Best Master's in Community College Administration Programs in 2026
All 7 programs reviewed from the IPEDS database, ranked on degrees awarded and local teacher pay. CIP 13.0407.
A master's in community college administration prepares educators and professionals to lead departments, student-services offices, and academic programs at two-year and technical colleges. Students are often faculty members, advisors, or program staff who want to move into coordinator, dean, or director roles. Unlike a K-12 principal credential, this is a professional administrative degree and does not require a state administrator license, so the focus is on leadership skills, higher-education law and finance, and student success rather than classroom certification.
- Most master's programs run 30 to 36 credits and take about two years, with many built to be completed part-time by working teachers.
- 2 of 7 ranked programs offer an online or hybrid option.
- Graduate programs are ranked on degrees awarded, cost-of-living-adjusted local pay, and institutional standing, not the undergraduate stats that do not describe a master's.
- 1
Mississippi State University
52score- 29Master's/yr
- $49,790State teacher pay
- Master of Science in Workforce Education Leadership
- Online
About the programMississippi State University offers a Master of Science in Workforce Education Leadership delivered fully online as a 30-credit-hour program housed within the university's Community College Leadership area, positioning it as an on-ramp to the same field its doctoral track serves. The all-online format, acceptance of up to 12 transfer credits, and in-state tuition for every online student together make it an accessible option for working professionals across the region. A written comprehensive exam offered in March, June, and October caps the degree at regular intervals, giving learners predictable completion points. This is not an initial licensure program, though for Mississippi-certified teachers it can upgrade license status without adding a new endorsement. Its focus stays on preparing leaders for workforce and community college education settings. Educators and workforce staff seeking advancement will find it well suited. This program offers a master's degree in community college administration in Mississippi.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteFor a graduate program we set aside undergraduate figures and weigh three things instead: how established it is, the local market its graduates enter, and the institution's standing. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 29 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Mississippi statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $49,790, roughly $57,261 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.
Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.
- 2
University of Arkansas
52score- 4Master's/yr
- $61,010Metro teacher pay
- Master of Education in Higher Education: Community College Leadership Concentration
- Online
About the programThe University of Arkansas offers a Master of Education in Higher Education with a Community College Leadership concentration built specifically for people already working in the two-year sector. The 30-hour program runs in accelerated eight-week online terms, a structure that lets employed staff stack coursework around full schedules, and it caps the degree with a written comprehensive exam embedded in a Critical Issues in Community Colleges capstone rather than a thesis. Because applicants must have current or prior community college employment, cohorts arrive with shared professional context, and the coursework reads as a direct pipeline toward advancement within those institutions. The emphasis throughout is applied leadership rather than research training. It carries no state licensure and is not a route to K-12 certification. Community college employees eyeing supervisory and administrative roles are its clear audience. As a master's degree in community college administration, it adds to the master's-level community college administration options in Arkansas.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteMaster's programs are judged differently here. Undergraduate stats do not apply, so the ranking looks at whether the program is established, the pay its graduates walk into locally, and how the university stands behind it. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 4 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR, where elementary teachers earn a median $61,010, roughly $66,785 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.
Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.
- 3
Alcorn State University
49score- 24Master's/yr
About the programAlcorn State University is a public four-year institution in rural Alcorn State, MS offering a Master's in community college administration. Coursework is available in an online format, which suits candidates already working in schools. Total enrollment across the university is 2,995. It is a historically Black college or university. It is a master's degree in community college administration at the master's level, based in Mississippi.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteMaster's programs are judged differently here. Undergraduate stats do not apply, so the ranking looks at whether the program is established, the pay its graduates walk into locally, and how the university stands behind it. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 24 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.
- 4
Northern Arizona University
46score- 44Master's/yr
- $53,900Metro teacher pay
- Master of Education in Community College/Higher Education
- Online
About the programNorthern Arizona University offers a Master of Education in Community College/Higher Education delivered fully online for professionals aiming at teaching and administrative roles within two-year and four-year institutions. The 30-unit curriculum pairs a 21-credit core in community college and higher education topics with a research sequence and six elective credits, and the absence of a thesis or GRE requirement signals a program built for practicing educators rather than research-bound scholars. Several emphasis areas allow optional fieldwork or an internship, giving those who want applied experience a path to it while keeping the degree accessible to busy working adults. Multiple start dates throughout the year reinforce that flexibility. This is a career-advancement credential rather than a route to K-12 certification, and it confers no state licensure. Learners drawn to postsecondary leadership without a licensure hurdle will find it a practical fit. As a master's degree in community college administration, it adds to the master's-level community college administration options in Arizona.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteFor a graduate program we set aside undergraduate figures and weigh three things instead: how established it is, the local market its graduates enter, and the institution's standing. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 44 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty. Its graduates step into Flagstaff, AZ, where elementary teachers earn a median $53,900, roughly $53,725 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.
Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.
- 5
Rowan University
43score- 14Master's/yr
- Master of Arts in Higher Education: Administrative Track
About the programRowan University offers a Master of Arts in Higher Education with an Administrative Track oriented toward student affairs, one of two paths students can choose alongside a separate Academic Advising Track. At 36 semester hours the degree is more substantial than many peer programs, and its requirement of a thesis or major research project sets it apart as one that expects genuine scholarly engagement rather than a purely applied capstone. That research demand is balanced by a 6-credit Seminar and Internship in Higher Education Administration sequence, so students pair inquiry with supervised practice in a real administrative office. The combination suits learners who want both analytical grounding and field experience before entering the profession. The degree carries no state licensure. It fits aspiring administrators willing to invest in a research-informed, hands-on preparation. It is a master's degree in community college administration at the master's level, based in New Jersey.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteMaster's programs are judged differently here. Undergraduate stats do not apply, so the ranking looks at whether the program is established, the pay its graduates walk into locally, and how the university stands behind it. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 14 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.
- 6
Central Michigan University
37score- 4Master's/yr
- Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration and Social Justice
- Online
About the programCentral Michigan University offers a Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration and Social Justice, an online, 30-credit program whose very title frames student affairs work through an equity lens. The curriculum is aligned with the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education, grounding it in the professional benchmarks that govern the field, and its accelerated design lets motivated students finish in under two years. Rolling admissions ease entry at multiple points, while an annual study-abroad option and a Student Affairs Graduate Assistantship Program for full-time students signal a program that wants learners immersed in practice, not just coursework. The assistantship in particular reads as built for early-career professionals seeking hands-on campus experience. The degree carries no state licensure. Those drawn to administrative and student-facing roles with a social justice orientation are its intended audience. This program offers a master's degree in community college administration in Michigan.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteA master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 4 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.
- 7
Morgan State University
36score- 2Master's/yr
- Master of Education in Community College Administration & Instruction
- Online
About the programMorgan State University offers a Master of Education in Community College Administration & Instruction, a cohort-based online program delivered through Canvas that moves a shared group of students through the degree together over two years. The unified curriculum keeps everyone on one track rather than splitting into specializations, preparing mid-level administrators, student affairs professionals, and instructional leaders side by side. That design, combined with a culminating 6-credit Community College Internship in the second year, marks it as a practice-oriented degree that ties classroom learning to a real institutional setting before graduation. The cohort structure builds a professional network alongside the coursework. It leads to no state licensure and is not a K-12 teaching or leadership certification. Aspiring community college leaders who value a guided, applied path will recognize themselves in it. This program offers a master's degree in community college administration in Maryland.
Why it ranks hereSchool siteA master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 2 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.
How we rank
Each master's program is scored 0 to 100 against the other master's programs in its specialty on the measures the federal data actually supports at the graduate level: the number of master's degrees it awards each year (30%), counted as a sign that the program is established rather than rewarding sheer size: a program reaches full credit at about fifty degrees a year and awarding thousands more adds nothing, so a high-volume online degree factory earns no advantage here; the median wage for elementary teachers in the program's local area (30%), from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The wage is the metropolitan-area figure where the school sits in a metro (about 85% of programs) and the state figure otherwise, and it is adjusted for the local cost of living using the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities, so a high nominal salary in an expensive metro does not outrank a lower salary that goes further. It is a measure of local earning potential in the field, not the earnings of this program's graduates, which are not published. The third and largest measure is a program-strength score (40%), 0 to 100, led by the institution's Carnegie research classification, so a very-high-research university outranks a small teaching college on institutional standing. It adds a bonus where the program names a national programmatic accreditor like CAEP or AAQEP, but does not lean on it, because several states approve educator preparation through their own boards rather than CAEP, and a strong flagship should not be marked down for its state's accreditation choice. A clearly identified degree and licensure pathway adds a little more, and private for-profit programs, whose graduate outcomes are documented as weaker, take a deduction. Graduation rate, admission rate, and tuition are deliberately NOT scored: the first two are institution-wide undergraduate figures that describe the wrong population, and verified graduate tuition exists for too few programs to rank on fairly. Cost is shown on each card where we have it, but it does not affect the ranking. Every master's program is ranked and shown, with no per-state cap.
- Established program size, degrees awarded per year, capped so volume alone does not win: 30%
- Local-area teacher pay, cost-of-living adjusted (BLS + BEA): 30%
- Program strength, institutional research standing plus accreditation, less a for-profit deduction: 40%
Prefer a single measure? See most popular, highest area pay.
How much a master's in Community College Administration program costs in 2026
Graduate tuition is priced by the credit rather than the year, and most master's in Community College Administration programs run 30 to 36 credits, so the total turns on a school's per-credit rate and whether you pay the in-state or out-of-state figure. Public universities are usually the least expensive for residents, while private and out-of-state rates run higher. Because IPEDS reports only an institution-wide undergraduate tuition that does not describe a graduate program, each card shows a researched per-program cost wherever a school publishes one, rather than a misleading campus-wide number.
Sticker price is rarely the final cost. Graduate students can borrow through federal Direct Unsubsidized and Grad PLUS loans, and teachers have targeted help: the TEACH Grant provides up to $4,000 a year for a commitment to teach a high-need subject in a low-income school, and Public Service Loan Forgiveness can clear the remaining balance after ten years of qualifying payments in a public school or district. Many districts also reimburse part of a master's for teachers who earn it on the job, since a graduate degree usually moves them up the salary schedule.
Sources: program data from IPEDS; the TEACH Grant and Public Service Loan Forgiveness from Federal Student Aid.
Ways to earn your master's in Community College Administration
Online delivery is central at this level: 2 of the 7 ranked programs offer an online or hybrid option, which fits teachers and other professionals who study while working full time. Programs are often organized as cohorts on evening, weekend, or asynchronous schedules, with any required field hours arranged near you. A typical master's runs about two years part-time, or twelve to eighteen months full-time.
The right format depends on why you are enrolling. Licensed teachers pursuing a master's for advancement or an added specialization can usually study fully online while they keep teaching. Career-changers who need an initial teaching license should instead look for a Master of Arts in Teaching or another licensure-track program, which pairs coursework with a supervised student-teaching placement or a paid residency and so includes in-person clinical time.
Sources: program and delivery data from IPEDS.
How to earn a master's in community college administration
The path centers on building higher-education leadership expertise rather than obtaining a state license.
- 1
Earn a bachelor's degree
Complete an undergraduate degree in any field. Many applicants come from education, business, the social sciences, or a discipline they have taught or supported at a college.
- 2
Gain higher-education experience
Time spent teaching, advising, or working in admissions, financial aid, or student affairs strengthens your application and gives context for graduate coursework. Some programs prefer applicants already working at a college.
- 3
Choose and apply to a program
Look for master's programs in community college leadership or higher-education administration, many of which are offered online or part-time to fit a working schedule. Applications typically ask for transcripts, a statement of purpose, and references.
- 4
Complete the coursework
Study higher-education finance, governance, law, enrollment management, curriculum, and student development theory, usually across roughly 30 to 36 credits over about two years part-time.
- 5
Finish a capstone or internship
Many programs conclude with a supervised administrative internship, a leadership practicum, or a capstone project that connects your study to a real campus problem.
Requirements summarized from each state's department of education and the relevant national accreditor. Exact requirements vary by state.
Frequently asked questions about a Master's in Community College Administration
Who is a master's in community college administration for?
A master's in community college administration is designed for people who want to lead within two-year and technical colleges, including current faculty, advisors, admissions and financial-aid staff, and program coordinators. It suits those aiming for department chair, director, dean, or vice-president roles. Applicants usually already work in or near higher education.
Do you need a license to become a community college administrator with a master's in community college administration?
No, you do not need a license to become a community college administrator. Community college administration does not require a state administrator or principal license, unlike K-12 school leadership. Hiring is based on your degree, relevant experience, and record of results rather than a certification exam.
How long does a master's in community college administration take, and can you study online?
The program takes about two years part-time for most master's degrees, and many are offered fully or partly online. Online formats are common because so many students are already working full time at a college.
How is a master's in community college administration different from a K-12 leadership degree?
This differs from a K-12 leadership degree because a K-12 leadership master's prepares licensed teachers to become principals and requires a state administrator license and prior classroom experience. A community college administration degree prepares you for higher-education leadership and carries no licensure requirement, with coursework focused on college finance, governance, and student services.
Is a master's in community college administration accredited?
The program is accredited when it is offered by a university with regional institutional accreditation, which signals broad academic quality and helps ensure your credits and degree are widely recognized. Because this is not a licensure program, it is not tied to a teacher-preparation accreditor.
Is a master's in community college administration worth it?
The degree is worth it for people who want to advance from a staff or faculty role into administration, since it builds the leadership, budgeting, and policy knowledge those jobs demand and is often expected for dean and director positions. Its value depends on your career goals and the higher-education job market where you work. Talk with administrators at your institution about how a master's fits their advancement expectations.
Answers draw on IPEDS, the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, and each state's department of education.
Data sources for our Master's in Community College Administration ranking
- Program counts and degrees awarded: IPEDS, US Department of Education. Cost figures are researched from each program's own published tuition, since IPEDS reports only undergraduate tuition.
- Program descriptions: each school's official catalog and program pages.