

Admissions requirements for UCI’s rigorous M.A.T. program include submission of the following: 

• official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions
• a bachelor’s degree and a minimum GPA of 3.0 (see notes on the program’s page for important details)
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores
• statement of purpose
• three letters of recommendation showing ability to pursue graduate-level studies, ability to work with children, and fitness for the teaching environment

At the University of California, Irvine, students have ample opportunity to decompress after putting in a hard day of student and teaching. The Claire Trevor School of the Arts offers an abundance of art, music, theater, and dance options to partake in. 

There’s also a wide range of men and women’s athletics programs, including basketball, baseball, volleyball, water polo, track and field, tennis, soccer, and more! UCI prides itself in strong alumni networks as well, including the Anteater Network and Student Alumni Association. 

#2. UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN – PLATTEVILLE

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN EDUCATION 

The University of Wisconsin in historic Platteville is a comprehensive university belonging to one of the country’s largest public education systems! By combining a small college town atmosphere with the financial resources of a renowned educational behemoth, UW-Platteville can stand truly unique among peers as an educational leader!

Their Master of Science in Education gives students the foundation necessary to craft practical lessons while learning how to engage in diverse school environments using modern instructional methods. Students also dive into research methodology as well as practicing leadership and mentoring. 

With small student/faculty ratio averages—20:1—learners are given the individualized attention they need to succeed as they progress through the milestones of the program. Courses can be taken in the evenings, on weekends, and over the summer, allowing for maximum flexibility for those with hectic schedules. 

Degrees may be customized to the desires and career goals of every student through three area focuses: 

• K-12 
• Adult education
• Counseling

The first option, K-12, focuses on the development of skills in research, instruction, and leadership for those planning to teach at elementary, middle, or high schools. This emphasis can lead to licensure in categories such as educational administration, reading, or cross-categorical special ed.

The second choice is adult education, which homes in on abilities such as designing, delivering, and assessing adult learning programs. 

Finally, students selecting the counseling focus area can learn about jobs within the realm of mental health diagnosis and treatment, substance abuse, and human services. This option is approved through the Department of Safety and Professional Services for the Substance Abuse Counselor-In-Training program. 

Applicants interested in any of the above options must submit a request for more information directly to UW-Platteville to receive full details about the degree program. For admissions, applicants must send in transcripts showing a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, with a minimum GPA of 2.75. International degrees are considered on a case-by-case basis. No more than twelve transfer credits with a grade of B- or higher will be considered. 

Campus life at UW-Platteville is lively, with over 80 annual events and 200 clubs and organizations. The school is also home to 16 NCAA Division III sports and the Pioneer Activity Center. 

Under the Division of Diversity and Inclusion are several offices dedicated to ensuring students from all walks of life are well taken care of. These include the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, International Programs section, Student Support Services, Services for Students with Disabilities, the Wright Center for Non-Traditional and Veteran Students, and the Doyle Center for Gender and Sexuality. And with an alumni network of over 44,000 Platteville Pioneer spread out around the nation, the school keeps up strong ties with students long after graduation. 

Always highly ranked across the spectrum, one of UW-Platteville’s proudest claims to fame is its No. 1 in the state ranking for best Return On Investment. It also comes in at an impressive No. 24 in Top Public Schools on U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings for 2020! 

#3. ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY

MASTER OF EDUCATION IN SECONDARY EDUCATION

As the No. 1 school in innovation rankings from U.S. News & World Report, ASU continues to set the pace for others to follow! So what better place to learn about innovative educational techniques than here? 

Students ready to tackle an advanced degree to boost their teaching careers should strongly consider ASU’s Master of Education in secondary education (MEd). Taught by the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, the program is for individuals who want to teach in Grades 6-12, and is offered at ASU’s downtown Phoenix campus, Polytechnic campus, Tempe campus, and West campus. 

The program ties theory together with hands-on practice, allowing students to build a rock-solid foundation in teaching and content knowledge, learned from ASU’s expert faculty. Grad students should expect to complete diligent research via a culminating action research applied project, as well as finish clinical experiences and/or field placements which help develop a thorough grasp of how to take what they’ve learned and apply it in actual school settings.

The MEd in secondary education offers a teacher certification through one of three formats to select from:

• Master’s and Arizona Certification – the traditional format, where students attend class twice a week at night and finish field experiences once a week for two semesters, plus a full-time teaching experience in their last semester.
• Induction, Master’s and Arizona Certification – for students working on a teaching intern certificate and who have a full-time teaching job. Students will take classes once a week in this option, while enrolled in apprentice teaching coursework.
• Robert Noyce Teacher Scholars program – for U.S. residents holding a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) degree and wanting to teach middle school math or science. 

ASU’s MEd degree requires 33 credit hours in total, including:

• 18 credit hours of required core classes
  • RDG 507 – Content Area Literacy 
  • SED 501 – Introduction to Effective Instruction
  • SED 522 – Secondary School Curriculum Development 
  • SED 544 – Creating Classroom Climates 
  • SPE 555 – Inclusive Practices for Diverse Learners 
  • TEL 505 – American Educational Policy 
• 12 credit hours in the students’ chosen track (students are requested to contact the department for a full list of track course options)
• Culminating Experience of three credit hours, during which time students work with their instructor to develop an action research cycle and to evaluate educational research related to a problem
• SED 593 – Applied Project (three credit hours)

The Program Handbook offers details regarding program of study specifics, as well as details related to the individual campus offerings since the degree is offered in more than one location. 

Many engineering students take advantage of ASU’s accelerated program, which lets students work on a bachelor’s and Master’s at the same time through any of the following ASU engineering degree plans: Automotive Systems, Electrical Systems, Humanitarian Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Systems, or Robotics.

To apply for admission to ASU’s MEd, students need to submit:

• official transcripts showing a bachelor’s or Master’s degree in any field, from an accredited institution
• minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA in the last 60 hours of undergraduate work or 3.00 cumulative GPA in a Master’s (if applicable)
• three letters of recommendation from individuals who can explain the applicant’s potential for success 
• a personal statement outlining the student’s reason for applying
• a resume
• proof of English proficiency, for students whose native language isn’t English 
• no GRE scores required

Renowned as one of the top 100 universities in the world for research and teaching by Times Higher Education, ASU has been dubbed as their “New American University” for good reason. Apply and find out why!

#4. UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN – ​MADISON

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION

If you’re passionate about diversity and learning and ready to effect real change as a teacher, then you’ve got something in common with the UW-Madison’s Master of Science in curriculum & instruction program! 

Graduates of this secondary education degree program will be certified in one subject area plus teaching English as a second language (ESL). This dual certification degree was crafted so graduates can go out and make the world a better place. By gaining skills and tools to become savvy classroom and community leaders, students will be ready for the challenges ahead in their future careers! 

The coursework is combined with amble community and classroom fieldwork, which necessitates full commitment over the course of an academic year plus two summer periods. As such, the school advises on their FAQ page that students pursuing the degree will likely not have time to work full-time while fulfilling the necessary, time-intensive program requirements. 

The four subject areas offered in the UW-Madison MS program are: 

• English
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social Studies

Please visit the pages associated with the subject areas you’re interested in, to review the prerequisites, as well as pertinent, teaching related certification topics. These pages also state the unique criteria which UW-Madison’s School of Education uses to assess each application. 

For example, one assessment question is, “Does the applicant show a genuine commitment to working with all children, not just the privileged or highly motivated?”

Sample course topics within the program include: Inclusive Education in Secondary Schools, Learning Second Languages and Literacy, Professional Launch Workshops, Digital Media & Instructional Technology, Legal Rights and Responsibilities, and Adolescent Development in Educational Contexts, among others. 

New MS students are only admitted during Summer term. The general Grad School application process involves submitting: 

• Transcripts showing proof of a relevant undergraduate degree (note, the relevance of the degree depends on which of the above subject areas the candidate selects to pursue. For example: for the science area, students should possess a degree in biology or a life science-related major, environmental science, geology, chemistry, physics, engineering, etc.)
• GRE scores (waived if GPA is 3.0 or more on the last 60 credits of undergrad work)
• A one-page statement of purpose 
• A Resume/CV citing academic and professional experience
• Two, but up to three, letters of recommendation 
• For international applicants, submission of TOEFL score 92/120, plus proof of funding

Note, UW-Madison’s program is highly competitive and offers in-depth specifications related to each of the above on the Applications Requirements page. The information is extensive, so we encourage you to review everything in detail. 

The 936-acre campus enjoys the spectrum of four seasons, with an abundance of indoor and outdoor opportunities for students to keep busy. The school, founded in 1848, has had 41 Pulitzer Prize winners and receives a truly breathtaking $1.2 billion a year for research expenditures. Both the school and town of Madison receive top reviews from students who love the area. In 2018, UW-Madison was the top producer of Peace Corps volunteers, and holds the No. 13 in Top Public Schools for 2020, per U.S. News & World Report. 

#5. UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI

MASTER OF EDUCATION IN EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION (ELEMENTARY EDUCATION)

The University of Southern Mississippi, also known as Southern Miss, was founded in 1910 as a teacher training institution and has been a leader in that arena ever since! To help spread their reach, the school’s College of Education and Human Sciences has created an entirely online Master of Education in educational curriculum and instruction (elementary education). This part-time, 30-credit hour program is made to be finished in just three short semesters, allowing for an expeditious path to an advanced degree while also offering the flexibility needed for working students. 

To be admitted into the Southern Miss M.Ed. program, applicants should hold both a degree in elementary education and a current elementary education teaching license.

Students work with faculty and other students on action research projects which will benefit local classrooms and school districts in the state. Topics covered in the curriculum include learning about trends and policies in education, disciplinary and transdisciplinary knowledge, advanced practices, and enhanced communication techniques which improve relations with coworkers, parents, administrators, and even the media. 

Graduates leave well-equipped with the skills and experiences to succeed in teaching across a range of educational situations. Listed career options for holders of this degree include AA licensed teacher, teacher leader, and literacy coordinator/coach. 

The Southern Miss M.Ed. meets state requirements for advanced licensure and provides an optional endorsement in gifted education. Out-of-state licensure inquiries may be sent using the school’s Professional Licensure Form.

Courses necessary to complete the degree include: 

• CIE 606 – Teaching Language Arts in the Elementary Grades 
• CIE 691 – Research in Reading (up to 16 hours)
• CIE 724 – Elementary Mathematics Methods 
• CIE 725 – Social Studies Education in Elementary School 
• CIE 728 – Curriculum in the Elementary School 
• CIE 776 – Seminar in Early Childhood Education
• Plus twelve hours of advisor-approved electives 

To be considered for admission, students must submit the following: 

• Proof of a bachelor’s degree with a minimum 3.00 GPA for the last 60 hours of undergraduate work
• GRE or Praxis II Subject Assessment Examination scores
• Three letters of recommendation from education professionals able to assess the applicant’s suitability
• A statement of purpose outlining professional experience and goals
• A resume/CV
• Copy of current educator license (those without this license may be considered for admission on a conditional basis)

The General Academic Information for all Graduate Students page outlines the various criteria for staying in good standing, including the continuous enrollment policies, the minimum 3.0 GPA requirement for courses, integrity assurance training, the grading system, transfer credit policy, and several other useful tips relevant to Southern Miss grad students. 

Online students have access to several resources for online learners, including a full range of academic services, technical support with the Canvas learning platform, financial aid, and assistance with licensure, admissions, and class enrollment. Southern Miss has a proud alumni association, with amble career services and opportunities to connect with peers. 

The school is also home to the Golden Eagles and competes in 17 different Division I sports, and has been granted the prestigious status of being a Carnegie R1 research institution, meaning they have some of the highest research activity. That’s one more reason why the school lives up to its motto: “Southern Miss to the Top!”

#6. UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

MASTER OF ARTS IN STEM EDUCATION

The University of Texas at Austin’s College of Education has been a forward-thinking leader in the field since 1891. With a motto to “Reimagine Education,” the college is greatly invested in the pursuit of equality and the elimination of educational disparities as they seek to determine unique individual needs and build upon existing strengths. 

Their Master of Arts in STEM education (which also comes in a Master of Education option) offers students a chance to explore STEM education from an academic research angle, working alongside faculty to investigate current issues in the field. Students can select to do a 36-credit hour thesis option or 33-credit hour non-thesis option. 

The general course breakdown includes twelve hours of core courses, nine hours of STEM-specific courses, six hours of research methodology, and three to six hours of supporting courses, depending on if the student is doing a six-hour thesis or not. 

Core courses are: 

• STM 385 – Knowing and Learning in STEM Education
• STM 386 – Curriculum History in STEM Education

Plus two classes from below: 

• STM 390-1 – Equity in STEM Education
• STM 390-2 – Research on Teaching and Teacher Development in STEM Education
• STM 390-3 – Systemic Reform in STEM Education
• STM 390T – Advanced Topics in STEM Education 

STEM classes must be taken at the upper division undergraduate or graduate level. Research methodology classes will cover design or quantitative/qualitative research, as approved by an advisor. The supporting classes are meant to both broaden and deepen understanding of work being done. The thesis, if selected, covers two semesters and will be completed in accordance with the school’s Format Guidelines. 

Students can view a sample Plan of Study with Thesis or Plan of Study, Non-Thesis online. 

As mentioned, a Master of Education option is available. To qualify, students must be certified to teach at the elementary or secondary level.

Admission requirements for UT Austin’s graduate program are:

• A bachelor’s degree
• Transcripts showing a minimum 3.0 GPA during the last two years of undergraduate work (note: teaching experience may be considered if GPA is less than 3.0). 
• GRE scores
• A statement of purpose between one to three pages, discussing applicant’s current roles, desired area of specialization, and future goals 
• A resume/CV
• Three letters of reference
• International students will submit TOEFL scores showing at least 79 on the Internet-based test (iBT), or IELTS scores with an overall band of 6.5 on the Academic Examination. There may also be a brief, no-cost English language evaluation 

UT Austin’s College of Education currently has 969 graduate students and is ranked No. 13 on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Graduate Education Schools list for 2020. It’s also No. 4 in their Curriculum and Instruction rankings for public schools! 

The diverse faculty department is filled to the brim with numerous fellowship recipients and prestigious award winners. And as for the University of Texas at Austin itself? The home of the Longhorns is cited as the No. 7 Best U.S. Public College by Business First (2019) and was Kiplinger’s No. 8 Best Value Public Colleges in 2018. There’s always something big happening at UT Texas!

#7. INDIANA UNIVERSITY BLOOMINGTON

MASTER OF EDUCATION IN ELEMENTARY EDUCATION

At 200 years old, Indiana University is doing better than ever! With over 94,000 students, including 8,500 international students, the institution is one of the most welcoming in the country, with over a 79% admissions rate! But hospitality isn’t its only special feature. IU stays on the cutting-edge of innovation, hauling in an eye-popping $604 million in external funding for research and other activities in 2018 alone. 

IU’s promise is to contribute towards the goal of building a brighter future for all. One of the leading ways it works towards that goal is through teacher education. The IU campus at Bloomington is host to several graduate programs in the field, including a Master of Education in elementary education (early childhood education track). Offered by the School of Education, this is currently a 36-credit hour, in-residence program for those with a teaching license in the same area and who want to advance their career. It’s also expected that applicants should hold a degree in early childhood or elementary education.

The M.S.Ed. builds upon existing experience to facilitate learning to administer early education programs, design curricula, and increase understanding of child development. 

Degree requirements include: 

• Major core classes in:
  • E505 – Organization and Administration of Early Childhood Education Programs 
  • E506 – Curriculum in Early Childhood Education
  • E508 – Seminar in Early Childhood Education 
  • E525 – Advanced Curriculum Study in Early Childhood Education 
  • J500 – Instruction in the Context of Curriculum

There is also a Foundations requirement of P515 – Child Development, plus an additional course in the history or philosophy of education. 

Next come nine to twelve electives which may or may not come from within the School of Education but do need to have a “unified focus” and advisor-approval. Suggested electives are in the fields of: sociology, library science, psychology, folklore, and language education. 

Lastly, students must complete their thesis in education and a practicum/Internship. 

Admission requirements for Indiana University’s M.S.Ed are: 

• A bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 2.75 
• Transcripts
• A personal statement
• 2 letters of recommendation
• GRE scores are required from:
  • domestic students will a cumulative GPA under 3.0
  • all international students
• For international students: a resume and TOEFL score from last two years

Grad students will appreciate the school’s wide range of educational research centers which strive to serve educators throughout the state and beyond, as well as acting within the local communities by offering various important services to those in need. There is also an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) program designed to help individuals with severe language or communication challenges.  

IU Bloomington features countless student resources for academics, student affairs, international services, tutoring, military students, and IT resources. Cream and crimson-clad Hoosiers can enjoy over 750 diverse student organizations and 70+ clubs and intramural sports. And graduates can reap the professional rewards of being plugged into a massive global alumni network with over 690,000 members!

U.S. News & World Report ranked the School of Education at No. 28 on their Best Grad Schools in Education list for 2020, as well as No. 12 in Elementary Teacher Education and No. 13 in Secondary Teacher Education. With nearly two centuries of experience, it’s no wonder IU Bloomington is so far ahead of the pack! 

#8. UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

MASTER OF EDUCATION IN SECONDARY EDUCATION WITH PA GRADES 7-12 CERTIFICATION

Founded in 1740 by Benjamin Franklin, the University of Pennsylvania (also known simply as Penn) is a private Ivy League institution with historically tough admissions standards. But for those up to the challenge, it’s well worth it! 

The University of Pennsylvania’s M.S.Ed. in secondary education with PA Grades 7-12 certification may be a mouthful, but its unique Urban Teaching Apprenticeship Program (UTAP) is an invaluable means of learning the ropes in a practice-based format. Participants will discover the most student-centered techniques and innovative tools to use within urban environments, building on prior coursework while engaging in genuine field experiences. 

The 10-month, cohort-based teaching apprenticeship covers a whopping 800 hours of fieldwork – nearly double the amount of typical programs. Grads of UTAP can expect to come out empowered with the knowledge and skills to impact their students and schools while increasing educational equity. Certifications are generally done within the fields of English, math, social studies, and science. The student’s chosen focus area will dictate which of two concentrations they’ll be placed in – STEM Inquiry or Active Learning in the Humanities.

The first Summer term will focus on learners, neighborhoods, and community in Philadelphia. Classes will include:  

• EDUC 544 – School, Society & Self
• EDUC 554 – Building and Managing Collaborative Learning Environments in Urban Contexts 
• EDUC 540 – Introduction to Teaching Diverse Learners 

In addition, there is a requirement to complete 20+ hours of fieldwork in local summer programs. Sample programs and locations include: 

Neighborhood – Site

South Philadelphia – Migrant Education

Center City – Philadelphia Free Library

West Philadelphia – White Rock Church Community Summer Enrichment Program

Kensington – Gear-Up

The Fall term dives into curriculum and pedagogy within various disciplines. Courses include topics such as Developmental Theories & Applications with Adolescents; Teaching and Learning in Student-Centered Classrooms; methods in Math, Science, Social Studies and English; and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy. There is also more fieldwork, in the form of a year placement at a local public school during the mornings, serving as a student-teaching apprentice in Grades 7-12. 

Spring term focuses on PRAXIS or putting educational theory into practice as they build their Inquire Portfolio of projects. Courses during this term cover more STEM Field Methods for Inquiry in Secondary Schools, or Humanities Field Methods for Inquiry in Secondary Schools, plus courses in Advanced Methods for Math, Science, Social Studies, and English, and Teaching Diverse Learners. In addition, fieldwork at this point requires teaching five days a week. 

UTAP Students may seek to acquire dual certifications such as math and science, or English and history. They can also obtain additional certifications after graduation in language diversity or special education, by doing apprenticeships and working with partner schools, taking a specialty seminar, and finishing extra coursework during the first year of teaching, in some cases. 

After finishing UTAP, fully qualified students are eligible to receive program faculty recommendation for Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Instructional 1 certification. Please view the program site for a full list of requirements. 

To apply to the University of Pennsylvania’s competitive program, students should submit: 

• Transcripts
• A statement of purpose 
• A resume describing education objectives, interests, and background
• Letters of recommendation from persons who can discuss the applicant’s professionalism, values, character, and interests
• Note, this specific program isn’t listed as requiring GRE test scores, but double check with the Graduate School
• For international students whose native language isn’t English: TOEFL (iBT) or IELTS scores are required of applicants whose native language is not English.

University of Pennsylvania is ranked No. 6 in National Universities (tie) and No. 15 in Best Value Schools by U.S. News & World Report for 2020. It is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in America. 

#9. UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

MASTER OF EDUCATION IN SECONDARY EDUCATION WITH TEACHER LICENSURE

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has been a breakout leader in education since its earliest days when John Milton Gregory, the first president, chose to root the institution in liberal arts traditions rather than strictly agriculture and industry. That spirit of intrepidness continues within the College of Education, through which Illinois offers several graduate programs, including a secondary education master plus teacher licensure (EdM). 

The program leads to a Master’s as well as initial licensure in English/language arts, science, mathematics, or social science/history in grades 9-12. The program main page lists breakouts for each available EdM option: 

• English Plus Teaching Licensure Master of Education
• Mathematics Plus Teaching Licensure Master of Education 
• Science Plus Teaching Licensure Master of Education 
• Social Studies Plus Teaching Licensure Master of Education

The English option, for example, has a content area courses requirement of either an undergrad major in English or 32 semester hours of specific language arts topics. Applicants’ transcripts will be reviewed to ensure these criteria are met. 

Admitted students will complete a professional sequence plan of study to include: 

• CI 401 E – Introductory Teaching in a Diverse Society
• CI 473 – Disciplinary Literacy
• CI 403 E – Teaching a Diverse High School Student Population
• CI/EPSY 485 – Assessing Student Performance
• SPED 405 – General Educator’s Role in Special Education (SPED) or SPED 517 – Disability Issues in SPED
• CI 404 E – Teaching and Assessing Secondary School Students
• EDPR 442 – Educational Practice in Secondary Education (Student Teaching)

Note: before beginning the student teaching portion, students must first pass Illinois-approved test of basic skills (i.e. the Illinois Test of Academic Proficiency, ACT, or SAT), as well as the Illinois Licensure Testing System (ILTS) English language arts content area test.

The Illinois program also maintains a strict GPA requirement of 2.5 for all content and professional education work and a Graduate GPA of 3.0. No classes with a grade lower than C can be used towards licensure, endorsement, or approvals. One final state requirement is the edTPA assessment. 

In addition to completing the above, EdM students will take two or three 500-level courses in education (depending on whether SPED 517 – Disability Issues is taken), and one four-credit hour foundational course on Education Policy, Organization and Leadership. 

Advisors can assist to ensure the plan of study includes necessary teaching licensure courses in Psychological Foundations in Educational Psychology and Philosophical and Social Foundations in Education Policy, Organization and Leadership (if not already built into the specialization curriculum). 

Application requirements include: 

• Selection of a specialization
• A personal statement describing professional experiences and prior academic work (minimum 500 words) 
• A Resume/CV
• Three letters of reference from persons with knowledge of the applicant’s academic/professional performance and potential for success in the program
• Transcripts showing at least a 3.0 GPA
• A content test in the appropriate area (note: it’s recommended to submit scores with the application) 
• International students have various criteria to meet, including English proficiency exam score minimums and proof of funding

Illinois is ranked No. 48 in National Universities for 2020 by U.S. News & World Report. Check out the College of Education’s 2018 Impact Report to see stats and goals specific to the department and read up on the faculty bios and latest research developments!

#10. UNIVERSITY OF UTAH

MASTER’S OF EDUCATION IN EDUCATION, CULTURE, & SOCIETY WITH SECONDARY LICENSURE

The University of Utah is the oldest higher ed institution in the state, and home to Pulitzer Prize winners, Rhodes Scholars, Nobel Prize recipients, Turing Award winners, MacArthur Fellows, and a pair of astronauts! U of U faculty consistently garner some of the highest honors and achievements in the world because of the total commitment to excellence! 

This same dedication is offered from their Department of Education, via a secondary teacher education program which gives students both the foundation and experience to excel in increasingly diverse classroom environments within the region. The program combines the secondary licensure program in the Urban Institute for Teacher Education (UITE) with a Master’s of Education in education, culture, & society (ECS).

Emphasis is placed on how to manage family and community partnerships, understanding urban contexts of teaching and learning, linguistic diversity, and creating equitable, challenging learning opportunities. The curriculum includes 58 hours towards licensure and six hours of approved elective credit towards the advanced graduate requirement (taken once licensure is finished), for a total of 64 program hours.  

Admissions criteria are listed on the program’s supplemental packet and on the Grad School admissions page. Requirements include: 

• An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher (see notes on the application page, if GPA is below 3.0)

• Official copies of transcripts from all colleges 
• A personal statement (note: there will be specific questions to address, such as, “What are some of your goals, aspirations, and research interests, and how will these help develop, enhance, and define the ECS department?” and “How do you envision contributing to and affecting social justice in education?”)
• A resume showing relevant experiences in equity and diversity in educational settings
• Letters of recommendation
• No GRE required

The UITE also offers graduate degrees in educational leadership and policy and world languages. Check out their faculty, honors faculty, and graduate assistants pages to learn more about the amazing department personnel you could be working with! The Teacher Education Licensure Data 2019 Annual Report offers valuable insights into the program’s impacts and success outcome rates! 

The campus is dedicated to safety and support, and runs several programs built to ensure all students are able to learn in a safe and welcoming environment. The University of Utah has a vibrant, diverse range of arts organizations for students to participate in and enjoy, such as the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, UtahPresents and Pioneer Theatre Company). In fact the Arts are so popular, they’ve created an Arts Pass to offer student discounts to the literally hundreds of art experiences around the campus each year. Sports fans have plenty to root about, too! U of U is also home to several men’s and women’s sports and Utes Pac-12 athletics. 

U of U comes in at No. 104 on U.S. News & World Report’s 2020 rankings. The school’s prime location in Salt Lake City guarantees that students will always have plenty of activities to engage in—from skiing, access to national parks, urban venues and shows, and NBA games, the city’s got something for everyone! 

OTHER NOTABLE PROGRAMS

#11. Stanford University

Location: Stanford, California

Degree: Master of Arts in Education and a preliminary California Single Subject Teaching Credential Secondary

Net Price: $16,695

Website          

#12. University of Virginia 

Location: Charlottesville, Virginia

Degree: Master of Teaching Social Studies Education

Net Price: $15,945

Website

#13. University of Alabama in Huntsville

Location: Huntsville, Alabama

Degree: Master of Education in Secondary Education

Net Price: $14,190

Website

#14. University of Illinois at Chicago

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Degree: Master of Science in Teaching in Secondary School Mathematics

Net Price: $11,571

Website

#15. University of Washington – Seattle

Location: Seattle, Washington

Degree: Master of Teaching in Secondary Teacher Education

Net Price: $10,068

Website

#16. University of Wisconsin – La Crosse

Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin

Degree: Secondary Teacher Education Preparation

Net Price: $13,265

Website   

#17. University of Mississippi

Location: University, Mississippi

Degree: Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction

Net Price: $14,678

Website

#18. Montana State University

Location: Bozeman, Montana

Degree: Master of Education in Adult and Higher Education

Net Price: $14,953

Website      

#19. University of Iowa

Location: Iowa City, Iowa

Degree: Secondary Education Teacher Education

Net Price: $14,161

Website

#20. Harvard University

Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts

Degree: Teacher Education Program

Net Price: $16,205

Website

IF YOU ENJOYED THAT THEN CHECK OUT OUR ARTICLES ON THE MOST AFFORDABLE ONLINE MASTER OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS & BEST ONLINE MASTER’S OF HEALTH EDUCATION!

Let’s face it—technological growth is not something that is slowing down any time soon. In fact, as organizations continue to grow, so, too, do their demands for technology, data, and information security. 

Companies large and small are constantly on the lookout for capable, knowledgeable IT professionals. Technology is everywhere, and businesses need people who can not only understand it, but can also create and fix it in a pinch. While computer skills and a bit of technical savvy are often enough to land you a job, having strong leadership skills is a great way to skyrocket your career as you take things to the next level.

If a career in management sounds appealing to you, then earning an MBA in information systems is the way to go. When you pursue a career in the information systems industry, you’ll be able to be involved in the software, technology, and data industries that you love so much—yet you’ll also be able to apply these to the business world.

An MBA in information systems will provide you with the technical skills and knowledge you need to support your professional goals and aspirations in practically any field. You’ll learn the hard skills and gain the aptitudes with numbers and digital innovations that you need to be a successful leader. 

When you choose a concentration in information systems, you’ll be able to manage and analyze data and to lead a team in any setting. Although an undergraduate degree in business or information systems is a great place to start when you’re pursuing an entry-level job, only a master’s degree will help you take your career to the next level. In fact, earning a master’s degree is a great way to get your resume to the top of the pile.

That’s not to say that it’s always going to be easy. Many students are deterred from the idea of going back to school, assuming (incorrectly, of course) that they can’t afford it, they don’t have time to earn a degree, or that they would have to sacrifice their current careers or other life commitments in order to complete their coursework.

With the rise of distance learning, that is no longer the case. More students than ever are choosing to earn their degrees online, and with so many wonderful programs to choose from—many of which are identical to their on-campus counterparts—why wouldn’t you choose to study online?

You can keep your current job, stay committed to your other personal and professional obligations, and benefit from the same on-the-job training and hands-on coursework that you would access while learning on-campus. Online programs, particularly today’s best online MBAs, are taught by the same talented, attentive instructors who teach on campus and offer learners enriching experiences like internships, practicum placements, and other hands-on activities. Needless to say, you won’t just be staring mindlessly at a computer screen the entire time you’re working on your degree!

So what are you waiting for? If you’re thinking about a leadership career in information technology, you may want to consider one of the 25 Best Affordable Online MBA in Information Systems degrees. 

See Also: Best Master’s in Management Information Systems (MIS)

Common Application and Admission Questions

Before you think about applying to graduate school, you need to decide on a program. You’ve come to the right place! We’ll tell you all about the best affordable online MBA in information systems so that you can find the right degree for your needs and preferences. An online program is a smart choice, particularly if you’re unsure about how much work you want to take on all at once.

Online degrees offer unparalleled flexibility, allowing you to study from home while continuing to remain committed to your other personal and professional obligations. You can study at your own pace, taking classes either full-or part-time. Decide what kind of schedule you would like to commit to before you submit your application—that way, you’ll know which programs are best suited to your unique lifestyle.

It’s also important that you think about narrowing down your search as much as possible. While it might be tempting to apply to dozens of schools at once, this is not a great idea—for several reasons. Not only will it get expensive in a hurry (those application fees add up!) but it will also take up too much of your time. You may be drawing important attention away from your top schools’ applications to work on applications for schools that don’t matter that much to you.

Narrow your list of choices down to three or four schools. That way, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from if your top pick chooses not to accept you, but you won’t suffer from “decision fatigue” when the offers start rolling in, either. 

Finding the right program is only half the battle—now it’s time to work on that application!

Applying to graduate school can be daunting, particularly if it’s your first time (and we’re guessing that it is!). Fortunately, there’s one easy way to streamline the process, and that’s to get in touch with the admissions department at the school at which you intend to apply. Your counselor there will provide you with the best and most accurate information about what’s required from you each step of the way. 

Each school differs in terms of what is required for the application process. However, most of the time, you’ll be required to submit a detailed online application and pay a minor application fee. 

You will also need to prepare your transcripts. An undergraduate degree from an accredited university is required for most MBA programs. Sometimes, schools request that MBA applicants have undergraduate degrees in business or a related field. In other cases, you may be able to get by with a degree of any major, provided that you take a few prerequisite courses when you begin your graduate studies. 

A high GPA often is not required, but you’ll want to check in with your school of choice before you send off those final grades. The most competitive graduate programs require a GPA that ranges between 3.5 and 3.7. Sometimes a higher GPA will mean that you can forego sending GMAT or GRE test scores, while a lower GPA may still get you accepted with additional prerequisite classes required as a condition of your acceptance.

Don’t panic if your GPA isn’t quite up to par. Often, you can offset a less-than-perfect average with things like letters of recommendation, work experience, or a killer personal essay.

Related: Best Online MBA in Information Systems

What About Financial Aid & Scholarships?

Paying for college isn’t cheap. Unfortunately, cashing in all that change from your piggy bank probably isn’t going to cut it when those tuition bills come due. Therefore, you’re going to want to think about other ways you can finance your graduate education.

The good news is that an MBA, more often than not, will pay for itself. You’ll get a great return on your investment with one of these degrees, particularly if you take the time to explore additional opportunities to enhance your learning while you are enrolled in school (such as work-study, graduate assistantships, internships, study abroad, and extracurricular activities and clubs). 

However, even if you’re earning a six-figure salary upon graduation, you still need to find a way to bankroll your tuition in the meantime. It can take up to four years to earn an MBA in information systems, or sometimes even longer if you only want to take a class or two at a time. 

Fortunately, all of the programs in our list of the best affordable online MBA in information systems degrees are incredibly affordable. They offer low tuition rates as well as substantial financial aid and other savings opportunities. 

The first place to start when you’re looking at ways to lower the cost of a college degree is to consider the overall cost of the school. What is the tuition rate? Are there additional fees incurred for online learning? Are discounts available if you study full-time or at an accelerated rate? Talk to your school’s financial aid department to get more information on what your program costs. 

Remember that public schools aren’t always cheaper than private schools, either. In fact, although public schools (particularly those that are located in your state of residence) offer lower tuition rates at face value, private schools are often able to offer significant financial aid opportunities to offset the higher tuition costs. It might seem like a school is more expensive, but upon further research, a private school is actually the cheaper alternative.

After you consider the “sticker price,” or the amount you’re expected to pay, it’s time to consider the financial aid opportunities that might be available to you. Take the time to research any and all opportunities out there—leave no stone unturned! 

Your first step is to submit the FAFSA, or the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This can be completed as early as January 1 of the year in which you plan to attend school. This form will require you to input information from your tax returns, W2s, and other financial documents. It uses this information to determine your eligibility for federal and state financial aid. 

Although students with the highest demonstrated financial need will receive the most financial aid, you shouldn’t be deterred from filling out the FAFSA if your financial need is on the lower side. Many schools use the information provided in and by the FAFSA to determine your eligibility for aid like grants, scholarships, and assistantships. Often, you may qualify for lower interest rate student loans, too. 

And let’s not forget that outside aid! You might be eligible for institutional scholarships as well as those from third-party organizations and businesses. Your own employer might be willing to pay part (or all) of the cost of your college attendance in exchange for a commitment of several years’ work. Again, make sure you research any and all opportunities before you seal the deal.

How Much Can I Make With an MBA in Information Systems? 

An MBA, or a Master of Business Administration, is one of the most diverse and versatile degrees you can earn. After all, a career in business is remarkably versatile. You could work in a setting like human resources or logistics, or you could own and operate your own small business, too.

When you earn an MBA in information systems, your options might be a bit more limited, but they’ll also be more specialized. With that specialization comes the potential to earn a much higher salary. After all, there are fewer professionals out there who have the skills to do just what you do. 

Because of this, you will likely be paid a respectable salary. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics proves that wages for business-related professions are much higher than those, on average, for other workers. Although you might log more hours on the job, you’ll be rewarded handsomely for your time and effort.

When you’re first starting out with an undergraduate degree only under your belt, your salary might not be as high as you’d expect. However, as you gain both experience and education (both of which an MBA can provide), your wages will increase dramatically. In fact, the average wage for management careers is around $81,320, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Diversifying your education is the best way to expand your pay. You’ll want to study a range of nonbusiness subjects as well as those in information technology or computer science. This will give you a level of professionalism that can really enhance your career prospects (and your pay). 

In fact, computer and information systems managers earned an average salary of $146,360 per year in 2019, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s a whopping $70.37 per hour! While a bachelor’s degree is all that’s required to enter into one of these careers, you’ll earn a much higher salary when you gain more experience. 

Some more great news? You won’t face stiff competition when it comes to applying for a job, either—especially if you take the time and spend the money to earn a graduate degree or MBA. in fact, these jobs are expected to grow an impressive 10% by 2029, which is double the national average. This excellent job outlook is fueled in part by the fact that demand is increasing for skilled computer and information systems managers as companies expand their operations to digital settings. 

As a computer and information systems manager, you’ll be responsible for implementing these changes and goals. More jobs are also expected to be created as companies recognize the need to improve cybersecurity and to prevent the likelihood of cybercrime and similar threats. 

Needless to say, if you’re looking for a job that is well-paying and easy to find, you’ll have few better options than by earning an MBA in information systems. 

What Are the Best MBA in Information Systems Degrees?

We know that you have educational goals that you’re itching to pursue, but you may not know where to start. The editors of Master’s Programs Guide utilize a unique ranking methodology based on the following five aspects:

25% Overall Degree Affordability: Average cost of undergraduate and graduate tuition per school

25% Graduation Rate: Number of students who start at the university and actually finish there

20% Earnings Potential: Average mid-career salary of school alumni

20% Selectivity: The number of students who apply versus the number who actually get accepted

10% Online Graduate Offerings: The number of programs offered online in each department

At Master’s Programs Guide, we strive to do our best to guide you and your family toward a fruitful academic career. The pursuit of knowledge is a noble one, and we want to help you reach your goals.

#1. The University of Texas at Dallas

MBA in Management Information Systems

As a public research university with more than 140 different degree programs across eight separate schools, the University of Texas at Dallas is a top contender as you search for the best affordable online MBA in information systems degrees. This program is identical to the one offered on-campus, and you can even choose to take a few of your courses on campus if you so choose.

This program is offered by the Naveen Jindal School of Management. Here, you will find a wide variety of degree options that are geared specifically toward working adults as well as traditional full-time graduate students. Each program stresses the theory and use of applied sciences behind management and administration while also offering learners the opportunity to gain hands-on, integrated experience when it comes to the analytical tools required for effective management. 

The program consists of 36 credit hours of study, which are divided evenly between elective and core courses. You’ll be able to choose from multiple courses such as applied machine learning, agile project management, big data, and even accounting information systems and configuration. 

The management information systems concentration is not the only concentration option for students to choose from. In fact, this MBA comes with specializations such as product lifecycle and supply chain management, project management, and healthcare leadership and management, too. Regardless of your concentration choice, you’ll complete the same core prerequisites and many of the same business courses before moving on to your specialization in management information systems. 

Best yet, with this program, you’ll be able to study at your own pace. There is a full-time, evening, and flex program available so that you can access coursework whenever it’s most convenient for you. Of course, the online option is one of the most flexible. 

One of the most impressive features of this program is its information systems internship. With this internship, you’ll be able to gain extensive experience and to improve your skillset through work assignments in real-life business environments, and you’ll be required to identify and submit your own learning objectives and then complete a paper, poster presentation, or oral presentation reflecting on your experience at the end of the internship. 

Although the GMAT or GRE are required for admission, you can receive a waiver if you earned a minimum GPA of 3.6 in an undergraduate business program that is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

As you might expect, this program is also one of the most affordable. The University of Texas at Dallas offers a consolidated tuition rate which is capped at 12 semester hours for all students. Your rate will cover all program costs, including tuition, fees, and even incidental fees. Depending on your residency status, you’ll pay an average of $1723 per credit hour. 

Extensive financial aid is available to help make this program more affordable, too. Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for scholarships, grants, work-study, and a variety of student loan options.

#2. New Jersey Institute of Technology

MBA MIS Concentration

Located in Newark, NJ, the New Jersey Institute of Technology has an online MBA with a management information systems concentration that is not only accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business but is also one of the most affordable in the country.

The university has a long history of success and prestige, first opening its doors in 1881 as the Newark Technical School. Its campus is impressive, home to roughly 50 different education centers, research facilities, and laboratories. In fact, the school houses more than 120 different business incubators where countless breakthroughs in business-related research and development have been conducted. 

The MBA in information systems is also one of the most popular at the university. Its unique design makes it suitable for any industry professional interested in pursuing leadership roles, either as MIS managers, CIOs, or in some other similar position. A nationally ranked degree, the program is regarded as one of the best online MBA degrees by U.S. News & World Report. 

This should come as no surprise, since the New Jersey Institute of Technology is regarded as a Top Public School and Best National University as a whole by this ranking affiliate, too. You’ll enjoy a small student-to-faculty ratio of just 18:1, meaning you’ll be learning from instructors who know you by name and are truly committed to helping you succeed. 

A 48-credit hour program, the degree is split into 16 courses with most classes costing just over $3,000 a piece. The school’s low tuition is just one reason (combined with phenomenal career placement services) that the student loan default rate at New Jersey Institute of Technology is one of the lowest in the country.

Management information systems is not the only concentration to choose from when you apply to this program, either. Other options include finance, healthcare management, marketing, and innovation and entrepreneurship. If you’re motivated to succeed and have a unique vision of where you’d like to take your studies, you might even consider building a custom concentration. The custom concentration allows you to design and determine your own career path by working closely with an academic advisor to select the right courses for your goals. 

The degree has a global perspective and prepares students for the challenges and benefits of working in a global society. You will learn how to manage uncertainty and change and will engage in real-time studies that will give you hands-on access to the latest business intelligence software and management techniques. 

You can take two classes per semester, with the entire degree taking most students just eight semesters to complete (each class is 15 weeks in duration). Core courses you will take include Information Systems Strategy, Knowledge Management, Data Mining and Analysis, Decision Support Systems for Managers, and Corporate Governance and Strategic Management. 

#3. East Carolina University

MBA in Management Information Systems

East Carolina is a large school located in Greenville, NC. Home to more than 29,000 students at the undergraduate, doctoral, and graduate level, this four-year public university is segmented into a dozen different schools and colleges. 

The university first opened its doors in 1907, when the General Assembly passed an act to establish a normal school in the eastern part of North Carolina. Originally founded to educate teachers, the school now offers dozens of majors and minors to students who aspire to work in all kinds of industries. 

A 33-credit hour program, this degree is also incredibly affordable. You’ll pay just over $1100 to take three credit hours of coursework, a tuition rate that’s easily one of the most affordable in the nation. You’ll take core courses such as Topics in Management Information Systems, Web Application Development for Business, Information Systems Analysis and Design, and Telecommunications and Networked Systems. 

East Carolina University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges, but its business programs are accredited through the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. In fact, it has been AACSB-accredited since 1967. Not only was it one of the first schools and programs to receive such an accreditation, but it is one of just 5% of all business schools in the world to receive such a designation. 

It has an unparalleled student-to-faculty ratio of just 18:1, meaning you’ll get to know your instructors on a more personal level as you pursue your degree. Not only that, but when you enroll at East Carolina University, even studying online on a part-time basis, you’ll become part of PirateNation, which will enable you to connect with a large, close-knit network of accomplished alumni and friends. 

A highly affordable program, the MBA consistently is ranked as a best buy for online education. With a number of course waivers available, the program has low tuition that is particularly low for residents of North Carolina. In fact, many students will complete their degrees for less than $15,000. There are more than $300,000 in graduate scholarships awarded each year along with more than $550,000 in graduate assistantships, too. 

You can pursue this degree entirely online, entirely on-campus, or as a hybrid of the two delivery methods. The course requirements and course structures will be identical regardless of the option you select. There is no residency requirement either, meaning you’ll be able to complete each and every one of your courses from the comfort of your own home. 

Perfect for undergraduates who majored in business as well as those who did not, this degree is entirely self-contained and has no prerequisite business coursework or experience. As a result, you’ll find that you’re able to interact with a diverse cohort of fellow classmates to enrich your learning here. 

To apply, you will need to complete a general application form and submit an application fee of $70. You will also need to submit GMAT or GRE scores, official transcripts, and a current resume. 

#4. University of Colorado Denver

MBA – Management Information Systems

When it comes to pursuing a career in business, one of the best ways to enhance your career prospects is to network with the people who understand the industry best. At the University of Colorado Denver, you’ll find the largest MBA program in the state. The benefit of this? The school’s large network keeps current students and recent graduates in touch with a strong network of internship and career possibilities. 

The MBA in management information systems is a 48-credit hour program that is offered by the business school at the University of Colorado – Denver. There are numerous specializations available in addition to the management information systems option. You’ll be able to choose from 15 credit hours of electives as you take 30 hours of core curriculum and three hours of international business courses.

The program offers you the flexibility you need to explore your interests while also giving you a solid business foundation that is applicable to practically any discipline or industry. The program offers the prestige that you would expect with accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business but with the affordability of a less prestigious school. You’ll learn from the same internationally-recognized faculty members who teach on campus—and your degree will look no different from the one you would receive on campus, too. 

Curious about the topics you will study? Some of the most common courses include Information Systems Management and Strategy, Business Intelligence and Analytics, Marketing Management, and New Venture Operations and Project Management. 

The affordable online management information systems degree at the University of Colorado Denver is the largest of its kind in the state of Colorado. That’s unsurprising, given that the school is also regarded as the largest research institute of higher learning in the state. It receives more than $375 million in research grants every year, on average. 

This four-year public research university offers a wealth of degree choices at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral level. You can take all of your courses online as you complete your degree, or you can choose to take some classes on campus. The university has two—one is located in downtown Denver and the other is about ten miles away in Aurora, on the Anschutz Medical Campus. 

This MBA degree, which comes with the option for numerous other specializations, is nationally accredited and supported by the school’s many other credible recognitions and rankings. U.S. News & World Report repeatedly lists the University of Colorado Denver among its top schools—most notably, it is regarded as a Best College for Veterans, a Top Public School, and a provider of the Best MBA Programs in the U.S., too. 

This university also has a reputation for being one of the country’s most diverse. More than half of its freshman class, in fact, is composed of students of color. With this program, you’ll be able to choose from a dozen different career-focused areas of interest and learn from a cohort of peers who will share their diverse backgrounds and experiences to enhance your experience, too. 

#5. University of Maryland-College Park

MBA with Information Systems Concentration

Just four miles northeast of the nation’s capital is the 400-acre campus of the University of Maryland, College Park. This school is home to a variety of breathtaking features, including the large urban forest (home to the famous Paint Branch Trail and the Paint Brush stream). 

It first opened its doors in 1856 as the Maryland Agricultural College. This close-knit school enrolled just 34 students at first, all of whom studied on-campus beginning in October of 1859. Now, the school is much larger, home to nearly 40,000 students at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. 

A four-year public university, the University of Maryland-College Park is well-ranked by U.S. News & World Report. It’s regarded as one of the best schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, while Kiplinger’s Personal Finance has recognized the school as a best value for in-state students, too. 

The Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland-College Park offers a superior online Master of Business Administration with an information systems and business analytics concentration. Offered entirely online, the degree has been ranked as one of the best online programs in the country by U.S. News & World Report for several years in a row.

This degree can be completed in fewer than two years—in fact, most students complete their studies in just 21 months. A 54-credit hour program, it includes foundational courses and residency credits along with elective classes like Managing Digital Business and Platforms, Data Analytics, and Social Media and Web Analytics. 

At just over $1400 per credit hour, this university has low tuition rates and offers graduates a sound return on their investment. In fact, the average salary of entry-level employees is up to $78,000! You won’t have to worry about finding a good-paying job when you choose to study at the University of Maryland-College Park. 

You’ll never even have to step foot on campus. In fact, you’ll complete all of your courses online and be able to collaborate with your peers and professors to create that valuable sense of community you likely crave. You’ll enjoy an engaging learning experience as you explore multiple advanced features, like video and audio messaging, discussion boards, simulations, integrated digital and multimedia workspaces, and more. 

You’ll be able to form precious connections with peers, faculty members, and alumni, joining a network of more than 66,000 business school alumni upon your graduation. 

There’s really something to be said about the faculty here, too. They are industry leaders and influencers who have decades of experience in information technology. Always eager to share their findings, faculty at the University of Maryland regularly involve students in their research and exploration. 

To apply, you will need to submit an online application along with an application fee, an essay, and a letter of recommendation. In most cases, you will also be expected to have completed at least two years of work experience. 

#6. Florida State University

MBA with a specialization in Management Information Systems

Located in Tallahassee, FL, Florida State University first opened its doors in 1851. It is the oldest continuously-operating higher education institution in the state, in fact. Here, students can choose from a variety of courses in management information systems, including Advanced Project Management, Information and Technology Management, Social and Organizational Issues in Management Information Systems, and much more. 

This four-year public university offers degrees at the associate, undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral level, enrolling more than 40,000 students each year. It has a high graduation rate of close to 80% and equally high levels of student satisfaction, as evidenced by its remarkable retention rate. 

In most cases, students can complete this degree in as little as 24 months—you’ll just need to complete two classes per semester. Most classes are offered asynchronously, with core topics covering systems analysis and design, database development, and more. You can even personalize your studies by taking one of five different elective courses. 

The degree is identical to the one offered on-campus. You can choose to take courses full or part-time, or in an accelerated or evening format. The business school at Florida State also provides learners with the opportunity to earn a joint JD/MBA, MSW/MBA, or real estate/MBA degree, too. 

When you’re pursuing an MBA in any of these settings, know that management information systems is not your only concentration option, either. In fact, you may also choose to take classes in other specializations, such as finance, business analytics, human resources, marketing, real estate, and supply chain management. 

In the management information systems specialization, you will be introduced to core fundamental concepts dealing with the design, use, and implementation of information systems in a variety of organizations. You’ll learn how to incorporate key information systems to help any organization achieve its strategic goals and objectives. 

It’s ranked as one of the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and, as one of the most affordable programs of its kind nationwide, offers one of the best returns on investment. In fact, its low tuition cost comes in at just $780 per credit hour, and with graduates earning an average early career salary of more than $60,000, pursuing this degree is a no-brainer. 

There are plenty of financial aid opportunities for you to pursue, too. The College of Business offers a variety of university fellowships and assistantships to students of high academic standing. There is also an MBA LOANS program that can help you secure a low-interest loan to finance your tuition costs. 

To apply to this program, you will need to submit a formal application along with GMAT or GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and evidence of some professional experience. If you achieved a high undergraduate GPA (3.4 on a 4.0 scale or higher), you may even be eligible for a GMAT or GRE waiver. 

#7. University of South Florida

Master of Business Administration in Management Information Systems 

Established in 1965 in St. Petersburg, FL, the University of South Florida has several campuses around the state, along with a vibrant online platform. Here, the school offers programs at the associate, undergraduate, and graduate levels. Despite being a smaller school with highly hands-on programs and interactive classrooms, this university offers some of the best academic prestige. 

In fact, this online MBA in information systems is ranked as the second-best in the state of Florida and fifteenth best in the United States overall, according to the U.S. News & World Report. It is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, and the university as a whole is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. 

Here, the online MBA is split up into 27 credit hours of core coursework and nine hours of core courses in management information systems such as IT Project Management, Data Visualization, Business Process Management Development, and Predictive Analytics. A nationally ranked program, this degree will help you develop the creative and analytical skills you need to be successful in the modern business world. 

In addition to completing this degree online, you can also complete your courses on-campus in either Tampa or Sarasota-Manatee. Regardless of the option you choose, you’ll have access to plenty of career-building opportunities. For example, you’ll be granted a personal MBA coach who will help you meet your career goals. 

You will also be able to engage in unique options like career fairs. In fact, the university hosts multiple career fairs each year, bringing in representatives from local and national companies alike. There are virtual options available for career assistance, too, (including cover letter writing assistance, interview practice, and business etiquette seminars) meaning you don’t even have to step foot on campus to benefit from the exceptional career-building programs here. 

Every year, the Muma College of Business at the University of South Florida hosts a Virtual MBA Case Competition. In this competition, students analyze a case, come up with a solution, and deliver a business recommendation in 24 hours. It’s a great way to build your portfolio and your career expertise. Other opportunities you might benefit from include networking, corporate connections events (which feature corporate recruiters from major companies like Tech Data, Bank of America, and Northwestern Mutual), and mentorship programs. 

To apply, you will need to submit three letters of recommendation, an online application form, a resume, a statement of purpose, and GMAT scores. In some cases, GMAT waivers are available. 

Although you will be required to pay a small application fee to apply to this program, don’t worry—it’s minimal. Plus, the program is highly affordable and offers a great return on investment. Consisting of 36 credit hours, tuition costs just $461 per credit hour for a total cost of just over $16,000—for the entire program! You won’t find a more reasonable and reputable program than this. 

#8. West Texas A & M University

MBA (Master of Business Administration) in Computer Information Systems

West Texas A&M University is located in Canyon, TX, but you don’t have to travel to the Lone Star State in order to benefit from the dynamic programs offered at this institution. Ranked as one of the best in the nation, the online MBA in computer information systems at West Texas A&M University is also one of the most affordable.

Here, you’ll pay a shockingly low tuition rate of just $244 per credit hour. The total cost of tuition is less than $10,000, making the degree a phenomenal bargain for budget-minded students. It is designed to be completed in two years on a part-time basis, but if you’re interested in moving through the curriculum more quickly, you can graduate in as little as 12 to 18 months by taking courses on an accelerated basis. 

Choose to complete courses on more of a part-time basis and you can take up to six years to complete your degree.

The computer information systems specialization is one of five different options available to distance learners. It’s available as 100% online asynchronous classes with other specialties including management, marketing, healthcare management, and more. You can also choose to complete a general MBA that’s perfect for students who are undecided about their ultimate career path. 

The MBA in computer information systems at West Texas A&M University enables students to specialize in general business while they pursue core courses, or to expand beyond those core courses for an emphasis area in computers. Ranked as one of the best MBA programs by U.S. News & World Report, it is also highly ranked for its online MBA programs, its online graduate business programs, and it’s low in-state tuition rates. 

The College of Business at West Texas A&M University is also ranked as one of the best schools for veterans and is well-respected for offering one of the most affordable online MBAs, too. That’s also according to the U.S. News & World Report. 

You won’t sacrifice quality for cost, either. This program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business and consists of 37 credit hours of rigorous, hands-on coursework. You’ll take 28 hours of core courses like Seminar in Advanced Microeconomic Theory, Data and Information Management, Information Technology Management, and Project Management for the Enterprise.

This program has a high graduation rate and is offered by one of the panhandle area’s top four-year public universities. Despite its large size—it’s home to nearly 10,000 students at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral level—the classes here are remarkably close knit and hands on.

To apply, you will need to submit a formal online application, official transcripts evidencing an undergraduate GPA of at least a 3.0, three letters of recommendation, a resume showing some work experience, a statement of your goals, and a history of foundational courses in business. 

#9. Charleston Southern University

MBA in Information Systems Analysis and Design

Charleston Southern University is a four-year, not-for-profit university with humble beginnings. Today one of the largest fully accredited private universities in the state, Charleston Southern has its origins in 1965, when classes took place in classrooms located at the First Baptist Church of North Charleston. 

Today, however, the school has a further reach. It offers more than four dozen different undergraduate programs and fifteen graduate programs to more than 3,600 students. It is regionally accredited through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges, and has an impressive graduation rate. The school is recognized as a “College of Distinction” and offers one of the best (and most affordable!) online MBA in information systems analysis and design programs.

The online MBA in information systems analysis and design is priced at just $625 per credit hour. You’ll pay less than $21,000 to earn your entire degree and enjoy the convenience and flexibility of being able to study from your own home. The degree consists of just 33 credit hours of study and is equipped with numerous specialization options (including general management, supply chain management, and healthcare management, along with information systems analysis and design) so that you can hone your coursework to your unique career interests. 

A ten-month program, this degree is ideal for working professionals. It can be completed in an accelerated fashion so it won’t take you long to meet your academic and professional goals. This program is the flagship degree of the College of Business—and has been for more than 25 years. Here, you’ll find a curriculum that’s not only academically prestigious and rigorous, but it’s offered within a faith-based community, too. 

There are six separate specializations offered by the graduate school so you’ll be able to focus intently on your area of interest. It is ranked as one of the best online graduate business programs in its own respect by U.S. News & World Report and is also hailed as one of the best business programs for veterans. Specialization options include accounting, finance, organizational development, accounting, and of course, management information systems. 

You’ll start by taking a series of prerequisite courses (which in some cases may be waived if you have ample undergraduate experience) before going on to 18 hours of core courses and nine hours of electives in information systems. These courses include fundamental training in subjects like management, marketing, financial and managerial accounting, business data and decision analytics, and the market process and world economy. 

Then, you’ll take courses in your specialization, such as information systems concepts, data security and emerging information technologies, database design and management concepts, and more. 

To apply, you’ll need to submit an official graduate application along with official transcripts from all of the institutions you have attended. You’ll also need to supply a resume and academic statement, two letters of recommendation, and official test scores. In many cases, you’ll be able to waive the GMAT or GRE requirement. However, it’s important to note that the school offers full-time students who have earned a GMAT score of 500 or higher a 10% tuition discount. 

#10. Stevens Institute of Technology

MBA in Information Systems

With a main campus in thriving Hoboken, NJ, Stevens Institute of Technology is one of the best business schools in the state. Here, you’ll find an impressive and hands-on (yet fully online) Master of Business Administration. It has an emphasis in information systems and features 48 credit hours of core courses like Financial Decision Making, Project Management Fundamentals, Integrating Information System Technologies, and Database Systems and Decision Support.

Beyond those core courses, you’ll also be able to take classes in various elective areas such as Business Intelligence and Analytics, Project Management, and Business Process Management and Service Innovation. The curriculum is designed to ensure that your studies will be closely aligned with your personal and professional goals. Not only will you take a variety of technology-focused management courses, but you’ll also be able to choose four classes that are focused on your career interests or free electives so you can explore other disciplines.

Information systems is not the only specialization offered here, either. You can also take classes in areas like corporate innovation, finance, and project management. Regardless of the option you choose, you’ll complete a final capstone course that will bring together everything that is taught throughout the curriculum. You can choose between three courses: Technology Commercialization Practicum, Industry Capstone Program, and Application and Integration of Technology Management. 

In the Technology Commercialization Capstone, you’ll take what you’ve learned about entrepreneurship to start your own business or to develop your own product. In the Industry Capstone Program, you’ll gain real-world experience in which you’ll go to work with managers at a company on an industry problem. Your final option, the Application and Integration of Technology Management, will enable you to manage the entire spectrum of a business of your choosing in an intense business simulation experience. 

This degree is highly affordable, with tuition starting at just $1,501 per credit hour. Although this tuition rate is slightly higher than what you might pay at other institutions, graduates report success upon searching for jobs—the average early career salary of graduates is right around $72,000. Not too shabby, especially when you consider that most students will complete this degree on a part-time basis. 

Offered by the School of Business at Stevens, this degree is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. It is also regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. With a graduation rate of 82%, it’s clear that the instructors in this program know a thing or two about preparing their students for successful careers. 

As the oldest institution of higher learning in the country to be dedicated to mechanical engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology has a diverse student body that represents all 50 states and more than 60 different countries. Although it first opened its doors in 1870, the school’s programs are anything but antiquated. When you enroll at Stevens, you’ll have access to a program of study that is rigorous, up to date, and incredibly forward-thinking. 

OTHER NOTABLE PROGRAMS 

#11. University of Arizona

Location: Tucson, AZ

Degree: MBA with a Management Information Systems concentration

Net Price: $13,044

Website

#12. Auburn University

Location: Auburn, AL

Degree: MBA in Management Information Systems

Net Price: $11,282

Website

#13. Tennessee Technological University

Location: Cookeville, TN

Degree: MBA – Management Information Systems

Net Price: $11,283

Website

#14. University of Connecticut

Location: Mansfield, CT

Degree: MBA Operations and Information Management

Net Price: $17,660

Website

#15. Florida Atlantic University

Location: Boca Raton, FL

Degree: MBA in Management Information Systems

Net Price: $6,657

Website

#16. Fort Hays State University

Location: Hays, KS

Degree: MBA MIS Concentration

Net Price: $4,266

Website

#17. Widener University

Location: Chester, PA

Degree: MBA Information Systems

Net Price: $22,600

#18. Dallas Baptist University

Location: Dallas, TX

Degree: Master of Business Administration in Information Systems 

Net Price: $18,262

Website

#19. Emporia State University

Location: Emporia, KS

Degree: Master of Business Administration with Information Systems Concentration

Net Price: $8,464

Website

#20. University of Alabama at Birmingham

Location: Birmingham, AL

Degree: MBA degree program with a Management in Information Systems concentration

Net Price: $8,100

Website

#21. University of New Hampshire

Location: Durham, NH

Degree: MBA degree program with an Information Systems and Business Analytics specialization

Net Price: $15,935

Website

#22. Webster University

Location: Webster Groves, MO

Degree: MBA in Information Technology Management

Net Price: $13,500

Website

#23. Concordia University Wisconsin

Location: Mequon, WI

Degree: MBA (Master of Business Administration) in Management Information Systems

Net Price: $10,848

Website

#24. University of Central Arkansas

Location: Conway, AR

Degree: MBA with a concentration in Information Technology

Net Price: $6,238

Website

#25. Gardner Webb University

Location: Boiling Springs, NC

Degree: MBA in Management Information Systems

Net Price: $9,050

IF YOU ENJOYED THAT THEN CHECK OUT OUR ARTICLES ON THE 50 HIGHEST-PAYING MASTER’S DEGREES & 50 MOST POPULAR ONLINE MASTER’S DEGREES!

While earning a history degree will let you learn more about the past and discover your future career, there are plenty of other good reasons to pursue one of these affordable degrees.

For starters, earning a degree in history will provide you with transferable skills that will prove to be useful in dozens of other fields. You’ll learn how to conduct research, advance ideas and arguments, clearly express your ideas, and form conclusions based on your research.

Of course, earning a master’s degree in history will open the door to numerous careers, too. Although many history majors work strictly as historians, conducting analysis and research in laboratories, libraries, and in the field, you could also find yourself teaching classes at the community college level. 

You might work in a museum, in a library, or in a research center, or you could even seek out restoration work. You could even pursue a degree in law!

There’s a common misconception out there that the work of the historian (and consequently, the historian himself!) is stuffy and boring. That’s not the case. When you earn a master’s degree in history, you’ll join the ranks of individuals like George W. Bush, Sacha Baron Cohen, Woodrow Wilson, and even Jimmy Buffet! 

Just as no two students are exactly the same, no two history degrees are alike, either. While many graduates go on to become high school history teachers, specializing in teaching European, U.S., or world history, others will go on to archival work. Whatever the case may be, you’ll find that the curriculum in your master’s in history instills skills that are broadly applicable, helping you to excel in a number of occupations. 

Of course, the cost of a graduate education can be overwhelming for many. Most students take around two years of full-time study to complete their degrees, paying thousands of dollars in tuition—and often, those tuition costs are added on top of what a student may have paid to earn an undergraduate degree.

Because of this, it is important that you select a program that you can afford. You’ll want to look at the overall tuition and fees for a program, applying to those that offer the lowest rates and the best return on investment, but you will also want to pay attention to what kinds of financial aid is available.

Online programs tend to be more affordable than those provided solely on campus, but of course, that’s not always the case. Look for a degree with ample assistantship, fellowship, and scholarship opportunities to help make your program more budget-friendly. In addition, try to find a degree that has solid career placement rates so you know that your efforts (and the tuition you fork over!) will pay off in the long run.

Earning a degree doesn’t have to break the bank. Consider pursuing one of these 15 Best Affordable Master’s in History and you’ll find yourself on the fast track to advancing your career—without going into piles of debt.

See Also: 10 Best History Masters Programs

Common Application and Admission Questions

Enroll in a master’s degree in history, either online or on campus, and you’ll usually complete around 30 to 36 credit hours of coursework. This, of course, can vary based on your background and the institution you choose to attend. You’ll complete a combination of courses that offer a general survey of historical topics and eras (like European history or the rise of the Roman empire). 

You might also participate in reading- and writing-intensive courses known as seminars. These will help you develop your skills in critical analysis. You’ll broaden your horizons in this area by completing historical methods courses—these are meant to encourage you to try out the research methods you’ve learned about on paper, but in real life.

Some history degrees will enable you to customize your studies by taking on an area of interest or concentration. You might be able to explore specific eras, cultures, religions, and events.

At the end of your program of study, you may also craft a thesis. This thesis usually involves preparation, writing, research, and collaboration with peers in faculty. You’ll eventually write a lengthy paper addressing a pressing issue that you’ve encountered in your studies. Some schools offer non-thesis tracks as an alternative to the thesis, with options including research projects and academic portfolios. 

All of that sounds great, of course—but how do you apply? There are several steps you will want to take. The first is reviewing which of the curricular options above are most important to you. Do you want to complete a thesis? Be able to choose an area of specialization? If you answer yes to these sorts of questions, make sure the programs you decide to apply to offer those options.

Once you’ve narrowed down your list of schools, it’s time to get the ball rolling in filling out your applications. Most schools have their own university-specific applications, which can be found on their admissions webpages. You’ll usually need to provide the formal online application along with an application fee. 

You will then need to submit supplemental documents. Most history programs have minimum GPA requirements, often asking that applicants earn a 3.0 or higher GPA in their undergraduate coursework (though this does, of course, vary depending on the program). You might be required to take the GRE to show that you are ready for the rigors of graduate-level work, too.

Some universities may ask you to go one step further and submit things like a personal essay, a resume, or letters of recommendation. You may even need to participate in an interview. Whatever the case may be, it pays to be prepared and do your research ahead of time. Be sure to look into each school’s unique academic requirements and admissions checklists so you can make sure you don’t miss a thing!

See Also: Best Online History Master’s Degree Programs

What About Financial Aid & Scholarships?

If you’re worried about being able to pay for your college degree, don’t worry—you aren’t alone. Affordability and return on investment are concerns shared by most prospective college students. 

And for good reason! The cost of college is getting more expensive every day and since you aren’t guaranteed a job as soon as you graduate, it’s smart to put some thought into ways to pay for your degree.

Fortunately, you’re already on the right track by reading this article. We’ll give you some suggestions for places to look when you’re looking for the best affordable master’s in history. All of the degrees we’ll tell you about in this article offer low tuition rates and generous financial aid. Because of this, you won’t have to worry quite as much about how you are going to pay. 

After looking at a school’s overall tuition rates, you might also want to consider what kinds of financial aid and scholarships are available. The process will begin with filling out the FAFSA, or the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Available as early as January 1 of the year in which you plan to attend college, this form should be completed by each and every student who plans to attend college—yes, even if you think you won’t qualify for any financial aid!

There is a slight misconception out there that graduate students won’t qualify for any kind of aid at all, not from the state, the federal government, or from their universities. While it’s true that most aid is reserved for undergraduates, there are still significant amounts of funding available for master’s degree-seekers. 

The FAFSA will take your financial information (drawing conclusions about how much you can reasonably afford to pay based on your income and assets) and will determine whether you are eligible for things like grants, student loans, and work-study. 

Awards can come from the federal or state government as well as from your school of choice. Grants tend to be limited to only the most financially needy students, but almost all students will qualify for things like unsubsidized student loans, work-study, and assistantships. 

Even if you think your income might disqualify you from need-based financial aid, the FAFSA is still an important document to fill out. Many schools require it to award assistantships or fellowships even if financial need is not taken into consideration. 

Outside of need-based financial aid, consider other forms of financial aid, such as outside scholarships. These can be tricky to find and you will want to put some time and effort into the applications. However, rest assured that if you do, there’s a good chance that you will be handsomely rewarded. 

Each year, thousands of dollars worth of scholarships go unawarded simply because no students took the time to apply! Hedge your bets and spend some time filling out scholarship applications. If it takes you four hours to complete a pile and you receive $1,000 in return, then hey! That’s probably the easiest $1,000 you will ever make in your entire life. 

See Also: Best Affordable Master’s Degree Programs

How Much Can I Make With a History Degree? 

Because a history degree provides such a strong background in liberal arts and will give you transferable soft skills, such as those in communication, problem-solving, and research, you will find a wide range of potential salaries, too. 

For example, you might choose to work as a historian. Historians work to draw conclusions about the past, typically examining historical documents or serving as educators in some capacity. Many historians go on to become history professors, a career choice that will allow you to earn an average annual salary of $79,540. Plus, these jobs are in high demand, with postsecondary teachers of all kinds enjoying an expected job outlook of a 9% growth by 2029. 

As a historian, a career in which you’ll research and write about the past by examining historical documents, you’ll find that there is a growth rate of about 3% and you’ll likely earn an average salary of around $63,680 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Another career in education that you might pursue is that of a high school history teacher. Earn a master’s degree in history and take a few additional education courses and you might find yourself teaching subjects like world history, European history, social studies, or U.S. history to middle or high school students. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average salary for high school teachers in 2019 was $61,660 per year. 

You could also become a museum curator. As an archivist, curator, or other kinds of museum worker, you’ll oversee an institution’s collections, like artwork or historical times. You might also work to prepare or restore items in collections. You will earn an average salary of $49,850 per year, a salary that’s not quite as impressive as the others on this list. However, you won’t have any trouble finding a job—this field has an anticipated growth of 11% by 2029. 

A final career you might consider pursuing is that of the librarian. As a librarian or library media specialist, you will help patrons find information and to conduct research for either professional or personal use. In most cases, a master’s degree is required, but you’ll enjoy an average pay of $59,500 per year. Librarian jobs are expected to grow by about 5% before 2029, which is slightly faster than the national average. 

There are certain certifications and areas of licensure that you might consider pursuing in order to advance your career prospects. Some positions, like those as secondary teachers or librarians, may require additional training in education and pedagogy. 

You may find that pursuing the Academy of Certified Archivists certified archivist credential is beneficial, or you might find that pursuing additional education through conferences, meetings, and workshops is the best way to expand your understanding of the field—and earn a bigger paycheck.

Earning a master’s degree is the best thing you can do to improve your chances of earning a high wage. While some of the positions listed above will ultimately require you to also earn a doctoral degree, your odds of finding a job (especially one in academia or a leadership role) will be much higher if you have a master’s. 

What Are the Best History Degrees?

We know that you have educational goals that you’re itching to pursue, but you may not know where to start. The editors of Master’s Programs Guide utilize a unique ranking methodology based on the following five aspects:

25% Overall Degree Affordability: Average cost of undergraduate and graduate tuition per school

25% Graduation Rate: Number of students who start at the university and actually finish there

20% Earnings Potential: Average mid-career salary of school alumni

20% Selectivity: The number of students who apply versus the number who actually get accepted

10% Online Graduate Offerings: The number of programs offered online in each department

At Master’s Programs Guide, we strive to do our best to guide you and your family toward a fruitful academic career. The pursuit of knowledge is a noble one, and we want to help you reach your goals.

#1. Sam Houston State University

Master of Arts in History

Known colloquially as simply “Sam,” Sam Houston State University is the third-oldest public university in the state of Texas. Named after Sam Houston himself, the famous Texas Revolution leader and politician, this university is home to multiple groundbreaking degrees. In fact, it has more than 50 different master’s programs for you to choose from! 

Although Sam Houston first opened its doors as a college for teachers—and remains an excellent college choice for aspiring secondary and postsecondary educators—it now enrolls more than 20,000 students across hundreds of degrees, many of which rank as being the best in the country by the U.S. News & World Report. 

The Master of Arts in history at Sam Houston State University will allow you to study the past so that you can get ahead in the future, featuring an innovative and hands-on curriculum. It’s a great option for candidates interested in teaching, civil service, the military, professional programs, public history, and eventual doctoral study. 

You can choose from three separate delivery options as a student in this program—you can study entirely online at the award-winning online campus, you can study completely on campus in Huntsville or at the Woodlands Center, or you can engage in a hybrid model that offers the best of both worlds. 

To complete this degree, you will need to defend a portfolio of written work or complete a master’s thesis. The choice is yours. Either way, you’ll complete between 30 to 36 credit hours of study, taking classes in the fall, spring, and summer months. 

After being accepted, you’ll meet with a faculty advisor who will guide you toward the best courses you should take for your career goals. You’ll choose from three tracks, each of which represents “mainstays of the human experience.” These tracks include war and violence, encounters and exchanges, and rights and identity. 

Depending on the track you select, you will take core classes such as Latin American History, Intellectual History, US Civil War, Early Medieval Europe, and China in Revolution. Your courses and extracurricular experiences here will provide you with transferable skills that will prove to be useful in a wide variety of settings. You’ll find that you graduate with highly marketable skills in critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving. 

Sam Houston State University is known for its affordability, offering low tuition rates that start at just $10,756 for in-state students. You will also be considered for multiple types of financial aid, including scholarships, grants, and federal student loans—so be sure to apply early!

Admission to this program is offered on a rolling basis, with start dates available in the fall, summer, and spring. To apply, you will need to submit a graduate application and an application fee. You’ll also need to provide transcripts for all previous degrees, two letters of recommendation, a statement of intent, and an academic writing sample. In addition, Sam Houston State requires that all applicants to this program complete at least 18 semester credit hours in history at the undergraduate level. 

#2. University of Nebraska at Kearney

Master of Arts in History

Founded in 1905 in Kearney, NE, the University of Nebraska at Kearney first opened its doors as the Nebraska State Normal School at Kearney. A school dedicated to educating aspiring teachers, it still offers countless programs in elementary and secondary education. 

It’s a great school to consider attending if you have your heart set on becoming a history teacher of any grade level! However, it’s also a good option if your passions lie elsewhere within the broad and diverse history major.

Earning a master’s degree in history at the University of Nebraska at Kearney is a smart choice. Not only will it teach you how to think critically and to become an effective communicator, but it will also allow you to engage with faculty who provide high-quality instruction and mentorship. The program includes thesis, non-thesis, and public history options so you can customize the degree to your unique career goals. 

A 36-credit hour program, this degree includes core classes such as Historical Methods, America Interpreted, Readings in American History, and Digital History. You’ll have the option to complete an internship in history or to participate in a directed research experience. The degree is an excellent pathway for aspiring history researchers, museum curators and directors, historical interpreters, political analysts, and more.

Available both online and on-campus, this degree is one of the more than 50 online program options offered by this university. Choose to study online, and you’ll enjoy the same small class sizes and hands-on instruction from full-time, credentialed faculty who are dedicated to your success. The school is ranked a Top 10 Regional University by U.S. News & World Report. 

Studying online poses several benefits. Not only is it a more convenient method for most students to complete their courses, but it can also be more affordable, too. Tuition is low, with rates starting at $315 per credit hour for in-state students. Financial aid is available in the form of grants, loans, and work-study. 

You can make payments on your own terms with the tuition payment plan, which allows you to make three monthly installments each semester. Plus, you’ll have access to a close-knit community and alumni network. 

As an online or on-campus student here, you’ll have access to some of the best and most intensive student resources, such as library services, tech help, tutoring, a writing center, and more. In addition to ranking as one of the best regional universities, this school’s eCampus is highly regarded, having been ranked as offering some of the best online graduate education programs in the country—something to consider if you plan on studying online!

To apply, you must have a bachelor’s degree with at least 18 credit hours of courses in history. You should have a minimum 3.25 undergraduate GPA. If you do not meet that cut-off, be prepared to submit GRE scores. Applicants should also provide a writing sample, a letter of intent describing your goals and interests, and two letters of recommendation. 

#3. University of North Alabama

M.A. in History

A public university located in Florence, AL, the University of North Alabama is the state’s oldest institution of higher education. The university also has campuses in Sheffield, Muscle Shoals, and Tuscumbia. Together, these campuses offer some of the best bachelor’s and master’s degrees around. 

The University of North Alabama was the first state-supported teacher’s college south of the Ohio River. It was also one of the country’s first coeducational colleges! Today, the university offers dozens of programs for undergraduate and graduate students alike, including the in-demand Master of Arts in history. 

The Master of Arts in history at the University of North Alabama is perfect for students who are considering careers in teaching history. It offers high-quality training with an affordable price tag, with classes taught on a campus surrounded by landmarks. From Civil Rights landmarks to Civil War battlegrounds, you’ll find yourself entrenched in history no matter where you turn. Of course, you can always choose to study online, too!

A generalist program, the degree focuses mostly on U.S. history. It will prepare you for secondary teaching careers as well as eventual doctoral studies. Your courses will be taught by qualified instructors who are published authors themselves and who have a vast array of research interests. You’ll find yourself well prepared for a long list of careers, including those in law, education, journalism, library science, government, business, and even seminary training. 

You can pursue either a thesis or non-thesis option, completing roughly 33 semester credit hours before you graduate. You will take classes like Seminar in US History to 1877, Seminar in World History to 1815, and Historiography and Methodology. In addition to the Master of Arts in history, the department also offers a Master of Arts in public history and a certificate in public history, so you are sure to find a program that meets your unique career goals and aspirations. 

There are also study abroad programs in which you can participate. Planned trips include those to London, Scotland, Hawaii, and Italy. You’ll normally receive up to six credit hours for participating in these rigorous courses abroad. While they are optional and do require you to pay for living expenses and travel costs, these experiences offer a great way for you to make your degree more exciting and marketable.

This program offers affordable tuition rates and plenty of financial aid. In addition to a limited number of assistantships, awarded on a competitive basis, you can also apply for federal student loans. There are scholarship opportunities for a select number of students who are interested in studying abroad, too.

To apply for admission, you will need to submit an online application along with official transcripts of credit from any university you have attended. 

#4. Fort Hays State University

M.A. in History 

Founded in 1902 as the Western Branch of Kansas Normal School, Fort Hays State University was meant to cater to some of the very first settlers in the region. First a teaching school, this Fort Hays, KS school is now a public university that offers high-quality degrees in a wide variety of areas. 

You’ll find plenty of resources on campus to help you advance your career as a historian, history teacher, archivist, or museum curator when you choose to study here. The university is home to a unique Sternberg Museum of Natural History, where you will find more than 100,000 square feet of exhibitions related to dinosaurs, natural science, geology, paleontology, history, ethnology, mammalogy, and more. 

That said, you don’t have to study on campus. Fort Hays is also home to a vibrant and award-winning virtual college, a unit that evolved from the Department of Continuing Education and Learning Technology at the turn of the century. 

There are two separate graduate programs in history available at Fort Hays—the Master of Arts in history and the Master of Arts in public history. Both will prepare you with the skills you need for carers in academia, private corporations, law, the media, and government. They are available both with thesis- and non-thesis- tracks.

Typically, you will take 30 hours of coursework at the 600 level or above, with course topics covering things like historical methods and historiography. You’ll be able to take a whopping 18 credit hours of electives, too. Some other classes you might take include United States History to 1877; History of World Technology; History of Christianity; and Religion, Heresy, Magic, and Myth.

The degree offers breadth as well as depth in its courses. You can focus your research in an area of historical interest or in a research opportunity such as European History, World History, Western History, History of Science and Technology, Agriculture and Rural Studies, or Local History. 

An affordable degree, this program is a budget-friendly option regardless of whether you choose to study online or on-campus. There are even graduate teaching assistantships available that will allow you to expand your knowledge in a field of study and to build skills that will make you more marketable when you graduate. With these assistantships, you’ll enjoy teaching opportunities, nine credit hours of tuition assistance, a generous salary, one-on-one mentoring opportunities, and professional development opportunities. 

When you’re ready to apply for admission, you will need to provide transcripts from your bachelor’s degree, typically showing that you completed at least 18 hours of history courses. You will need to provide proof that you completed a historical research methods course, too. In addition, you should submit a writing sample, a personal statement, and two letters of recommendation. You will need to have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. 

#5. University of North Carolina

M.A. in History

The University of North Carolina is a massive, multi-campus public university system that oversees the 16 public universities in the state. One of these campuses is the University of North Carolina Wilmington, located in Wilmington, NC. This school enrolls nearly 18,000 undergraduate and graduate students and first opened as a junior college with the goal of providing four-year liberal arts programs to soldiers returning home from World War II.

Today, the school offers nearly 100 different programs spread out among the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Health and Human Services, the Graduate School, the Honors College, the University College, the Watson College of Education, and the Cameron School of Business. 

The Master of Arts in history is offered by the Department of History within the award-winning Graduate School and is available both on campus as well as online, with the online program catering primarily to aspiring history teachers. You can pursue either a thesis option or a non-thesis option, and there’s also a public history professional track. 

You will complete roughly 30 credit hours of study, depending on which track you pursue. Choose the thesis track, and your studies will focus on U.S., European, Global, and Public History while the public history professional track will prepare you for work in historic sites, museums, preservation agencies, businesses, and other organizations that utilize historical collections. 

Finally, the online program in history, which is ranked among the top ten in the nation, is a 30-credit hour program that may qualify you for certification, depending on the state in which you plan to teach. It’s a highly affordable degree with tuition starting at just $259.01 per credit hour. 

In this track, you’ll take classes such as The Historian’s Craft: Issues & Approaches, Internal Combustion Revolution, Scientific Revolutions, and Indians and Settlers in Colonial America. You will not have to complete a thesis but a practicum experience in a nearby school may be required in order to qualify you for teacher licensure where you live. 

As part of the online program, you will also participate in two on-campus summer institutes for each year that you are enrolled in the program. These institutes last just one week and allow you to interact with peers and professors right on campus. The online program is a two-year degree that will provide you with ample access to industry experts and features a more streamlined admissions process.

Speaking of admissions, when you’re ready to apply to the University of North Carolina, you will begin by filling out an online application. You should submit transcripts from a regionally accredited university where you received your bachelor’s degree and demonstrate that you held a B average or better in your undergraduate courses. You should also submit GRE test scores, letters of recommendation, and a personal essay. 

#6. Eastern Illinois University

Master of Arts in History

With a main campus in Charleston, IL, Eastern Illinois University is a public university that was first established as the Eastern Illinois State Normal School. 

Originally designed only to offer two-year degrees for aspiring teachers, this university now offers a broad curriculum, including both undergraduate and graduate degrees in everything from art to science, business to humanities. Of course, the education programs here are still a mainstay, making this school a smart choice if you have your sights set on becoming a high school history teacher or a professor.

The Department of History at Eastern Illinois University offers one of the nation’s best Master of Arts degrees in history. A broad-based program, it will enable you to take classes in things like Modern World History, American History, and Premodern World History. Available both online as well as face-to-face, the program comes with both thesis and non-thesis tracks. There is even a pathway for aspiring teachers who want to be able to complete their degrees in history completely online!

You’ll find that this degree is flexible enough to help you meet a vast array of career objectives. You can complete the program in as little as three semesters or you can take a bit longer to complete your studies. For many students who are interested in eventual doctoral work, taking two years to complete this degree is more preferable. There are even evening seminars so that you can more easily balance your studies with your current employment!

Regardless of when and how you choose to take classes, you’ll find that all programs here share some common threads. For example, you will take a course called Historiography, in which you’ll be introduced to the main theoretical frameworks and methodologies commonly used by historians. You’ll also engage in detailed seminars in various areas of study, allowing you to engage in important scholarly debates.

You will typically take around 30 credit hours of study, up to six of which may be thesis work. Other core courses include subjects and options like Proseminar in Modern World History, Summer Institute in Graduate History, and Independent Study.

An affordable degree, this program pairs low tuition rates with extensive financial aid opportunities. Among these are the competitive graduate assistantships. These assistantships provide monthly stipends as well as tuition waivers. Not only that, but you’ll be able to broaden your horizons and expand your skills by conducting research, teaching classes, assisting with technology, and even offering editorial support for academic journals. 

When applying for a face-to-face program in history at Eastern Illinois, you will need to have your application materials submitted no later than February 15. For the online program, materials are due April 15. You’ll need to submit a completed online application and a $30 application fee. Official transcripts, two or more letters of recommendation, a statement of personal goals, and a resume or CV are also required. A writing sample is encouraged though not mandatory. 

#7. Missouri State University

Master of Arts in History

Yet another university on this list that was originally established to provide education to aspiring teachers is Missouri State University. Founded in 1905 in Springfield, MO, the school’s first class had only 543 students. Today, the space-grant university now enrolls more than 23,500 students and offers programs in nearly 200 different disciplines. 

With a low student-to-faculty ratio of just 20:1, this school is one of the best if you’re looking for dedicated attention from accomplished faculty. In fact, more than 90% of full-time faculty hold terminal degrees in their field. You’ll truly be learning from the best of the best and you’ll get to know your instructors and classmates quite well, too.

The Master of Arts in history at Missouri State University is an engaging program taught by full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty. It is available online as well as on-campus, meaning it caters to both traditional and nontraditional students alike.

The degree has a broad curriculum that will allow you to specialize in all kinds of fields in the world and U.S. history. You can even add a secondary education “sub-track” that will enable you to pursue a career in teaching upon graduation. There are both thesis and non-thesis options available, too.

You’ll be able to choose from concentrations such as American studies, US and world studies, or specific global area studies (like Europe or the Islamic world). You don’t necessarily have to commit to studying solely on-campus or online, either—there is even a hybrid option that will allow you to conduct classes in a mixture of the two settings. You can even skip semesters or take time off if you need to! It is also available as an accelerated program if you want to speed things up a bit.

As a student in this program, you will have a lot of freedom when it comes to choosing your courses and creating your degree. You might take classes such as World History Primary Source Seminar, Women’s History, Ancient Near East History, and Latin American History. The traditional master’s degree is a 30-hour program that can be completed in just a year and a half. You’ll complete either a thesis or a seminar (which includes a paper and an oral presentation) before you graduate. 

This degree features affordable tuition and a variety of financial aid opportunities, including graduate assistantships and generous scholarships. It has an excellent return on investment, preparing learners for a variety of careers including those in law, education, and government.

When you’re ready to apply, you will need to do so via the GradCAS system. Submit your transcripts from your undergraduate degree to the GradCAS system. A minimum GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale is required. You’ll also be expected to have completed 24 undergraduate hours in history. You should provide three references and a writing sample as well as evidence of teaching certification if you plan on entering the education track. No GRE scores are required. 

#8. Arizona State University 

M.A. in History

A public research university located in the Phoenix metropolitan area, Arizona State University is one of the largest public universities in the United States. It enrolls more than 150,000 students between its main campus in Phoenix, its five campuses and four regional learning centers, and its vibrant online community. 

Of course, you won’t feel like just another face in the crowd here. ASU offers majors in more than 350 different areas, many of which are small, close-knit cohorts. You’ll also be able to explore accelerated and honors courses here, many of which are ranked as some of the best among public universities by U.S. News & World Report. 

A leader among its peers, ASU also offers one of the very best Masters of Arts in history degrees. The program offers dynamic content that will not only boost your understanding of history but will also help you develop your core skills—skills that will be applicable in a variety of settings. You’ll graduate with the ability to both analyze and discover new information, to organize projects, and to communicate effectively in all forms and mediums.

You can choose to study North American, European, public, and global-comparative history. You will learn not only in the confines of the traditional classroom setting but also through internship experiences, colloquia, and conference attendance. The program is the perfect option for individuals who are interested in careers in teaching, research, government service, and public history. 

Available as a traditional program as well as an accelerated degree, the program is flexible enough so that you can complete both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in as little as five years. You can choose from a final thesis, applied project course, or capstone course to culminate your degree. 

It is available on campus as well as online, with start dates in the fall, spring, and summer semesters. Unlike many other universities, Arizona State is unique in that there are multiple joint degrees you can pursue along with your master’s in history, allowing you to craft a truly one-of-a-kind degree.

Whichever you choose, you’ll find that this program equips you with the skills you need to be successful in the field of history. You will take core classes such as Public History Methodology, Historical Methods, North American History, Global History, and Area Studies in History. This school is ranked top in the United States for innovation for six years running, according to U.S. News & World Report. 

An affordable program, this degree is offered by a university that has an excellent reputation when it comes to awarding financial aid. In fact, more than 84% of all ASU students receive some form of aid, including grants, loans, and work-study. Plus, tuition is affordable, too, with base tuition starting at just $11,720 for in-state students. Don’t forget to apply for fellowships, too!

To apply, you must submit a graduate admissions application and application fee along with a writing sample, official transcripts, statement of purpose, and three letters of recommendation. A resume or curriculum vitae are also required. 

#9. Southwestern Assemblies of God University

Master’s Degree in History

A private Christian university located in Waxahachie, TX, Southwestern Assemblies of God University offers a variety of programs in the liberal arts as well as in Church ministry. The School’s motto is “Higher Education for a Higher Purpose,” and as a history major here, you’ll likely find that the master’s degree in history helps you discover and fulfill your own personal purpose—whatever that may be. 

Southwestern Assemblies of God University has three colleges: the College of Music and Communication Arts, the College of Business and Education, and the College of Bible and Church Ministries. All of these offer programs both on campus as well as online.

The Master of Arts in history at SAGU is an extremely flexible degree, enabling you to study all kinds of topics such as historiography, medieval history, military history, religion in America, biblical backgrounds, American history, and more. 

Class sizes here are small and individualized, creating an atmosphere that will provide you with 1:1 attention from your instructors. All courses are facilitated and delivered from a Christian worldview, allowing you to learn in an environment that will strengthen both your faith and your mind.

You will have access to full campus resources and support services, including the Career Center for job training, the Counseling Center, and the Wellness Center for access to all of its facilities and fitness classes. 

In addition to the master’s degree in history, Southwestern Assemblies of God University also offers programs in related fields like history education. The history education program will allow you to choose between a thesis- or non-thesis track and gives you ultimate flexibility in designing your degree.

When you choose to study at Southwestern Assemblies of God University, you can be confident that your degree will be nationally recognized. The university holds accreditations with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and the history major employs instructors who are some of the most accomplished in their respective fields of study.

A degree with affordable tuition, this program also offers a 20% grant that will award you with $1,000 per semester. That’s renewable over the entire life of your degree. As a result of these sorts of financial assistance programs, you will graduate with far less debt—up to 20% less debt, in fact, than your peers from other private universities. Other financial aid offered here includes scholarships and grants. 

To apply, you will need to submit an online application. Southwestern Assemblies of God University has a rolling admissions deadline so you can apply at any time. You will need to submit a $35 application fee and transcripts from any other colleges you have attended. GRE scores are not required but are encouraged. You do need to submit letters of recommendation. 

#10. University of Massachusetts-Boston

M.A. in History

The University of Massachusetts-Boston in Boston, MA offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees along with certificate programs, distance learning programs, and corporate education programs.  With dozens of majors for you to choose from along with numerous free-standing centers and institutes, you’ll find plenty of ways to meet your career goals as a student here.

Class sizes are small, with an average student-to-teacher ratio of just 16:1. You’ll learn from some of the best and brightest minds in the field, too, with 96% of the teaching faculty holding the highest degrees in their fields. 

The Master of Arts in history, offered by the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Massachusetts-Boston provides a rigorous, albeit flexible, program of study. Meant to serve as a terminal degree, this program will prepare students for a wide variety of jobs, including those as archivists, teachers, public historians, writers, museum professionals, and more.

Available both online as well as on-campus, this degree is offered at the only public research university in Boston. Because of this, you will have unparalleled access to a wide variety of libraries, archives, historical sites, and museums. In fact, the campus is located on Columbia Point, a landmark it shares with the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, the Commonwealth Museum, the Massachusetts State Archives, and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library.

As you can see, you will have unparalleled access to some of the top historical sites in the country. You will take all classes from full-time faculty, most of whom have attained the highest level of education in their respective fields. Classes are conducted as small seminars, each of which contains no more than 15 students apiece. Most are offered in the late afternoon and early evening to accommodate working professionals, too.

You will study a wide variety of topics in European, U.S., and world history in your classes, allowing you to explore a vast array of historical topics. When you choose to study in this program, you can choose from three separate tracks: history, public history, and archives. This will allow out to concentrate on specialized training for a certain professional path.

Regardless of the path you select, you’ll be able to receive a solid foundation in the methods and craft of history. In addition to the specializations offered above, the department also offers certificates in archives and public history, allowing you to add further marketability to your degree. 

To apply, you will need to have all of your materials submitted by January 15 for the on-campus program or by March 15 for the online degree. In addition to an online application, you will need to provide transcripts from all colleges you attended along with a writing sample, statement of purpose, and three letters of recommendation. 

The statement of purpose should address why you think you should be admitted to the program as well as your individual career goals. GRE scores are not required but are strongly encouraged. An affordable degree, this program has multiple opportunities for financial aid and graduate assistantships. 

OTHER NOTABLE PROGRAMS 

#11. Emporia State University

Location: Emporia, KS

Degree: Master of Arts in History

Net Price: $8,464

Website

#12. University of Louisiana at Monroe

Location: Monroe, LA

Degree: Master of Arts (MA) in History

Net Price: $9,068

Website

#13. Indiana State University

Location: Terre Haute, IN

Degree: Master’s Degree in History

Net Price: $7,616

Website

#14. Jacksonville State University

Location: Jacksonville, AL

Degree: Master of Arts in History

Net Price: $10,080

Website

#15. Jackson State University

Location: Jackson, MS

Degree: Master of Arts in History

Net Price: $8,051

Website

IF YOU ENJOYED THAT THEN CHECK OUT OUR ARTICLES ON THE BEST FREE GRADUATE CLASSES ONLINE AND THE 50 BEST ONLINE MASTER OF FINANCE DEGREE PROGRAMS!

What if you could somehow make an extra $17,000? 

When you earn a master’s degree, you can.

Does that sound like a lot of baloney to you? It shouldn’t—because it’s true. When you take the time to earn a master’s degree, you can, on average, earn $17,000 more per year than you already do with just a bachelor’s. 

Although $17,000 might not sound like much, consider how much it will add up over your lifetime. If you’re new to your career or fresh out of your undergraduate program, earning a master’s degree could be a financially savvy choice. 

Plus, earning a master’s degree can help you make a career change. Gone are the days when someone entered into a career at the beginning of adulthood and stayed in that same job until adulthood. No, now, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average person changes jobs around a dozen times in their lifetime. 

Earning an affordable master’s degree will make it easy for you to explore other options and have a more versatile career that meets your current needs and professional goals. Graduate students will have the skills and expertise necessary to pursue work in a wide variety of fields. Because of this, the unemployment rate for individuals with master’s degrees is much lower than it is for people with a bachelor’s degree or less. 

Not only that, but with a master’s degree, you’ll enjoy increased respect and credibility. It takes a lot of guts to earn a master’s. Also, a lot of time, sacrifices, and money. Plenty of employers view a master’s degree as a testament to a person’s drive to succeed. 

Because of this, you and your unique skill set will be highly sought-after in the job market. You’ll be able to level the playing field when it’s time to apply for jobs. It will give you a greater sense of confidence and competency in your field. The skills for your resume that will no doubt set you apart from the competition. 

It doesn’t matter what kind of master’s degree you decide to pursue. Or even if you want do an online master’s degree program. Graduate students may be interested in interested in studying:

• business
• business administration
• romance languages
• anthropology
• data analytics
• data science
• nurse practitioner
• social work
• homeland security
• social justice
• project management

With affordable masters degrees, you will graduate with skills in things like:

• communication
• problem-solving
• leadership
• writing
• research
• critical thinking

These skills that will prove to be invaluable regardless of where you choose to work. 

Of course with a master’s degree or online master’s degree program, there’s the cost of attendance to be considered. Master’s degrees offer a higher earning potential. This might eliminate the need for you to live paycheck to paycheck or stress about your bills.  You do have the tuition of higher education to consider. 

Fortunately, earning a master’s degree doesn’t have to break the bank. You can find an affordable masters degree or affordable online master’s programs. Many graduate programs and employers offer stipends for students enrolled in graduate study. This helps to significantly lower the cost of attendance. Many have programs like research and apprenticeship programs that will give you hands-on experience and pay for the bulk of your college expenses. Online master’s degree programs can be especially flexible and attainable. 

If you really want to advance your career and save money at the same time, you’ve come to the right place. Here are 35 of the cheap master’s programs for you to consider. 

See Also: Top 50 Highest Paying Masters Degrees

What Are the Best Affordable Master’s Degrees?

We know that you have educational goals that you’re itching to pursue, but you may not know where to start. The editors of Master’s Programs Guide utilize a unique ranking methodology based on the following five aspects:

25% Overall Degree Affordability: Average cost of undergraduate and graduate tuition per school

25% Graduation Rate: Number of students who start at the university and actually finish there

20% Earnings Potential: Average mid-career salary of school alumni

20% Selectivity: The number of students who apply versus the number who actually get accepted

10% Online Graduate Offerings: The number of programs offered online in each department

At Master’s Programs Guide, we strive to do our best to guide you and your family toward a fruitful academic career. The pursuit of knowledge is a noble one, and we want to help you reach your goals. Find a master’s degree or online master’s program that works for you.

Affordable Online Master’s Degree and Online Graduate Programs

#1. Georgia Institute of Technology 

Georgia Institute of Technology, or “Georgia Tech,” has campuses not only in Atlanta, but also in places as far away as France, Ireland, China, and Singapore. The school was first created as part of Reconstruction plans to reboot the industrial economy in post-Civil War America. It was founded in 1885.

This school originally only offered degrees in mechanical engineering. Today it has programs in more than 31 departments. Many of which are offered at the graduate level. No matter what you’re interested in studying, there’s a good chance that you’ll find it at Georgia Tech. The school offers affordable master’s programs in departments like:

• business
• computing
• design
• engineering
• liberal arts
• sciences

A vast array of these cheapest masters programs are even offered online. For example, you’ll find online master’s degree programs in-demand majors such as:

• sustainability, energy, and environmental management
• cybersecurity
• analytics

Choose to study at Georgia Tech’s 400-acre campus in a wooded section of Atlanta, and you’ll benefit from a close-knit, stimulating learning environment. Located in Midtown, the school combines the educational, economic, and entertainment opportunities of an international city with all kinds of opportunities for hands-on learning. You’re just a short walk away from:

• parks and green spaces
• multinational corporations
• small businesses
• museums
• concert venues
• restaurants

On campus, Georgia Tech offers graduate students more than 400 student organizations to choose from. Cheer on your favorite sports team. Atlanta is home to the Atlanta Hawks, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, and the Falcons football teams. Take in a concert at Philips Arena. No matter how you choose to spend your time here, you’re sure to find an activity that is relaxing and rewarding at the same time. 

Although earning a master’s degree might be a daunting endeavor (both in regards to the time and monetary commitment required) the return on investment is there when you choose to study at Georgia Tech. You’ll be granted access to a wide range of options and opportunities to help you offset programmatic costs, including:

• competitive scholarships
• financial aid (such as loans, grants, and work-study)
• earn-while-you-learn internship and co-op programs
• research opportunities that will grant you stipends or class-credit

Let’s not forget that when you choose to study at Georgia Tech, the affordability and quality truly speak for themselves. You’ll earn a well-respected degree from one of the top-ranked institutions in the world. In fact, PayScale has ranked this school as number one in the country for its annualized return on investment in higher education. 

Ready to apply for one of the cheap master’s programs at Georgia Tech? To do so, you will need to complete an online graduate application along with supporting materials such as:

• transcripts
• test scores
• letters of recommendation
• variation of lawful presence

The deadlines for admission vary depending on your program of interest, so it pays to check in with your school and program before you start gathering your materials. All students are also required to pay a $75 application fee, although waivers are often available. Master’s degrees or online master’s degree programs from Georgia Tech are a top choice.

Georgia Tech is accredited by The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

#2. Texas Tech University

A residential college in Lubbock, TX, Texas Tech University is a public research institution that attracts students from all over the world. In fact, the hometown of most students here is more than 300 miles away, on average, from Lubbock. It has many cheapest masters programs and online programs.

Texas Tech has more than:

• 150 undergraduate
• 100 graduate
• 50 doctoral degrees

The school is among the more than 130 schools listed in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education’s “Very High Research Activity” category. Created in 1923, the school is the only campus in Texas that is home to a law school, medical school, and a major university alike. Although it first opened its doors as the Texas Technological College, the school now offers a variety of programs in the liberal arts and humanities as well. 

If you’re thinking about studying at Texas Tech, likely your biggest challenge will be in deciding which major to pursue! No matter what you’re interested in, there’s a good chance they haves it as a major such as:

• animal science
• anthropology
• kinesiology
• public administration

The school offers a variety of affordable graduate programs through noteworthy schools like:

• Jerry S. Rawls College of Business Administration
• School of Law
• Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering

Ranked as one of the Top Public Schools by U.S. News & World Report, Texas Tech has a small student-to-faculty ratio of just 21:1 with the most popular majors including:

• business
• engineering
• communication
• human sciences

Ultimately, if you can’t decide which major to pursue, don’t fret—because Texas Tech also offers a multitude of certificate and dual-major programs as well. Some programs that are unique to Texas Tech include the global food security graduate certificate, the autism graduate certificate and the agricultural leadership graduate certificate. 

Your learning will extend far beyond the limits of the campus, too. You’ll be able to participate in sports teams that compete in the NCAA Big 12 Conference or to sign up for one of more than 450 student organizations. Texas Tech even has an extensive Greek community with 50 different sororities and institutes. Of course, you can choose to make your experience strictly academic, working to improve your resume as you work at one of the school’s many university-run research institutes and centers, like the National Wind Institute. 

If the cost of attendance has you worried about attending graduate school, don’t let it. Texas Tech offers multiple ways for you to make ends meet when it comes to financing your education. Not only is tuition extremely low, but the school also has a multitude of financial aid opportunities for you to explore. For example, you can apply for grant funding as long as you are enrolled in at least five credit hours of study per semester. 

Texas Tech also has many affordable online master’s degree programs.

When you are ready to apply for admission, you will need to submit a formal online application along with an application fee. Unofficial transcripts for any post-secondary institutions you’ve attended are necessary, as is documentation of citizenship or similar materials for international graduate students. Other admissions requirements vary depending on the major you’ve selected as well as whether you plan to study fully online, fully on campus, or in a hybrid fashion. 

Texas Tech is accredited by The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

#3. University of Florida

The University of Florida is a public university that was founded in 1853. With a large enrollment of more than 52,000 students, this school is ranked as one of the best National Universities in the country by U.S. News & World Report. The only member of the Association of American Universities in Florida, the school is home to 16 academic colleges as well as more than 150 different research centers and institutes. 

If you’re hoping to study in the Sunshine State, you won’t find a better option than this Gainesville, Florida-based institution. It’s just two miles from the downtown area. This provides graduate students with the best possible access to a bustling college town and community. You’ll love taking in a game from the Florida Gators, sports teams who compete in the NCAA Division I Southeastern Conference. 

If sports aren’t your thing, don’t worry—you can join in while participating in one of the school’s many other student activities. In fact, the University of Florida has more than 60 different fraternities and sororities. 

But if you’ve stumbled upon this ranking in search of one of the best affordable graduate programs, you might be wondering what the University of Florida has to offer in terms of its majors. The university has multiple well-regarded graduate programs through:

• the College of Medicine
• the Levin College of Law
• the Warrington College of Business
• the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering

There are plenty of graduate degrees for you to choose from. With a student-to-faculty ratio of just 17:1 and more than half of its classes containing fewer than 20 students, this school is home to popular majors in professions such as:

• business
• engineering
• biological and biomedical sciences
• health care professions

The school has multiple professional programs, too, including:

• veterinary medicine
• dentistry
• engineering
• law
• business administration
• medicine
• pharmacy

You’ll have access to plenty of support services to help you meet your goals. From nonremedial tutoring to a career placement service and even daycare, security services, and more, the University of Florida offers everything you could possibly need in order to be successful. 

You won’t have a hard time paying for your education, either. As a state-funded institution, the school has low tuition and fees that total just $6,380 for in-state students and $28,658 for those studying from out of state. The average student receives a need-based scholarship or grant award of more than $8,000—the return on investment here just can’t be beaten. In fact, the school is home to thousands of successful alumni including two Nobel prize winners and numerous Pulitzer Prize winners. You will find a cheapest masters program here.

Even applying is a cinch. You will need to have a recognized degree from a regionally-accredited intuition with a minimum grade point average of 3.0. For some degrees, such as the graduate degree in law, you must meet additional requirements and have certain credentials in order to be eligible for admission. 

UF is accredited by The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

#4. Colorado State University-Fort Collins

At Colorado State University-Fort Collins, you’ll be able to study at a location where world-class research and teaching come together to produce an educational experience that is nothing short of spectacular. The school is consistently ranked as one of the country’s top universities in many categories. This includes:

• student achievement
• research

A recognized doctoral university with very high research activity, it’s one of the best places to turn to if you are looking for a best affordable master’s degree or online master’s degree programs. 

Colorado State is a public land-grant university that is the flagship university of the state university system. There is an enrollment of more than 34,000 students studying both on-campus and online. The school is ranked as one of the best in the nation when it comes to research and medical school spending in particular. 

You’ll have plenty of options to choose from as you pursue graduate study here. There are more than:

• 2,000 faculty teaching in eight colleges
• 55 academic departments
• 55 total master’s degrees
• 40 doctoral degrees

Degrees are offered online, on-campus, and in a hybrid fashion. Some featured majors include:

• cell and molecular biology
• accountancy
• public health
• advanced silviculture
• agricultural sciences
• anthropology
• arts leadership and cultural management

With a main campus in Fort Collins, a city that’s nestled at the base of the Rocky Mountains, Colorado State offers one of the best locations for students who want their education to take place not just in the classroom, but in the world. CSU is one of the country’s top research universities so you’ll be able to work closely with faculty and staff as you explore innovative concepts in a variety of fields. 

You may also consider an online master’s degree program for CSU.

It’s not all work and no play, though. The school has more than 350 campus organizations and 35 fraternities and sororities. Not only that, but there are plenty of sports you can choose from, too, with teams at the varsity, club, and recreational level. Known as the Aggies, a testament to CSU’s agricultural school past, the sports teams here compete in the NCAA Division I Mountain West Conference. 

It’s easy to see why Colorado State is ranked as a Best Value School and a Best College for Veterans by U.S. News & World Report. The class sizes are small, typically featuring a student-to-faculty ratio of just 14:1. You’ll have access to all kinds of student services, including tutoring, a women’s center, and career placement services. 

Tuition is incredibly affordable, coming in at just $12,495 for in-state students. Numerous financial aid opportunities, including grants, fellowships, and scholarships, are available for qualifying students, too. Master degree online affordable programs are also available. 

To apply, you’ll need to first choose between fall or spring admission dates. This will determine your deadline. An online application is required as is an application fee. GMAT or GRE scores are required for many programs, though not all. You will need to also submit official transcripts, three letters of recommendation, and other documents as requested by the program to which you are applying. 

#5. University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus

The University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus has a reputation for being one of the most research-focused graduate schools in the nation. There are two campuses to choose from:

• downtown Denver
• Anschutz Medical Campus (Aurora, CO)

The National Science Foundation reports that this school granted more graduate degrees than any other school in the state. 

Founded in 1912, this school was first opened as a nursing and medical school before rapidly expanding its offerings to other programs in the health sciences and beyond. Today, UC Denver has a variety of affordable masters degree offerings including those for students who wish to continue their education after earning a bachelor’s degree at the university. You can choose from a variety of master’s and doctoral programs along with graduate certificates and accelerated degrees. 

You can study on campus or online, with plenty of online master’s degree programs through CU online.

Online programs include:

• accounting
• master of business administration
• marking
• health sciences

There are doctoral degrees in 14 programs, six different MBAs, and ten master’s of science degrees in the business school alone. Other degrees can be pursued through:

• the College of Engineering, Design, and Computing
• the School of Public Affairs
• the College of Architecture and Planning

In fact, the University of Colorado Denver is the only school in Colorado with accredited degrees in:

• landscape architecture
• urban planning
• architecture

You can also choose a more interdisciplinary pathway by pursuing a degree in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The opportunities are endless!

No matter which affordable master’s degree program you choose, you will be supported in your endeavors by faculty who rank among some of the best in the nation. Class sizes here, particularly at the graduate level, are extremely small. The student-to-faculty ratio is just 17:1!

You’ll have access to plenty of support services here, too, including:

• tutoring
• career placement service
• health services
• daycare

The school is home to more than 100 different campus organizations, volunteer opportunities, and various publications. Although there aren’t any varsity athletic teams on campus, there are plenty of intramural sports and fitness classes you can pursue to stay active.

Let’s not forget about this school’s affordability, either. At the University of Colorado Denver, you’ll pay just $8,017 as an in-state student and $23,821 if you’re coming in from out of state. Provided that you complete a FAFSA and submit any supplementary materials, you can also be considered for numerous types of:

• financial aid
• scholarships
• grants

When you’re ready to apply, you will need to submit an online application for admission along with a $50 application fee. Transcripts from any college you have attended are required, too. Some programs may have additional application requirements, such as:

• standardized test scores
• letters of recommendation
• a statement of purpose
• a resume
• portfolio
• essays

#6. University of Nebraska-Lincoln

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln was founded in 1869 under the 1862 Morrill Act. It opened its doors just two brief years after Nebraska became a state and is, as a result, the oldest university in the state and the largest in the state university system.

Today, this public land-grant research university offers a variety of programs and online programs that conduct groundbreaking research and involve students in hands-on training every single day. You can pursue all kinds of majors here, including those at the graduate level. The online master’s programs available can be found here. 

You’ll have no shortage of options when it comes to affordable master’s degree programs. Just to name a few, you can pursue:

• Master of Science for teachers
• Master of Professional Accountancy
• Master of Legal Studies
• Master of Fine Arts
• Master of Engineering Management
• Master of Community and Regional Planning

For most graduate degrees, you can choose a program of study with one of three options. You can pursue:

• a thesis track
• a non-thesis track with additional classes outside of the major
• a non-thesis, non-minor track that requires you to focus on advanced courses in your chosen field of study

Depending on the program, most students take just two years to complete their graduate degrees, but you’ll be given up to ten regardless.

With a total enrollment of nearly 26,000 students, it might seem as though, at this school, you’ll be just another face in the crowd. That’s far from the case. While taking classes in one of the school’s highly ranked graduate schools, like the College of Law or the College of Education and Human Sciences, you’ll be part of a close-knit learning environment. In fact, the student-to-faculty ratio here is just 17:1. 

This public school is ranked as one of the Best National Universities, Best Colleges for Veterans, and Best Value Schools by U.S. News & World Report. You’ll have access to all the help you could possibly want, including:

• tutoring
• health services
• career placement
• alumni networking

Not only that, but if you choose to study on campus (the online master’s degree programs are noteworthy, too) you can choose from a variety of student organizations. The university is home to more than 400 student organizations, including an extensive Greek network of more than 40 fraternities and sororities. 

Tuition here is some of the lowest in the country, making this school one of the most affordable you will find. On average, you’ll pay just $7,588 per semester as an in-state graduate student. The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid here does a wonderful job of helping to keep the cost of attendance affordable. You’ll have access to all kinds of programs, including:

• scholarships
• fellowships
• grants
• loans

When you’re ready to apply to this graduate school—which is ranked as ninth-best in the country when it comes to its online graduate education programs by the U.S. News & World Report, we might add—you will need to complete an online application and submit academic transcripts from any schools you have attended.

#7. Texas A&M University-Commerce

As the fourth-oldest state university in the entire state of Texas, Texas A&M University-Commerce is a public research university with plenty to offer potential graduate students. Founded in 1889, this historic and groundbreaking school is situated just 65 miles from downtown Dallas with a premier location on the edge of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. It offers affordable online master’s degree programs and top graduate programs.

Commerce is a city of roughly 8000 people. Here, you’ll enjoy a unique combination of rural life with festivals, local music, dining, and plenty of other opportunities to pursue. You’ll also have nearby access to one of the country’s largest metropolitan areas. 

The Graduate School at Texas A&M University-Commerce offers aspiring and current students plenty of guidance when it comes to finding the right pathway for study. As a student here, you’ll gain the skills you need to conduct original research, become an independent thinker, and forge the way for your own successful career.

Not sure what you want to study? Don’t worry. At Texas A&M University-Commerce, you’ll have plenty of majors to choose from. With more than 40 accredited, nationally-recognized programs at the doctoral and master’s level, you’ll have your hands full just in deciding what you want to study! There are numerous graduate certificates and educator certification programs available, too.

The best affordable master’s degrees are administered through:

• the College of Business
• the College of Education and Human Services
• the College of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources
• the College of Science and Engineering
• the College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Arts

There are dozens of cheap masters programs to choose from, but some unique titles include:

• applied criminology
• educational administration
• health, kinesiology, and sports studies
• physics

Of the university’s many graduate certificates, popular options include:

• business analytics
• film studies
• chemical dependency counseling
• sustainable food systems

In these affordable masters degree programs, you’ll not only be able to work closely with internationally-recognized instructors who are at the pinnacle of success in their respective fields, but you’ll also be able to network with other professionals. You can pursue your program on-campus, online, or at one of the school’s many branch campuses. 

You don’t have to break the bank in order to earn a degree from this award-winning school, either. The average student will pay just $6,424 in tuition when coming from the state of Texas—out-of-state students pay just over twice that amount, still an incredibly affordable sum. You will be considered for many types of financial aid, too, including scholarships and grants. The school provides multiple grant opportunities for students including:

• the Federal TEACH Grant
• the Texas Aggie Graduate Grant
• the Texas Public Education Grant

If you’re convinced that Texas A&M University-Commerce might be a good choice for you, it’s time to start filling out your applications. You will need to complete an online application and submit an application fee of $50. All official transcripts for any bachelor’s degree coursework is required, as are official GRE scores.

Texas A&M is accredited by The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

#8. University of the Cumberlands

A private institution founded in 1888, the University of the Cumberlands is a rural university located in Williamsburg, KY. Ranked as one of the country’s best National Universities by U.S. News & World Report, this school has an academic reputation that is just as renowned and unique as its history and background.

This private school was created by Baptist ministers and originally known as Cumberland College. The school changed its name only in 2005, adopting the mascot of the Patriots for its 13,000 enrolled students at approximately the same time.

Currently, it is home to four colleges, including:

• Cumberland College (dedicated primarily to undergraduate programs)
• the Hutton Center for Leadership Studies
• the Hutton School of Business/Management
• the Graduate/Professional Education school

There are 12 academic national honor societies and several master’s degrees available to students, including:

• Christian studies
• psychology
• education
• business administration

The motto of the university is “A Life More Abundant”—and abundance you will find here for sure. The University of the Cumberlands is home to a diverse student population with representation from more than 37 states and 15 countries. It’s home to numerous unique extracurricular opportunities, such as a Campus Activity Board, a forensics team, and a low-power radio station.

You can study on-campus in Williamsburg, or you can study an online master’s degree program. In addition to those two options, the University of the Cumberlands also has a Northern Kentucky facility just south of Cincinnati, OH in Florence, KY. 

Not only that, but the school provides opportunities for campus ministry through:

• Appalachian Ministries
• Campus Family and Life groups
• Mountain Outreach
• Baptist Campus Ministries

It’s committed to improving the lives of those in the surrounding community, so as a student here, you’ll also be able to participate in countless volunteer experiences. In fact, students are encouraged to participate in community service, and those who accumulate more than 200 hours of community service are awarded with special certificates upon graduation.

Curious about what you might be able to study here? In addition to the popular affordable graduate programs listed above, there are dozens of majors and minors available to graduate students, both on-campus and online programs, including:

• education
• coaching
• Christian studies
• nursing
• strategic management
• mental health counseling

With tuition rates as low as $5,970 for in-state students, there’s no reason not to consider the University of the Cumberlands on your quest for one of the most affordable master’s degrees. By completing a FAFSA with the University of the Cumberlands, you can be considered for eligibility for a variety of financial aid types, including:

• scholarships
• grants
• loans
• work-study

Once you’re ready to apply for admission, you can do so by completing an online application. For most programs, graduate admissions requirements are the same, but certain competitive programs may require supplementary materials. In any case, transcripts from any university you have attended are required. 

University of the Cumberlands is accredited by The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

#9. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

North Carolina State University at Raleigh was first established in 1887 as the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. A land-grant college, it forms one of the corners of the “Research Triangle,” a well-respected cluster of schools and academic powerhouses that includes the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University in Durham.

Classified among the “R1: Doctoral Universities-Very High Research Activity,” North Carolina State University at Raleigh offers one of the best opportunities for graduate students who really want to get their hands dirty. If you’re interested in learning by doing and want to explore opportunities for research and innovation, this is one of the best places you can be. 

With an enrollment of more than 35,000 students, NC State is one of the largest in the country. While many of these students are enrolled in the school’s 106 fields of undergraduate study, you’ll find plenty of master’s and doctoral programs to choose from, too. You will also find online master’s degree programs. 

The largest four-year college in the state, North Carolina State University at Raleigh offers students plenty of opportunities to get involved. There are nearly 600 clubs and organizations you can join along with a large Greek community (roughly 13% of the student body is involved in some kind of fraternity or sorority). There are plenty of events in Raleigh you can explore, too, including the North Carolina State Fair and Winterfest. 

At NC State, as it’s frequently called, you’ll gain mastery of complex ideas and acquire the skills necessary to put those ideas into practice. U.S. News & World Report ranks nearly a dozen of the school’s graduate programs among the top in their disciplines on a national level. Some of the top-ranked—and most popular—programs include:

• textiles
• statistics
• veterinary medicine
• engineering
• nonprofit management

With more than 160 master’s and 60 doctoral programs to choose from, you will have unparalleled opportunities to become a leader in:

• education
• agriculture and life sciences
• natural resources
• engineering
• veterinary medicine

As a graduate student, you will likely take courses in departments such as the highly ranked engineering school, the Jenkins Graduate School of Management, or the School of Education. 

Tuition at North Carolina State University at Raleigh is some of the lowest in the country, offering many cheap master’s programs. It starts at just $11,495 for in-state students. As a student and applicant, you’ll be eligible for financial aid funds from federal, institutional, state, and private sources. As a result, this school isn’t just considered a top National University by U.S. News & World Report, but it’s also ranked as a Best Value School and a Best College for Veterans, too. 

To apply to the graduate school at North Carolina State University, you will need to submit an online application along with transcripts from a previously earned bachelor’s degree. Depending on the program, supplementary materials like essays or letters of recommendation are often required as well.

North Carolina State University is accredited by The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

#10. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Home to 16 different schools and colleges and more than 100 graduate programs of study, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is the last school on our list of the best affordable master’s degrees—but it’s certainly not the least. 

A public land-grant research institution in Illinois, this school has campuses in both Champaign and Urbana. As the flagship university of the University of Illinois system it is a member of the Association of American Universities. 

As a graduate student here, you’ll find plenty of resources to support you on your journey toward achieving higher education. Not only is the campus library system home to the second-largest university library in the United States (it is second only to Harvard) but it also offers a Research Park that is home to innovation centers for nearly 100 different multinational corporations and start-up companies. Some of the biggest names here include Yahoo, State Farm, and Capital One. 

You will find dozens of graduate majors and concentrations to choose from here, including:

• accountancy
• agriculture
• anthropology
• architecture

You will learn from instructors who are at the top of their game. The school is home to:

• 30 Nobel laureates
• 2 Turing Award winners
• 27 Pulitzer Prize winners

Your life doesn’t have to focus solely on academics while you’re here, either. Although the graduate schools, including the College of Law, College of Engineering, and School of Information Sciences, are ranked as some of the best in the nation, there are plenty of extracurricular offerings here, too. You can choose from more than 1600 student organizations including:

• political
• philanthropic
• professional clubs

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is also home to one of the largest Greek systems in the nation. Nearly a quarter of the student population here is involved in some way! Because of the extensive opportunities for personal and professional advancement, this university is ranked as one of the top National Universities and Best Colleges for Veterans by U.S. News & World Report.

U of I also offers many online master’s degree programs. The iMBA is a top degree program if you are looking for a master’s degree online that is flexible and of academic excellence.

This school is known all over the country for its low tuition rates. On average, you’ll pay just $18,126 as an in-state student. In 2020 alone, more than $961 million in financial aid was administered with more than two-thirds of all applicants receiving some form of financial aid. You’re not going to miss out on anything just because you’re paying less money, either. Although tuition is low, class sizes are small, featuring an average student-to-faculty ratio of just 20:1. 

Once you’re ready to apply, you’ll need to start by gathering the requisite documents. Although some programs, such as those in the College of Law and College of Veterinary Medicine, have additional, separate requirements for the application, most require an online application and a bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0. In many cases, letters of recommendation are also required. 

Whether you are looking for online learning or an on campus experience, you will find affordable option that fits your budget.

OTHER NOTABLE PROGRAMS AND ONLINE MASTER’S DEGREES 

#11. West Texas A & M University

Location: Canyon, TX

Degree: Master’s and Online Degree Programs

Website

#12. Fort Hays State University

Location: Hays, KS

Degree: Master’s and Online Master’s Degree Programs

Website

#13. University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Location: Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN

Degree: Master’s and Online Master’s Degree Programs

Website

#14. Nova Southeastern University

Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL

Degree: Master’s and Online Master’s Degree Programs

Website

#15. Clemson University

Location: Clemson, South Carolina

Degree: Master’s and Online Master’s Degree Programs

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#16. Fitchburg State University

Location: Fitchburg, MA

Degree: Master’s and Online Master’s Degree Programs

Website

#17. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Location: Chapel Hill, NC

Degree: Master’s Degree Programs

Website

#18. Stony Brook University 

Location: Stony Brook, NY

Degree: Master’s Degree Programs

Website

#19. Maryville University

Location: St. Louis, MO

Degree: Master’s and Online Master’s Degree Programs

Website

#20. University of Arizona

Location: Tucson, AZ

Degree: Master’s and Online Master’s Degree Programs

Website

#21. National Louis University

Location: Chicago, IL

Degree: Master’s Degree Programs

Website

#22. Lamar University

Location: Beaumont, TX

Degree: Master’s and Online Master’s Degree Programs

Website

#23. Concordia University-Chicago

Location: Chicago, IL

Degree: Master’s and Online Master’s Degree Programs

Website

#24. Purdue University

Location: West Lafayette, IN

Degree: Master’s and Online Master’s Degree Programs

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#25. University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Location: Greensboro, NC

Degree: Master’s and Online Master’s Degree Programs

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#26. Auburn University

Location: Auburn, AL

Degree: Master’s and Online Master’s Degree Programs

Website

#27. Missouri University of Science and Technology

Location: Rolla, MO

Degree: Master’s and Online Master’s Degree Programs

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#28. University of Alabama at Birmingham

Location: Birmingham, AL

Degree: Master’s and Online Master’s Degree Programs

Website

#29. University of Oklahoma

Location: Norman, OK

Degree: Master’s and Online Master’s Degree Programs

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#30. University of Illinois at Chicago

Location: Chicago, IL

Degree: Master’s and Online Master’s Degree Programs

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#31. University of Louisiana at Monroe

Location: Monroe, LA

Degree: Master’s and Online Master’s Degree Programs

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#32. Texas Woman’s University

Location: Denton, TX

Degree: Master’s and Online Master’s Degree Programs

Net Price: $7,336

#33. Harvard University

Location: Cambridge, MA

Degree: Master’s Degree Programs

Website

#34. Augusta University 

Location: Augusta, GA

Degree: Master’s and Online Master’s Degree Programs

Website

#35. Lehigh University

Location: Bethlehem, PA

Degree: Master’s Degree Programs 

Website

Other Schools to Consider for Master’s Degrees or Online Master’s Degree Programs

University of South Dakota

Check out the master’s degrees and online master’s degree programs at University of South Dakota here.

Arizona State University

Check out the master’s degrees and online master’s degree programs at Arizona State University here.

University of Texas- Austin

Check out the master’s degrees at University of Texas- Austin here.

Western Governors University

Check out the master’s degrees and online master’s degree programs at Western Governors University here.

University of South Carolina

Check out the master’s degrees and online master’s degrees at University of South Carolina here.

University of North Dakota

Check out the master’s degrees and online master’s degree programs at University of North Dakota here.

Common Application and Admission Questions about Master’s Degrees and Online Master’s Degree Programs

Applying for a master’s program or an online master’s degree program sounds like a daunting task, but really, it’s quite straightforward. You’re already familiar with the process of applying for a bachelor’s degree. While a master’s degree is one step forward, the process is more or less the same.

First, start by making a list of the schools to which you’d like to apply for your master’s degree or online master’s degree program. This list should include:

• dream schools
• safety schools
• target schools

A dream school, of course, is one with competitive admissions, but that you’d really like to attend. A safety school is one that you’re practically guaranteed to be admitted into, while a target school is right in the middle. 

You don’t need to make this list super long. In fact, just four or five schools is really all you need to apply to for a master’s degree or online master’s degree programs. Any more than that and you’ll find yourself overwhelmed once the letters of acceptance start rolling in (or worse, before that—when you’re trying to fill out applications and pay for costly application fees). Any fewer, and you might not have a lot of options to choose from if your top schools decide that you are not the right candidate for them. 

Once you know where you want to apply, take the time to get in touch with the admissions office at your top schools. Make a checklist or spreadsheet that includes the application requirements for each school. This will allow you to be more efficient as you move through your applications. Some require personal statements and provide prompts for your responses. Making a spreadsheet will help you keep tabs on what you need to submit, and to whom.

Not all graduate schools require GMAT or GRE scores for admission. For those who do, it’s important to take the time to research the minimum and average scores. Take note of the averages that are in the 75th percentile and 50th percentile of admitted students. This will give you a good target to shoot for as you begin working your way toward graduate school.

In general, most graduate schools will accept scores from these exams that were taken in the last five years. Don’t wait too long to take the test, though, as it can take several months for scores to become available. You should also leave yourself enough time to retake the exam if necessary. Taking practice tests is a great idea if you’re shooting for a particular score! 

There are other kinds of documentation you will need to provide, too. Official transcripts are pretty much universal, although the GPA requirement for most schools will vary. Usually, it’s around a 3.0. You will also need to supply things like:

• a personal statement or essays
• letters of recommendation
• resume

You will need to decide if you want to be on campus or do online master’s programs. Both have perks.

The key to applying for graduate skill is this—stay calm and stay organized. You’ve got this! A cheap masters degree can be within your reach.

See Also: 50 Best Master’s Degree Programs

What About Financial Aid & Scholarships for Graduate Students?

The FAFSA might seem like a headache. When it comes to financial aid and paying for graduate school, it’s something you’ve really got to make the time to complete if you are looking for cheapest masters programs.

The FAFSA isn’t just a funny-sounding acronym. It stands for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. If you are reading this after already having graduated with a bachelor’s degree, you’re probably already familiar with what the FAFSA has to offer. FAFSA may be your key to affordable master’s degree programs. 

Fill this form out, which is available starting January 1st of the year in which you plan to attend college, and you’ll be considered for all kinds of financial aid. All you have to do is spend a bit of time gathering your financial documents, such as your W2s and tax returns. If you’re still living at home, you’ll need your parents’ information, too. 

The FAFSA will be used to determine whether you are eligible for a variety of federal- and state-subsidized funding, such as:

• grants
• scholarships
• low-interest federal student loans

In many cases, universities use the information from the FAFSA to determine whether you might be eligible for:

• institutional scholarships
• grants
• fellowships
• assistantships

One of the biggest considerations that sets undergraduate and graduate students apart is whether you are a dependent or independent from your parents. If you file as an independent, you’ll likely earn far more financial aid than if you still rely on your parents for financial support. 

Once your dependency status is determined, the other difference is that, as a graduate student, you won’t be eligible for subsidized federal loans. You can still apply for unsubsidized loans and there are also a number of federal grants that do not have to be repaid, including the Federal Pell Grant and the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant.  

You can also consider applying for federal work-study funds. These are often given in exchange for working in the community or on campus, meaning you can gain experience while also saving money on the cost of attending college. 

There is no set amount of federal funds that graduate students can receive. You can borrow up to $20,500 in Federal Direct Stafford Loans and up to the cost of attendance in PLUS loans. Make sure you only borrow what’s realistic for you, though, and don’t borrow more than is needed. 

If you don’t qualify for any federal financial aid, don’t panic! You still have options. You can apply for local and regional scholarships, as well as national scholarships through organizations such as:

• Educators for Fair Consideration
• Mexican-American Legal Defense and Education Fund
• Golden Door Scholars

Many employers offer remission plans, too. The key here is that you leave no stone unturned when it comes to finding money for college. Keep reading and find affordable graduate programs.

See Also: 40 Fastest Online Master’s Degree Programs

How Much Can I Make With a Master’s Degree? 

Earning a master’s degree or an online master’s degree really pays off. There are many advantages to pursuing graduate study. A bigger paycheck is one of the most significant. According to information from the 2000 U.S. Census, workers aged 21-64 who had just bachelor’s degrees earned around $42,877 per year. Those who had a master’s degree earned $55,242. Of course, the difference between those two figures has only become more pronounced in recent years. 

Of course, your average salary will vary depending on whatever it is you choose to study. Salaries vary by field as well as the level of degree you earn. The location of the company that ultimately hires you will also play a role, with workers in large metropolitan areas earning higher wages than those in rural communities. 

There are several master’s degrees or online master’s degree programs you might want to consider if you’re looking for a lucrative, high-paying career. One of the most prominent is a software engineer. As a software engineer with a master’s degree, you can earn nearly $96,000, according to CareerBliss. This is a salary that’s nearly $20,000 more than if you just had a bachelor’s. Those two extra years will really pay off!

Management is another popular field for individuals who want to earn high salaries. Earn an MBA, or a Master of Business Administration, and you could work in just about any field. Managers and administrators are needed in all industries, so you’ll find that an MBA will help prepare you with the leadership skills and management chops you need to lead any team to success. The average MBA graduate earns well over $106,757, according to the U.S. News & World Report, with some professionals earning even more depending on where they land.

Finance is another common pathway for graduate study. If you’re thinking about becoming a financial advisor, a graduate degree is almost a given. While many companies hire individuals who only possess bachelor’s degrees, those with master’s degrees earn almost 20% more per year. How much money does that add up to? On average, you’ll earn around $78,000 per year. 

For aspiring educators, a master’s degree or online master’s degree program isn’t just a luxury that can help enhance your salary if you decide it’s the right pathway for you. A master’s degree is an outright necessity. Many states require educators at both the elementary, secondary, and administrative level to earn master’s degrees to show that they have the right training to handle diverse populations of students. Again, you’ll enjoy a salary increase of nearly 20%, with some program directors in education earning more than $89,000 per year.

Big tech is another field in which earning a master’s degree is a smart choice. Web designers and database administrators alike find that master’s degrees are the best pathways when it comes to drawing a bigger paycheck. Come payday, the average web designer with a master’s degree earns more than $59,000 per year—that’s compared to just $46,657 for workers who only have bachelor’s degrees.

As a database administrator, you’ll earn an extra 21% if you pursue a master’s degree. The average wage for master’s-holding workers in this field is around $96,028. Now that’s an impressive increase! 

IF YOU ENJOYED THAT THEN CHECK OUT OUR ARTICLES ON THE TOP 10 REASONS TO EARN YOUR MASTER’S DEGREE & 50 MOST POPULAR ONLINE MASTER’S DEGREES!

Picture this: You’re sipping coffee on your bed. You’re dressed in your most comfortable pajamas. And you’re learning the complex rules of taxation and financing!

Sounds like a dream, doesn’t it? Welcome to the world of online education! You can pursue a Master of Finance degree in the comfort of your own home.

There is no denying that higher education is an expensive affair these days. But pursuing an online master of finance can help you save much of your hard-earned money. And you’ll still be receiving top-notch education.

The realm of finance is both broad and deep. There are many career paths that you can take with a Finance Degree.

A Master’s in Finance (or MBA with a Certificate or Emphasis in Finance) can open many doors.

It should be no surprise that this master online finance program earned a spot in our ranking of the most popular online Master’s degrees.

What is an Online Master’s in Finance?

You can’t ignore the fact that obtaining a Master of Finance is an excellent way to advance your career. Incorporating online distance learning into this equation is an absolute no-brainer.

But what will you cover in your classes? Let’s take a closer look at some common classes so you can get a better idea of what to expect.

Courses You Will Take

A financial management program often includes a few core subjects. You’ll find these topics as part of a core finance curriculum:

• Financial markets

You may also be able to specialize in various fields within the finance industry. These might include financial theory, management information systems, managerial finance, and financial research. For most of these programs, you can choose elective finance courses. These match your career goals and interests.

You will also develop effective communication skills, critical skills, and technical skills in your foundational coursework. These can help you with career advancement in unrelated fields. With a business degree, you’ll have valuable skills that translate well to any position.

What Can You Do With an Online Master’s in Finance?

Successful completion of a finance degreewill allow you to pursue a variety of careers. You’ll also gain valuable professional contacts to help you land a job.

Potential Job Titles for Graduates

Some popular positions for graduates include:

• Financial managers

• Corporate financial managers

• Chartered financial analyst

• Security analysis and investment valuation

• Chief financial officer

• Corporate cash manager

• Bank management

• Stock market investing

The long and short of it is this. A master’s in finance will prepare you for any kind of career in the job market that has to do with dollars and cents! Some of the best online master’s degrees on this list also provide students with the foundational courses they need to sit for important certification exams.

See Also: 10 Best Economics MBA Programs

Admission Requirements for an Online Master’s in Finance Program

Let’s discuss the required materials for a master’s in finance. In general, you must submit transcripts from your undergraduate degree from an accredited institution, letters of recommendation, and a personal statement.

The application fee varies depending on the school but oftenfalls between $50-$200.

Live out of state? Research the different state’s higher education policies and tuition rates. Some schools offer a tuition waiver or in-state rates for online courses. Be sure to ask about this option to lower your tuition costs.

Some schools have test score requirements such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Others may not. Make sure to research the school’s score requirements before submitting your application.

Financial aid options are also available for those who qualify. Graduate students are eligible for various financial aid options. These include scholarships, grants, and loans. Contact your school’s financial aid office for more information about your eligibility.

To apply, you will need to complete an online application form. Some schools may need you take partate in an interview process.

Program requirements for a master’s in finance program differ, again, in each school. Some schools offer an accelerated program. Others offer courses at a slower pace. Research the program requirements. Choose one that best suits your schedule.

Online programs cater to a wide range of students. Students who work full-time or are parents can take advantage of online courses. Part-time students can complete the program within two years, unlike traditional programs that usually require a minimum of three years.

Many master’s in finance programs for aspiring financial managers often have smaller class sizes. This allows for more individualized attention from professors. Unlike traditional liberal arts programs, online programs emphasize hands-on experience. This prepares students better for the workforce.

This program is a professional degree. This means graduates are more prepared for a career in finance.

Let’s get started with our list of the best masters in finance programs!

See Also: 30 Best Affordable Master’s in Economics

30 Best Online Master in Finance Degrees

30. University of North Alabama

MBA in Finance

The University of North Alabama has a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. 

This online masters finance degree is accredited by the prestigious AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business). UNA offers students the opportunity to earn their MBA from a ranked program for less than $15,500. The program is taught by professors who bring real world experience into the classroom. Students enjoy their research and experience in solving real world business problems. 

There are no prerequisites required. The program starts with a self-paced foundation course. It can begin immediately following registration.

29. The University of St. Francis

MBA in Finance

The University of St. Francis has a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. It is designed to offer maximum flexibility to busy students.

The MBA program exists both onsite and online. It takes just 12-18 months to complete. Students may begin taking courses right away in their chosen concentrations. 

Required courses for the Finance concentration include:

• Entrepreneurship 
• Small Business Finance
• Advanced Financial Management
• International Finance
• Derivatives Valuation

It is available through the University of St. Francis’ College of Business & Health Administration. The MBA program has accreditation from the ACBSP. This is the leading specialized accreditation association for business education.

28. Bellevue University

Master of Science in Strategic Finance

Bellevue University offers several online degree programs. These include its Master of Science in Strategic Finance degree. It is available both online or in-person. It includes courses that are designed to help students develop enterprise-wide financial decision-making skills. The program focuses on “the application of value optimization, enterprise risk management and business strategy for real-world situations.” 

Students study various financial and business issues. They gain an understanding and perspective of the decisions managers and executives face when leading within their organization. 

Graduates of the MS in Strategic Finance program may be able to earn a dual degree. This is with as little as 18 additional credits.

27. Colorado State University Global Campus

Master of Finance

Colorado State University-Global Campus has a Master of Finance degree. It is available 100% online. This online master of finance is designed for individuals looking to lead within the financial industry. 

CSU-Global’s Master of Finance degree familiarizes students with “the latest technology and emerging business trends to create financial strategies, analyze financial risks and investments, and make effective decisions.” 

The online finance masters degree develops leadership skills, operational skills, and international perspectives. The program focuses on career development and incorporates state-of-the-art nontraditional and emerging electronic formats. 

There are several specializations in areas such as:

• Accounting
• Applied Business Management
• Fraud Management

26. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

MBA in Finance

Oklahoma Wesleyan University has a Master of Business Administration program. This is through its Adult & Graduate Studies department. It is available with several emphases, including Finance. 

This finance degree is available at its Bartlesville campus or online. The program consists of 36 credit hours. This includes 36 hours of Core Business Curriculum and six hours of Core Concentration. There is also a Capstone course. This requires a passing grade of C- or better. 

The MBA program is designed for experienced work professionals. It instills students the “appropriate knowledge, practical skills, and professional abilities necessary to fill executive managerial and administrative positions in business, government, and nonprofit organizations.”

25. Tiffin University

Master of Financial Management

Tiffin University has a Master of Business Administration. It has a concentration in Financial Management. The program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.

It offers students a solid foundation in business. It also gives them exposure to financial and economic business practices. 

Studies explore the performance of stocks, bonds, commodities, and other types of investments. It prepares students for a career in financial management in corporate organizations. The program is available either on campus or online. It is offered in two 7-week terms per semester. These begin in January, March, May, July, August and October. 

• Individual courses include:
• International Financial Management
• Investment Analysis 
• International Finance Management

24. University of Washington

Master of Science in Computational Finance & Risk Management (CFRM)

The University of Washington has a number of online programs. These include a Master of Science in Computational Finance & Risk Management (CFRM). It is available through the Department of Professional & Continuing Education. 

This online master’s program is eared toward students with strong quantitative and mathematical skills. The CFRM program offers opportunities for advancement in numerous financial fields. 

It is available in both a full- and flexible part-time schedule. The program takes as little as 18 months or up to three years. It is available in both on-campus and online formats. Campus and online students are able to interact with one another via email, course discussion forums, and web conferencing.

23. Indiana University

Master of Science in Strategic Finance

Indiana University has a Master of Science in Strategic Finance through its online campus, IU Online. 

This master finance online program focuses on the transactions between businesses and consumers as well as businesses and other businesses. The 30 credit hour program is online. That’s with the exception of an intense orientation week at the Bloomington campus.

22. University of La Verne

MBAX

The University of La Verne has a Master of Business Administration for Experienced Professionals (abbreviated MBAX). This is through its College of Business and Public Management. 

The program is designed with the experienced working professional in mind. It is tailored for individuals with three years of experience who are interested in taking the next step forward to a leadership position. 

This master’s degree is online and at several locations across Southern and Central California. The MBAX is available with eight concentration options, including:

• Accounting
• Finance
• Information technology
• International business
• Management and leadership
• Marketing
• Supply chain management
• Health services management.

21.  Golden Gate University

Master of Science in Finance

Golden Gate University has a Master of Science in Finance. It is a “specialized, technical program.” It provides “in-depth exposure to the principles and practices of corporate finance and investment management.” 

The program gives students specialized knowledge that they can use as either an investment adviser or a financial manager. 

The degree is comprised of 15 core units. Three courses focus on investment, corporate finance, and capital markets. This creates the program’s foundation. 

Two concentration options are available in corporate finance or investment management. Students may also choose a general concentration. This offers maximum flexibility within the program.

20. West Texas A&M University

Master of Science in Finance and Economics

West Texas A&M University has a Master of Science in Finance and Economics (MSFE). This is through its College of Business and the Department of Accounting, Economics and Finance. 

The masters of finance online is a top-ranking program. The MSFE was designed for students seeking to “improve their understanding of economics and finance.” It is geared toward students employed in or as:

• financial institutions
• policy-oriented and community service occupations
• economic and financial consulting and advising
• high school or community college teachers

It also offers preparation for law school or doctorate programs. 

The online masters of finance is a 36-credit hour program. The degree takes just one year to complete.

19. Ohio University

Online Master of Financial Economics

Ohio University has several online graduate degree programs. This includes an Online Master of Financial Economics. 

The online masters degree in finance is endorsed by the CFA Institute. It is accredited by both the Higher Learning Commission and the AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business).

Coursework for the program is 100% online. The program aims to “provide students with the quantitative and theoretical tools for a successful career in investment management.” 

Topics of study within the program include:

• Financial Statement Analysis
• Quantitative Analysis in Financial Markets
• Macro and microeconomics

18. University of Miami

Master of Science in Finance

The University of Miami has a Master of Science in Finance. This is through its online campus, UOnline. 

This program consists of 32 credit hours. It takes as little as 16 months. It offers on-campus networking opportunities. 

This is an AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) International accredited program. The online format of the program allows students to customize their studies. They can match them up with their interests and career aspirations. 

There are two certificate options:

• Corporate Finance 
• Financial Decision Making

These are 16 credits each. Both of the certificate options can be earned alone or as part of the master’s program.

17. Pennsylvania State University World Campus

Master of Finance

Pennsylvania State University has an array of online programs. These are through its World Campus. It’s also known as ‘Penn State Online’. The University has a Master of Finance. It can be earned 100% online. 

This is a30 credit hour program. Penn State’s Online Master of Finance is AACSB accredited (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business). It provides students a “well-rounded understanding of finance by covering practical business applications.” They can be used to manage both current financial challenges and advanced theory. This will provide students with the tools necessary to “address future trends.” 

This program from Penn State World Campus is designed for individuals who have completed coursework in:

• Business statistics
• Microeconomics
• Financial management/corporate finance 

16. Villanova University

MBA in Finance

Among its several online program options, Villanova University has an Online Master of Business Administration. It has a specialization in Finance. 

This MBA is available through the University’s School of Business.Villanova’s MBA is one of the highest ranked online masters in finance programs in the Philadelphia region. 

It offers maximum flexibility and convenience to the working professional. Villanova’s Online MBA has more than just a convenient schedule. It also promises a sense of “community, robust curriculum, elite faculty, and the quality of an established, highly ranked” MBA program. 

The degree consists of 21 courses. These are taken over six semesters (each divided into two terms). It is a 48-credit hour program. The degree takes as little as two years.

15. Mississippi College

MBA in Finance

Mississippi College has a  Master of Business Administration in Finance with an online option. 

It is a two-year program. The MBA in Finance provides students with “a greater knowledge and understanding in the field of finance; [to develop] competency in the principal area of finance.”

It offers an “in-depth study in corporate finance, investments, financial markets, financial institutions, international finance.” It helps students  master necessary theoretical concepts and skills. This allows them to advance in their chosen field. 

The masters degree in finance online is a 30 credit hour program. Career options for this program include:

• Credit and/or cash managers
• Controllers
• Finance officers
• Insurance managers 

14. Dallas Baptist University

MBA in Finance

Dallas Baptist University has a  number of programs available online. These include a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. 

The finance masters degree online is designed to offer a “broad understanding of financial management, financial institutions, and investment strategies.” 

DBA’s Finance Concentration includes advanced study and applications in: 

• budgeting and control procedures
• risk management
• working capital management 

It is a 36-48 credit hour program. This depends on whether or not a single or dual concentration is chosen. Required Finance Concentration courses (12 hours) include:

• Capital Markets and Institutions
• Investments.

13. University of Houston-Clear Lake

MS in Finance

Among its several online and hybrid graduate programs, the University of Houston-Clear Lake has a  Master of Science in Finance. 

This program is in UHCL’s College of Business. The program’s format offers maximum convenience and flexibility. It is available in both hybrid (a combination of face-to-face and online class time) and 100% online formats. 

It is offered at an accelerated pace. Each class lasts eight weeks instead of the typical 16. 

UHCL’s M.S. in Finance equips students with the essential skills required to advance in public, private and non-profit sectors. Recent graduates have found employment in:

• corporate finance 
• financial planning
• commercial and investment banking
• real estate investment
• money management

12. University of Saint Mary

MBA in Finance

The University of Saint Mary has an online Master of Business Administration. It is available with a concentration in Finance. 

The program and its Finance Concentration center around “the monetary aspects managers face on a daily basis and the ability to properly evaluate assets and assess risk.” 

The degree exists in an accelerated format. This rigorous program allows students to earn their degree in a thorough yet quick manner. They can take their finance degree to the next level all the sooner. 

It is a two-year program. That said, USM’s MBA with a Finance Concentration can be earned in as little as one year with a high level of dedication. Its online format offers convenience and flexibility. Students can earn their degrees from anywhere in the world.

11. Texas Southern University

MBA in Energy Finance

Texas Southern University has an online Executive Master of Business Administration program. This is through the Jesse H. Jones School of Business. It is available with a concentration in Energy Finance. 

This concentration is designed for mid-career professionals. It prepares candidates to manage and lead organizations within the energy sector. 

The degree is accredited by the AACSB-international (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business). The Executive MBA program provides an “integrated curriculum that explores relevant issues and challenges faced by executives in the supervisory and mid-management levels.” It is a two-year degree. The program is delivered 100% online. That’s through the Blackboard Academic Suites. It provides virtual classrooms, live chats, teleconferencing, and online lectures.

10. Saint Joseph’s University

MBA in Finance

Saint Joseph has an online Master of Business degree. It has ten major options, including the area of Finance. 

Students from all undergraduate majors are welcomed into the program. The online format offers unique flexibility. It allows students to take classes on their own schedule, either part- or full-time. 

This degree features small, dynamic classes. There is an average student-to-faculty ratio of 18 to 1. This allows plenty of time for discussion, reflection, and collaboration among classmates and professors. 

The same tuition rate applies to both traditional and online students. Classes are taught by the same professors. That’s regardless of the format.

9. National University

MBA in Finance

National University has accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). It has more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. These include over 90 degrees that are 100% online. 

National University has an outstanding Master of Business Administration. It is designed with the demands of both the domestic and global marketplace in mind. The mission of the MBA program is “to prepare students for leadership positions in business and to provide them with the knowledge and skills needed to successfully manage organizations in an ever-changing business environment.” 

There is a two-week foundational course covering Accounting and Finance fundamentals. This is required of all MBA students.  

8. Mount Vernon Nazarene University

MBA in Finance

Mount Vernon Nazarene University has a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. This is through its School of Graduate & Professionals Studies department. 

The degree is designed with ambitious adults in mind. The University’s MBA program allows working professionals to obtain a high-quality education. It has four concentration options. 

The Finance option prepares students for financial leadership roles in corporations, planning firms, or investment banks. It gives them a foundational understanding of:

• Markets
• Investments
• Institutions
• Financial planning

Core areas of study within the MBA program include essential business areas, such as:

• Accounting
• Economics
• Finance
• Management
• Marketing
• Ethics
• Leadership
• Legal issues
• Organizational behavior
• Global business and strategy

7. Park University

MBA in Finance

Park University has a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. 

The online finance masters is available both online and in a 100% online delivery mode. The MBA is in the University’s School of Business. It is a top ranked program.

Park University’s MBA program is available with several concentration options. Finance is one of them. The degree features small class sizes. This allows students to receive more individualized attention and help from professors. 

The master’s degree exists in a combination of eight-week sessions. Students are able to complete the program in as little as fifteen months. 

6. Walden University

MS in Finance

Walden University has a Master of Science in Finance. It is available 100% online. The program prepares students for in-demand finance careers.

Walden’s MSF degree teaches students relevant skills in managing cash, assets, investments, and business risks. 

There are three specializations. These include: 

• Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
• Certified Financial Planner (CFP)
• a self-designed Finance for the Professional

The program’s courses are taught by field experts, Walden’s MSF is an employer-focused program. It “features a practical approach that combines case studies, engaging discussions, and project-based learning.” 

The goals and outcomes of the program include:

• the ability to demonstrate essential analytical skills
• employ valuable communication strategies
• evaluate financial problems 

This is a 30 semester hour program. Walden accepts up to 15 transfer credits. 

5. Georgetown University

MS in Finance

Georgetown University has a Master of Science in Finance (MSF).

It exists in a blended format (where on-site meetings are interspersed with online classes). Georgetown University’s MSF transforms “today’s best professionals into rising industry leaders.” 

It is a 32 credit hour program. It lasts just 21 months. The program has six core courses. There are four elective courses. There are also two residencies. One is during Orientation the Summer before the program’s start. The second is during October of the first year. There is also a Capstone Global Consulting Project. This is held during May of the program’s second year. 

This is an online program with enhanced on-site and in-the-field components. The capstone Global Consulting Project allows students to apply their skills and what they’ve learned in their coursework. They’ll conduct a consulting project for an international firm.

4. Johns Hopkins University

MS in Finance

Johns Hopkins University’s Carey Business School has a Master of Science in Finance. 

It has online format options. The program has 36 credit hours. It takes as little as one year for full-time students or two years part-time. 

The program aims to develop “managers and specialists who understand the importance of transparency, responsibility, accountability, and fair and equitable treatment of shareholders for good corporate governance practices.” 

Features of the online masters in finance program include:

• access to the University’s world-class faculty members and experienced finance practitioners
• preparation for the CFA exams
• “strong theoretical and practical foundations in corporate finance and valuation, corporate governance, and securities analysis and investments.”

3. Webster University

MS in Finance

Webster University has a Master of Science in Finance. The program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

The MS in Finance is online. It also exists at Webster University’s main St. Louis campus and at select locations in the U.S. and abroad. It is a 36 credit hour program. 27 of these credits cover core course material. There are nine credit hours of electives. 

This finance online masters program offers a “quantitative and comprehensive examination of the finance field.” Elective courses include:

• Entrepreneurial Finance
• Financial Statement Analysis
• Investments and Portfolio Management

A dual degree Master of Business Administration/Master of Science in Finance option is also available. It has 48 credit hours.

2. Concordia University in Wisconsin

MBA in Finance

Concordia University Wisconsin has a web-based Master of Business Administration in Finance. This is through its School of Business. 

It is a 39-credit hour program with affordable tuition. The program is available online and at several locations across Wisconsin. 

Concordia’s MBA in Finance features experienced industry professionals. They are passionate about leading others in their particular fields. Courses are taught from a Christian perspective and a biblical worldview. The objectives of the program include:

• helping students gain the “confidence to make informed investment choices”
• the “capability to analyze decision-making from both legal and ethical standpoints”
• the “knowledge of the parameters of law and fraud within business finance”
• the “ability to use accounting reports to make informed and well-guided decisions” 

1. Wilmington University

MBA in Finance

Wilmington University has a Master of Business Administration. It has a specialization in Finance through its College of Business. 

The master’s in finance online program is accredited by the IACBE (International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education). Wilmington University’s MBA program is for working professionals. It is available in both traditional and online formats. 

This degree program offers maximum flexibility without compromising any of the rigor or quality you’d expect from a top-notch MBA program. 

The core of the program includes exposure to:

• Finance
• Accounting
• Economics
• Management
• Leadership
• Quantitative methods
• Business strategy

There are also specializations, including:

• Finance
• Accounting
• Business Technology Management
• Organizational Leadership

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