• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
  • Methodology

Master's Programs Guide

Helping you find the best master's programs

By Kacey Reynolds Schedler

Core Methodology Criteria

Methodology: At Master’s Programs Guide, we strive to provide the most up-to-date and relevant online master’s programs rankings. We examine publicly available sources such as U.S. News and World Report, the accrediting agencies for the program, and the websites of schools that offer online master’s degrees. In doing so, we note program attributes that enable us to form a methodology to narrow down the pool of schools for our ranking. Further, we use the common program attributes to develop a point system that is assigned to each attribute to then rank the programs. If two or more schools receive the same point value, the lowest out-of-state tuition is used as the tie-breaking factor. The general attributes (and any additional, program-specific criteria noted within the individual ranking) are all weighted equally and are as follows:

  • Degree customization– number of degrees, research areas, dedicated specializations, and/or graduate certificates in the field that are provided fully or partially online
  • Program flexibility and accessibility– the extent to which the degree can be accessed and completed entirely online
  • Faculty achievement and student resources and success– easily accessed information on faculty expertise and recognition, resources provided to students, and current student or alumni testimonies of success and/or achievements
  • School reputation and commendation– being ranked or recognized by independent, reputable sources such as U.S. News and World Report

Primary Sidebar

Find Your Degree
mastersprogramsguide.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

Featured Articles

  • The War on Grad School [Infographic]
  • 50 Most Popular Online Master’s Degrees
  • Top 10 Reasons to Earn Your Master’s Degree
  • 50 Fastest Online Master’s Degree Programs
  • 50 Best Online Master’s Programs
  • Top 50 Best Paying Master’s Degrees
  • 50 Most Popular Master’s Degrees

New Rankings

  • 50 Best Online MS in Mechanical Engineering
  • 50 Best Online MS in Civil Engineering
  • 50 Best Online MSN Programs
  • 50 Best Online MS in International Relations
  • 45 Best Online Master’s in Public Relations
  • 50 Best Online Master of Laws and Master of Legal Studies Degree Programs
  • 50 Best Online Masters in Social Work
  • 50 Best Online Master’s in Project Management Degree Programs
  • 50 Best Online Master of Accounting Degree Programs
  • 50 Best Online Master of Public Health Online Degree Programs
  • 50 Best Online Master of Criminal Justice Degree Programs
  • 50 Best Online Master of Liberal Studies Degree Programs
  • 50 Best Online Master of Special Education Degree Programs
  • 50 Best Online MBA Degree Programs
  • 50 Best Online Master’s in Healthcare Administration
  • 50 Best Online Master of Organizational Leadership Degree Programs
  • 50 Best Online Master Of Professional Studies in Human Resources
  • 50 Best Online Master of Library Science Degree Programs
  • 30 Best Online Master’s in History Degree Programs

Student Resources

  • Mastering Public Speaking [Infographic]

Copyright © 2021 · Master's Programs Guide
Sitemap