Best Master's in Education Programs by Degrees Awarded

1. 1

   Regent University

   Virginia Beach, VAPrivate nonprofitOnline available

   • 118Master's/yr
   • Master of Education in Teaching (Individualized Degree Plan)
   • Online
   About the program

   Regent University offers a Master of Education in Teaching with an Individualized Degree Plan, a 30-credit online program that lets educators assemble their own focus from elective areas such as at-risk students, character development, classroom management, Christian school education, literacy, educational leadership, TESOL, and technology. The individualized structure and flexible completion pace read as a program built for licensed teachers and school professionals who want graduate depth tailored to their setting rather than a fixed sequence. It is designed for those who already hold licensure or who are not seeking traditional state licensure, and background checks are required for placements in public or private schools. Study culminates in a professional project and portfolio that ties the elective coursework back to practice. Students pursuing another Regent graduate program can trim the degree to 24 credit hours as a joint program. It is a master's degree in education at the master's level, based in Virginia.

   Why it ranks here

   Master'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 118 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

   School site
2. 2

   Columbia College

   Columbia, SCPrivate nonprofitOnline available

   • 116Master's/yr
   • Master of Education in Trauma-Informed Education
   • Online
   About the program

   Columbia College offers a Master of Education in Trauma-Informed Education, a 100% online program that blends education with social-work science to prepare teachers for classrooms shaped by adversity and poverty. Developed through the college's Center for Organization Resilience, the 30-credit degree runs in accelerated seven-week courses with three start dates each year in January, May, and August, and can be finished in under twelve months. That compressed, fully online structure reads as a deliberate fit for working educators who want to deepen their practice without leaving the classroom. Completers can pursue South Carolina's Teaching Children of Poverty Endorsement through the state Department of Education, which carries recertification credit and adds an endorsement to a teaching certificate. The result is a focused credential aimed at teachers who want practical tools for supporting students affected by trauma. As a master's degree in education, it adds to the master's-level education options in South Carolina.

   Why it ranks here

   Master'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 116 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

   School site
3. 3

   Framingham State University

   Framingham, MAPublic

   • 63Master's/yr
   • $98,060Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Arts with a Concentration in Educational Leadership
   • On-campus
   About the program

   Framingham State University offers a Master of Arts with a Concentration in Educational Leadership, an on-campus program built around three core courses and eight concentration courses delivered in an intensive format. Rather than attaching a state administrator credential, it is a non-licensure degree aimed at educators who want to deepen their leadership thinking without pursuing formal certification. The design leans heavily on practice, since every course incorporates field-based experiences in place of a single separate practicum. Students close the program with a portfolio and a self-reflective statement instead of a thesis, which keeps the emphasis on demonstrated growth and applied judgment. The concentrated course sequence and reflective capstone together read as a program shaped for working professionals who learn best by connecting study directly to their own settings. As a master's degree in education, it adds to the master's-level education options in Massachusetts.

   Why it ranks here

   A 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 63 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, where elementary teachers earn a median $98,060, roughly $90,573 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.

   School site
4. 4

   Southern Methodist University

   Dallas, TXPrivate nonprofit

   • 54Master's/yr
   • Master of Education
   • Hybrid
   About the program

   Southern Methodist University's Simmons School of Education offers a Master of Education built primarily for already-practicing educators, with hybrid coursework that combines in-person and online study across a 36-credit-hour plan. Concentrations reach from bilingual and English as a second language education, literacy studies, and special education to mathematics education, STEM, urban education, and learning therapy, giving teachers room to specialize around the students they serve. Customizable degree plans, internship opportunities, and full- or part-time pacing over roughly two-plus years signal a program designed to flex around working professionals' schedules. For candidates who do not yet hold a teaching credential, SMU offers a separate Master of Education with a Teacher Preparation Program that pairs graduate study with initial certification for EC-6, middle, and high school. Together the two paths let the school serve both experienced teachers and career changers entering the field. As a master's degree in education, it adds to the master's-level education options in Texas.

   Why it ranks here

   Master'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 54 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

   School site
5. 5

   George Washington University

   Washington, DCPrivate nonprofit

   • 49Master's/yr
   • $79,470Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Arts in Education and Human Development, Individualized Program
   • Hybrid
   About the program

   The George Washington University's Graduate School of Education and Human Development offers a Master of Arts in Education and Human Development through an Individualized Program that candidates design themselves. Working with a faculty advisor, students build a plan of study drawing across GSEHD departments including Counseling and Human Development, Curriculum and Pedagogy, Educational Leadership, Human and Organizational Learning, and Special Education and Disability Studies, and can even pull coursework from other GW schools and Consortium of Universities partner institutions. The 30-credit structure devotes three credits to research and the remaining twenty-seven to the student's chosen focus, making it a strong fit for professionals whose goals do not map onto a single fixed track. Offered in a hybrid format with no application fee, it rewards learners who already know the specific expertise they want to assemble. It is a master's degree in education at the master's level, based in Washington, D.C..

   Why it ranks here

   For 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 49 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, where elementary teachers earn a median $79,470, roughly $72,986 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.

   School site
6. 6

   Newman University

   Wichita, KSPrivate nonprofit

   • 48Master's/yr
   • Master of Science in Education
   • On-campus
   About the program

   Newman University offers a Master of Science in Education that reads as a flexible credential for both practicing teachers and career changers. Its concentrations range from ESOL and Reading Specialist with a dyslexia emphasis to Building Leadership and discipline-specific pedagogy in chemistry, history, and mathematics, letting educators target a specialization tied to a state endorsement. Several tracks lead to licensure endorsements in areas such as ESOL, Reading Specialist, District Leadership, and Building Leadership. The standout Methods and Strategies for Teaching concentration compresses a master's degree and initial teaching licensure into a single academic year, a fast route for career changers who already hold a bachelor's in any field. Coursework is available in class, hybrid, or fully online, so candidates can fit study around existing work. This program offers a master's degree in education in Kansas.

   Why it ranks here

   Master'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 48 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

   School site
7. 7

   Lindenwood University

   Saint Charles, MOPrivate nonprofit

   • 47Master's/yr
   • Master of Arts in Education (MAE)
   • Online
   About the program

   Lindenwood University offers an online Master of Arts in Education that lets educators specialize through one of several concentrations: Curriculum and Instruction, Designing and Implementing K-12 e-Learning, Endeavor STEM Teaching, or Integrated School Library Media and Technology. The range of tracks points to a program for practicing teachers looking to sharpen a specific area of their work rather than earn a first teaching credential, since it does not lead to Missouri DESE teacher certification. A useful feature for career-minded students is that each concentration can be paired with an associated graduate certificate, letting the degree carry a stackable, resume-visible credential. Delivered online, the program is structured for working educators who want to add depth in curriculum, technology, STEM, or library media while remaining in their classrooms. It is a master's degree in education at the master's level, based in Missouri.

   Why it ranks here

   A 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 47 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

   School site
8. 8

   Mount Holyoke College

   South Hadley, MAPrivate nonprofitOnline available

   • 42Master's/yr
   • Master of Arts in Teaching, Teacher Leadership (M.A.T.L.)
   • Hybrid
   About the program

   Mount Holyoke College offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Teacher Leadership, a hybrid, cohort-based program designed for working educators to complete part-time over at least two years. Its structure of online evening courses paired with week-long summer intensives keeps the degree compatible with a full teaching schedule, and students conclude with a personalized capstone project. The program offers a general Teacher Leadership pathway alongside an Independent Schools Fellowship pathway. It does not lead to licensure, though the coursework strengthens subject-matter knowledge relevant to a Massachusetts Professional License. Prospective applicants should note that in fall 2025 the college announced it is closing its Professional and Graduate Education programs; applications for degree programs are no longer accepted, and non-degree programs are scheduled to close in summer 2026. It is a master's degree in education at the master's level, based in Massachusetts.

   Why it ranks here

   Master'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 42 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

   School site
9. 9

   Johns Hopkins University

   Baltimore, MDPrivate nonprofitOnline available

   • 35Master's/yr
   • $76,400Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Science in Education, Educational Studies
   • On-campus
   About the program

   Johns Hopkins University offers a Master of Science in Education in Educational Studies through its School of Education, a program for educators who want graduate-level grounding in the study of teaching and schooling. It sits alongside related MS tracks in Education Policy, Special Education, and Gifted Education, letting students situate their study within a broader family of specializations. A distinctive fully online, asynchronous version of the Educational Studies pathway is built specifically for Teach For America corps members and alumni and TNTP alumni, extending the degree to mission-driven teachers already in high-need classrooms. The on-campus track offers a more traditional residential experience of the same specialization. Together the pathways let candidates choose the format that fits their teaching commitments and career stage. This program offers a master's degree in education in Maryland.

   Why it ranks here

   For 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 35 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD, where elementary teachers earn a median $76,400, roughly $73,119 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.

   School site
10. 10

    Endicott College

    Beverly, MAPrivate nonprofitOnline available

    • 30Master's/yr
    • $98,060Metro teacher pay
    • Education Fifth Year Master's Degree Program
    • Online
    About the program

    Endicott College offers an Education Fifth Year Master's Degree Program, a fully online M.Ed. that lets candidates study part-time or full-time while counting toward initial or professional teaching licensure in Massachusetts. Concentrations span Reading and Literacy, Moderate and Severe Disabilities, Elementary Education, Early Childhood, and Secondary Education, so candidates can align the degree with a specific grade band or specialization. Licensure candidates complete a supervised practicum and pass the MTEL Communication and Literacy exam, keeping the program tied to state requirements and real classroom experience. Its signature Teaching Fellows Program offers a tuition-free M.Ed. in exchange for a year of teaching in a partner district, an appealing arrangement for new educators. A study-abroad option in Ireland focused on trauma-informed practice rounds out the experience. As a master's degree in education, it adds to the master's-level education options in Massachusetts.

    Why it ranks here

    A 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 30 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, where elementary teachers earn a median $98,060, roughly $90,573 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.

    School site
11. 11

    Jackson State University

    Jackson, MSPublicHBCU

    • 29Master's/yr
    • Educational Administration and Supervision, M.S.
    • Online
    About the program

    Jackson State University offers an online Master of Science in Educational Administration and Supervision, a 39-credit program aimed at educators preparing for roles in school administration and supervision. Admission is selective and geared toward serving practitioners, requiring a writing sample, a committee interview, and a recommendation letter from the applicant's supervising principal or a district superintendent, with a Bachelor of Science in Education recommended for applicants. That screening signals a cohort of working school professionals already positioned to move into leadership. The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Delivered online, the program fits educators who need to continue working while they build the administrative and supervisory expertise the degree targets. It is a master's degree in education at the master's level, based in Mississippi.

    Why it ranks here

    A 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 29 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

    School site
12. 12

    Ramapo College of New Jersey

    Mahwah, NJPublic

    • 24Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Special Education (MASE)
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Ramapo College of New Jersey offers a Master of Arts in Special Education, a 36-credit hybrid program designed as a part-time, two-year path for educators pursuing credentials to work with students with disabilities. Its single pathway leads to dual certification, adding New Jersey's Teacher of Students with Disabilities certification and the Students With a Disability Endorsement Certificate on top of another certification area, which makes it a practical way for teachers to broaden what they are licensed to teach. The program blends coursework with a field internship and an applied capstone research project, so candidates test ideas in real classrooms while investigating a question of their own. The hybrid format keeps it manageable for people already working in schools. Ramapo presents it as the college's sole graduate education degree, giving the program a clear, focused identity within the institution. It is a master's degree in education at the master's level, based in New Jersey.

    Why it ranks here

    For 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 24 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

    School site
13. 13

    University of Massachusetts-Amherst

    Amherst, MAPublic

    • 23Master's/yr
    • Child Study & Early Education, M.Ed.
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University of Massachusetts Amherst offers a Child Study & Early Education M.Ed. that centers on understanding young children from birth to age eight, both individually and in groups. Coursework spans early childhood education, family services, public policy for children and families, and interdisciplinary childhood studies, giving the degree a breadth that reaches from the classroom to the systems around it. A defining emphasis is close attention to cultural context, which the program treats as essential to sound assessment and program design. For experienced educators, it opens a pathway to a PreK-2 Professional License, available to teachers who already hold an Initial license and have at least three years of PreK-2 teaching experience. The combination of child-centered study and a licensure route reads as a program built for early-childhood teachers advancing their practice. It is a master's degree in education at the master's level, based in Massachusetts.

    Why it ranks here

    For 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 23 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

    School site
14. 14

    Yeshiva University

    New York, NYPrivate nonprofitOnline available

    • 23Master's/yr
    • Master of Science in Jewish Education
    • Online
    About the program

    Yeshiva University's Azrieli Graduate School offers a Master of Science in Jewish Education delivered fully online, giving educators a way to earn the degree without relocating. The online option mirrors the traditional program's 30 credits of coursework and student teaching, so it carries the same academic substance rather than a lighter alternative. It sits within a broader array of Azrieli pathways, including a one-year accelerated fellowship and joint BA/MS options, signaling a school that structures its offerings around different points in an educator's career. The overall shape reads as a focused, practice-connected route into Jewish education for students who need the flexibility of remote study. It is a master's degree in education at the master's level, based in New York.

    Why it ranks here

    For 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 23 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

    School site
15. 15

    Adelphi University

    Garden City, NYPrivate nonprofit

    • 20Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Educational Technology
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Adelphi University offers a fully online Master of Arts in Educational Technology for educators who want to design digital learning rather than earn an initial teaching credential. Students can shape the degree through optional tracks in instructional design and educational technology, letting them lean toward either building learning experiences or leading technology in schools. The program is hands-on at its core, culminating in a multimedia studio capstone followed by independent study, with two optional paid internships available through Adelphi's Faculty Center for Professional Excellence for those who want applied experience. It is not itself a certification program, but it satisfies the master's degree requirement for the New York State Professional Certificate for teachers who already hold Initial Certification, and it offers up to 32 Continuing Teacher and Leader Education hours. With no GRE requirement and a fully online format, it fits practicing teachers and instructional professionals who want to advance their careers while working. As a master's degree in education, it adds to the master's-level education options in New York.

    Why it ranks here

    A 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 20 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where elementary teachers earn a median $96,900, roughly $86,085 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.

    School site
16. 16

    Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey

    Monterey, CAPrivate nonprofitOnline available

    • 20Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in TESOL
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The Middlebury Institute of International Studies offers an online Master of Arts in TESOL designed as an asynchronous, part-time path that professionals can complete over roughly two to three years while continuing to work. Ten courses and 30 credits culminate in a thirteen-week student-teaching Practicum Capstone, an embedded field experience that grounds the degree in real classroom practice. An optional Vermont peer-review licensure pathway, including the Praxis I and II exams, lets students pursue K-12 public school teaching, with candidates advised to check reciprocity in their own target state. That combination of flexible online study and a licensure option reads as a program built for working adults moving into or advancing within English-language teaching. Prospective applicants should note that Spring 2026 marked the final intake, as the Institute is concluding all programs by summer 2027. As a master's degree in education, it adds to the master's-level education options in California.

    Why it ranks here

    A 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 20 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

    School site
17. 17

    University of Pennsylvania

    Philadelphia, PAPrivate nonprofit

    • 18Master's/yr
    • $78,570Metro teacher pay
    • Education, Culture, and Society, M.S.Ed.
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education offers the Education, Culture, and Society M.S.Ed., an on-campus, cohort-based program that studies schooling through the lenses of the social sciences rather than classroom methods. Instead of fixed tracks, students build individualized programs of study, drawing electives from sociology, law, anthropology, public administration, political science, social work, and nonprofit leadership. The degree culminates in a master's paper, a thesis-style capstone that signals its scholarly, research-oriented character, and it can be completed in 12 to 15 months full-time or over two years part-time. Dual-degree options with Penn's MPA, MSW, and Nonprofit Leadership programs extend its reach for students bridging education with policy, social work, or the nonprofit sector. The overall shape reads as an interdisciplinary, academically ambitious program for those examining education as a social and cultural force. It is a master's degree in education at the master's level, based in Pennsylvania.

    Why it ranks here

    A 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 18 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD, where elementary teachers earn a median $78,570, roughly $76,613 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.

    School site
18. 18

    Lesley University

    Cambridge, MAPrivate nonprofit

    • 17Master's/yr
    • $98,060Metro teacher pay
    • Individually Designed Program for Educators, M.Ed.
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Lesley University offers an Individually Designed Program for Educators, an M.Ed. that lets practicing teachers construct their own course of study rather than follow a fixed curriculum. Working with an advisor, students build a five-course concentration in an area such as ESL, educational technology, autism, early childhood, curriculum development, assessment, or literacy, then add five electives drawn from across the university. Because it is a non-licensure degree, the program is aimed at in-service teachers seeking advanced study instead of initial certification. The self-directed structure signals a program for educators who already know where they want to grow and want the freedom to go deep on one or two chosen topics. That flexibility makes it a natural fit for professionals shaping graduate work around their classroom interests. It is a master's degree in education at the master's level, based in Massachusetts.

    Why it ranks here

    For 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 17 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, where elementary teachers earn a median $98,060, roughly $90,573 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.

    School site
19. 19

    Mary Baldwin University

    Staunton, VAPrivate nonprofitOnline available

    • 17Master's/yr
    • Master of Education
    • Online
    About the program

    Mary Baldwin University offers a fully online Master of Education accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, with concentrations in curriculum and instruction, elementary education, English as a second language, gifted education, reading education, and special education. The asynchronous format runs in seven-week courses that students can take one at a time, with six start dates a year and completion in about two years, a structure clearly aimed at working teachers who need to study around a full schedule. Candidates can pursue Virginia licensure, add to a license they already hold, or choose non-licensure options in several concentrations, so the program serves both those advancing toward certification and those deepening expertise in place. Study culminates in an Inquiry Research Project, a fifteen- to twenty-page paper that grounds the degree in applied inquiry. The combination of accredited standing, licensure alignment, and flexible online delivery makes it a practical route to specialization for practicing educators. It is a master's degree in education at the master's level, based in Virginia.

    Why it ranks here

    Master'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 17 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

    School site
20. 20

    New York University

    New York, NYPrivate nonprofit

    • 16Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Specialized Studies in Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    New York University's Steinhardt School offers a Master of Arts in Specialized Studies in Education for people who work in and around education outside the traditional classroom, including community organizers, nonprofit leaders, and education advocates. Rather than a fixed curriculum, the 30-credit program is individualized, with students building a customized course of study alongside a faculty advisor, which signals a degree meant to fit each student's mission rather than a standard track. It deliberately does not lead to teacher certification, reinforcing that its audience is professionals shaping education through policy, advocacy, and community work rather than by teaching. Students can enroll full-time or part-time on campus, giving working advocates room to pace the degree. At the time of research the program was not accepting applications pending a program review, so prospective students should confirm its status with the school. This program offers a master's degree in education in New York.

    Why it ranks here

    A 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 16 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where elementary teachers earn a median $96,900, roughly $86,085 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.

    School site
21. 21

    Rhode Island College

    Providence, RIPublic

    • 15Master's/yr
    • $86,720Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Education, Individualized Master of Education option
    About the program

    Rhode Island College offers a Master of Education whose defining feature is breadth, with named concentrations spanning advanced studies in teaching and learning, early childhood education, health education, reading, special education, and TESOL alongside an Individualized M.Ed. option. The special education track alone branches into sub-concentrations from early childhood and elementary or secondary needs to severe intellectual disabilities and urban multicultural settings, signaling a program built to meet practicing educators where their classrooms actually are. The Individualized option is the clearest expression of that philosophy, letting students design a program of study that does not fit any of the college's named tracks. This flexibility reads as a program serving working teachers who want graduate depth aligned to a specific role rather than a single prescribed path. Educational leadership and elementary education tracks are listed but not currently accepting applications. It is a master's degree in education at the master's level, based in Rhode Island.

    Why it ranks here

    For 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 15 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Providence-Warwick, RI-MA, where elementary teachers earn a median $86,720, roughly $85,209 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.

    School site
22. 22

    Touro University

    New York, NYPrivate nonprofit

    • 14Master's/yr
    • Master of Science in Education & Special Education
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    Touro University's Graduate School of Education offers a Master of Science in Education & Special Education, a hybrid program that prepares candidates to teach across both general and special education classrooms. Its three concentrations track New York's certification grade bands, from Early Childhood and Special Education for birth through grade 2, to Childhood and Special Education for grades 1 through 6, to Teaching Students with Disabilities in grades 7 through 12, letting candidates aim squarely at the level they want to teach. The curriculum leads toward New York State teacher certification and readies students for NYSED certification exams and requirements. A distinctive feature is the alternate Touro University Teaching Residents pathway through the Empire Teacher Residency Program, offered alongside the standard clinical practice and student teaching route. Together these choices read as a flexible, certification-driven program built for people entering dual-certified teaching in New York. This program offers a master's degree in education in New York.

    Why it ranks here

    A 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 14 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

    School site
23. 23

    Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine

    Erie, PAPrivate nonprofitOnline available

    • 14Master's/yr
    • Master of Science in Medical Education
    • Online
    About the program

    The Lake Erie College of Osteomedical Education offers an online Master of Science in Medical Education, a credential aimed at people who already work in the health professions and want to teach within them. Rather than a path to clinical licensure, the program is open to physicians, pharmacists, dentists, students in those fields, and basic science faculty who need formal preparation as educators. A mentored research thesis sits at the center of the curriculum, signaling that graduates are expected to contribute scholarship to the field and not simply absorb teaching techniques. The fully online format accommodates practicing clinicians and faculty balancing demanding schedules, and an accelerated one-year completion option gives motivated students a way to finish quickly. Taken together, the program reads as a focused, research-informed credential for health professionals stepping into instructional and academic roles. It is a master's degree in education at the master's level, based in Pennsylvania.

    Why it ranks here

    Master'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.

    School site
24. 24

    Stevenson University

    Owings Mills, MDPrivate nonprofitOnline available

    • 14Master's/yr
    • Master of Education (Integrative Learning)
    • Online
    About the program

    Stevenson University offers a fully online Master of Education in Integrative Learning, a 36-credit program delivered in eight-week sessions that run six times a year, with an accelerated 18-month completion option. Its three concentrations, Engaged Learning for 21st Century Skills, Multiple Literacies, and Community Engagement and Leadership, point to a philosophy centered on whole-child teaching rather than a single subject or licensure area. The curriculum weaves together multiple literacies, STEM, and community-based education, and its framing around both traditional and nontraditional settings signals a degree meant for educators working beyond the conventional classroom as well as within it. The frequent start dates and online delivery make it well suited to working professionals who want a flexible, interdisciplinary path. The program is built to deepen practice rather than confer initial teaching licensure. It is a master's degree in education at the master's level, based in Maryland.

    Why it ranks here

    A 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 14 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

    School site
25. 25

    University of the District of Columbia

    Washington, DCPublicHBCU

    • 14Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Adult Education
    • Online
    About the program

    The University of the District of Columbia offers a Master of Arts in Adult Education for professionals who teach and support learners beyond the K-12 classroom. Aligned with DC OSSE's Adult Educator Preparation Standards, the 36-credit program helps practitioners meet the District's professional development and recertification requirements, though it is not a K-12 teaching license. Students can focus their study through concentrations spanning adult basic education and literacy, human resource management and development, leadership and administration, health services, and gerontology. Small classes of six to ten students give the program a seminar feel, and candidates culminate in either a comprehensive exam or a master's thesis. With the GRE waived and up to 21 credits transferable from the graduate certificate, it is structured to be efficient and reachable for working adult educators. This program offers a master's degree in education in Washington, D.C..

    Why it ranks here

    Master'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.

    School site

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