Best Master's in Education Programs by Degrees Awarded

1. 1

   National University

   San Diego, CAPrivate nonprofitOnline available

   • 779Master's/yr
   • Master of Education
   • Online
   About the program

   National University offers a Master of Education delivered fully online for practicing educators who want to specialize without leaving their jobs. Its unusually broad menu of concentrations, spanning Special Education, Early Childhood Education, English Language Learning, Trauma-Informed Educational Practices, Athletic Coaching, School Safety, Sport and Athletic Management, and Leadership in Curriculum and Teaching, lets candidates target a specific interest rather than follow one fixed path. The degree does not automatically lead to licensure, though qualified students can add an optional California Credential Option toward the Preliminary Administrative Services Credential. Weekly enrollment start dates give the program an on-demand rhythm suited to working schedules. Coursework culminates in a capstone where students synthesize their learning into an organizational proposal. National University holds AAQEP accreditation through December 2028. As a master's degree in education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as instructional coordinators in California.

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

   School site
2. 2

   Walden University

   Minneapolis, MNPrivate for-profitOnline available

   • 683Master's/yr
   • $79,730Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Science in Education
   • Online
   About the program

   Walden University offers a Master of Science in Education built entirely online around an unusually broad menu of fourteen specializations, from Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment to Elementary Reading and Literacy, STEM Education, Special Education, and Teacher Leadership, plus a self-designed option. That range, delivered through the Richard W. Riley College of Education and Human Sciences, positions the degree as advanced professional study for practicing teachers who want to sharpen a specific area rather than enter the classroom. Most specializations lead to an advanced credential rather than licensure, with the Educational Leadership and Administration Principal Preparation track being the exception that is state-approved for Ohio Building Level Principal Licensure across grades PK-12. Designed to finish in as few as fifteen months, it suits working educators on a compressed timeline. Walden holds CAEP accreditation through June 2026. Graduates of this education program at the master's level often go on to work as instructional coordinators.

   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 683 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI, where elementary teachers earn a median $79,730, roughly $76,062 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
3. 3

   Johns Hopkins University

   Baltimore, MDPrivate nonprofitOnline available

   • 293Master'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 with a concentration in Educational Studies through its School of Education, positioned as one track within a wider family of graduate programs. It sits alongside related M.S. in Education tracks such as Digital Age Learning and Educational Technology and Gifted Education, and the broader school also houses counseling, education policy, and teaching-professional master's degrees. That context frames Educational Studies as a flexible academic path within a research-oriented school rather than a single fixed vocational route. The Educational Studies track is delivered on campus, while several sibling tracks such as Digital Age Learning and Educational Technology are offered online. It reads as a broad graduate credential embedded in a comprehensive School of Education. A master's-level path in education, it builds toward a career among instructional coordinators in Maryland.

   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 293 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
4. 4

   Eastern Washington University

   Cheney, WAPublic

   • 266Master's/yr
   • Curriculum and Instruction, Master of Education
   • Online
   About the program

   Eastern Washington University offers a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction delivered online in accelerated six-week sessions, one of several School of Education emphases alongside Adult Education, Early Childhood Education, Educational Leadership, English Language Learners, and Special Education. Applicants must already hold a valid teaching certificate, and the program does not lead to initial certification, marking it clearly as advanced study for teachers already in the classroom rather than a licensure entry point. The 49-credit design includes two internship courses and closes with a capstone portfolio and comprehensive exam, keeping the work anchored in applied practice. Students can choose an expedited one-year plan or a standard two-year track, a flexibility that fits the rhythms of working educators. The short-session pacing and certificate prerequisite together read as a degree shaped for practicing teachers deepening their instructional expertise. As a master's degree in education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as instructional coordinators in Washington.

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

   School site
5. 5

   Southern New Hampshire University

   Manchester, NHPrivate nonprofitOnline available

   • 236Master's/yr
   • $72,410State teacher pay
   • Master of Education (MEd) in Curriculum and Instruction
   • Online
   About the program

   Southern New Hampshire University offers an online Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction, a 36-credit, 12-course program run in accelerated 10-week terms for educators building expertise rather than an initial license. The degree states plainly that it does not lead to teacher licensure, positioning it for practicing teachers and instructional professionals who want to sharpen their craft. Concentrations in Dyslexia and Language-Based Learning Disabilities, Educational Leadership, Online Teaching, Reading, Special Education, and Technology let students specialize, and a general track is available for those who prefer breadth. Coursework builds toward a capstone in which candidates design a complete curriculum, paired with a portfolio that documents their growth. The Dyslexia concentration, developed with the Landmark School, adds credibility for teachers focused on language-based learning needs, and NECHE accreditation anchors the program. This master's-level education program prepares graduates for work as instructional coordinators in New Hampshire.

   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 236 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New Hampshire statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $72,410, roughly $69,515 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

   San Diego State University

   San Diego, CAPublic

   • 221Master's/yr
   • Master of Arts in Teaching
   • Online
   About the program

   San Diego State University's School of Teacher Education offers a Master of Arts in Teaching aimed at educators who are already in or entering the profession rather than newcomers seeking a first license. Applicants to its graduate programs are expected to hold a teaching credential or at least 12 units in education, and the department frames the degree as advanced study in elementary or secondary teaching. The headline option is a one-year, 30-unit accelerated online track that the university describes as among the top online education master's programs in the country. Its fully online delivery and compressed timeline read as a fit for working teachers who want a credential-adjacent graduate degree quickly. The broader School of Teacher Education rounds out the offering with related M.A. programs in mathematics and science, language arts, and reading and literacy education. The Master of Arts in Teaching does not itself lead to an initial credential. Graduates of this education program at the master's level often go on to work as instructional coordinators.

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

   School site
7. 7

   University of California-Los Angeles

   Los Angeles, CAPublic

   • 189Master's/yr
   • Master of Arts in Education
   • On-campus
   About the program

   UCLA's School of Education and Information Studies offers a Master of Arts in Education built as a fast, intellectually intensive year of graduate study rather than a route into the classroom. Instead of fixed tracks, the curriculum organizes itself around six core domains, Purpose, Participation, Knowledge, Place, Context, and Change, with electives chosen to match each student's research interests. The one-year, 36-unit structure moves a cohort through this shared intellectual frame together, building a tight scholarly community over a compressed timeline. Students culminate the degree with a capstone, either a systematic literature review, a policy brief, or an empirical paper, which pushes them toward original analysis rather than absorbing coursework alone. Taken together, the program reads as preparation for research, policy, and doctoral study for people who want to think critically about education. It is delivered on campus. Earning a master's degree in education is a common route toward becoming one of California's instructional coordinators.

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

   School site
8. 8

   Fort Hays State University

   Hays, KSPublicOnline available

   • 185Master's/yr
   • Master of Science in Education, Curriculum & Instruction
   • On-campus
   About the program

   Fort Hays State University offers a fully online Master of Science in Education with a concentration in Curriculum and Instruction, built specifically for practicing, licensed classroom teachers seeking to improve their craft and earn a graduate credential. At 30 to 33 credits, it sits within a broader family of Advanced Education Programs that also includes secondary education, a mathematics education emphasis, building principal administration, and high-incidence special education, giving students clear neighboring paths. Because the degree is aimed at teachers who are already licensed rather than newcomers, it functions as a mid-career advancement credential rather than an entry route. The College of Education holds CAEP Advanced-Level Accreditation for its post-baccalaureate programs, with CAEP and Kansas accreditation running through 2031. Its fully online delivery fits the schedules of working educators. The emphasis throughout is on strengthening instructional practice grounded in the classroom. A master's-level path in education, it builds toward a career among instructional coordinators in Kansas.

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

   School site
9. 9

   California Baptist University

   Riverside, CAPrivate nonprofit

   • 176Master's/yr
   • Master of Science in Education
   • On-campus
   About the program

   California Baptist University offers a Master of Science in Education through its Dr. Bonnie G. Metcalf School of Education, with concentrations in Teaching and in Special Education across mild-to-moderate and moderate-to-severe support needs. The 30 to 34 unit program runs one to two years and meets on weeknight evenings, Monday through Thursday, a schedule that signals it is built for working professionals studying around a job. Students who are also pursuing a teaching credential can work toward it simultaneously with the degree, letting them combine licensure and graduate study rather than sequencing them. Coursework integrates a Christian perspective throughout, reflecting the university's faith-based mission. The emphasis on special education alongside general teaching gives the program particular appeal for educators drawn to high-need classrooms. It is delivered on campus in Riverside. Graduates of this education program at the master's level often go on to work as instructional coordinators.

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

   School site
10. 10

    Ohio State University-Main Campus

    Columbus, OHPublic

    • 163Master's/yr
    • Master of Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The Ohio State University offers an on-campus Master of Education that pairs graduate study with initial Ohio teacher licensure in a single accelerated year. Fully accredited through NCATE, the program spans a broad set of teaching fields, from Primary Education and Middle Childhood to subject specialties in English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, World Languages, and Visual Impairments. Because it culminates in initial four-year Ohio licensure across pre-K through grade 12 bands, the degree is aimed at candidates entering the profession rather than veterans seeking add-on credentials. The one-year structure integrates coursework with a student teaching practicum and a master's final project, giving new teachers both classroom experience and a graduate credential together. It reads as an intensive, immersive launch into a teaching career. This master's-level education program prepares graduates for work as instructional coordinators in Ohio.

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

    School site
11. 11

    Montclair State University

    Montclair, NJPublic

    • 163Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Teaching
    • Middle States (institutional accreditation)
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Montclair State University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching built to carry candidates from subject knowledge to initial New Jersey teacher certification. The program spans a wide range of entry points, from early childhood at the P-3 level and elementary education for grades K-6 to P-12 subject-area preparation across fields as varied as biological sciences, English, mathematics, music, world languages, and physical education. Clinical experience is central, with student teaching placed in partner districts during the final two semesters so candidates finish inside real classrooms. A five-year combined bachelor's and MAT pathway lets undergraduates move directly into the degree. Operating under the university's Middle States institutional accreditation and delivered on campus, the program suits both dedicated undergraduates and new graduates preparing for their first teaching license. This master's-level education program prepares graduates for work as instructional coordinators in New Jersey.

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

    School site
12. 12

    University of Pennsylvania

    Philadelphia, PAPrivate nonprofit

    • 151Master's/yr
    • $78,570Metro teacher pay
    • Teaching, Learning, and Leadership, M.S.Ed.
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education offers a Teaching, Learning, and Leadership M.S.Ed. built for students who want to define their own course of study within a broad view of how learning happens. The curriculum pairs seven required course units with three electives and two named tracks, Teaching and Learning or Educational Leadership, then asks students to examine learning across schools, families, communities, and media rather than only formal classrooms. That framing makes the program notably interdisciplinary, treating education as a phenomenon that reaches well beyond the K-12 building. Students draw the threads together in a Master's Capstone Project that reflects their individual focus. The heavily customizable structure suits emerging scholars and practitioners looking to shape a distinctive intellectual path rather than follow a fixed certification sequence. A master's-level path in education, it builds toward a career among instructional coordinators 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 151 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
13. 13

    California State University-Sacramento

    Sacramento, CAPublic

    • 146Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Education (Curriculum and Instruction)
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    California State University, Sacramento offers a 30-unit Master of Arts in Education with a Curriculum and Instruction concentration built for practicing teachers, with admission requiring two years of teaching experience or its equivalent. Students shape six elective units around a focus such as educational technology, mathematics education, language and literacy, multicultural education, gender equity, or induction coursework, tailoring the degree to their own practice. The program runs as a cohort in two formats, a face-to-face stateside track with fall admission or an online option through the College of Continuing Education that is roughly three-quarters asynchronous. Both paths culminate in an action research report and a poster presentation, tying the degree directly to inquiry the teacher conducts in their own setting. It reads as a program for classroom veterans turning experience into applied scholarship. This master's-level education program prepares graduates for work as instructional coordinators in California.

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

    School site
14. 14

    University of California-Riverside

    Riverside, CAPublic

    • 145Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University of California, Riverside School of Education offers a Master of Arts in Education that lets students pursue scholarly interests across concentrations such as Education, Society, and Culture, Educational Psychology, Neuroscience and Education, and Special Education and Autism. The design favors flexibility and access, with no GRE required and weekly late-afternoon classes that let students finish the 36-unit degree in one to two years while managing other commitments. Candidates choose between Plan I, a thesis, and Plan II, a comprehensive exam, signaling a program that accommodates both research-minded students and those focused on applied mastery. Because the M.A. coursework transfers into the school's Ph.D. program, the degree also functions as an on-ramp to doctoral study rather than a terminal credential. It is an on-campus program suited to working adults and prospective researchers alike. The school additionally houses a separate Master of Education with higher education and educational justice concentrations. This master's-level education program prepares graduates for work as instructional coordinators in California.

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

    School site
15. 15

    James Madison University

    Harrisonburg, VAPublic

    • 143Master's/yr
    • Education, M.Ed.
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    James Madison University offers an M.Ed. in Education in a hybrid format, organizing the degree around six concentrations that split clearly between licensure and professional focuses. Educational Leadership and Literacy Education function as advanced-licensure tracks, while Learning Design and Technology, Spanish Language and Culture for Educators, TESOL, and Teacher Leadership serve educators pursuing expertise without a new license. Several concentrations pair with stackable graduate certificates, including certificates in Educational Leadership, Literacy post-professional study, Learning Design and Technology, and Teacher Leadership, so coursework can build toward more than one credential. Some tracks are delivered through JMU's School of Professional and Continuing Education, reinforcing the orientation toward working professionals. The mix of advanced-licensure and non-licensure paths, plus the certificate stacking, reads as a program for in-service teachers charting a specific next step, whether into leadership, literacy, or specialized instruction. Earning a master's degree in education is a common route toward becoming one of Virginia's instructional coordinators.

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

    School site
16. 16

    University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

    Champaign, ILPublicOnline available

    • 127Master's/yr
    • Master of Education (Ed.M.)
    • Online
    About the program

    The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign offers an online Master of Education (Ed.M.) that is notable for its breadth, spanning concentrations from Digital Learning and Learning Design and Leadership to Diversity and Equity in Education, Global Studies, Human Resource Development, and Trauma-Informed Practice and Pedagogy. That wide menu lets educators and education-adjacent professionals aim the 32 credit hour degree at very different destinations, from instructional design to policy and leadership. Coursework runs in eight-week terms with weekly live evening video sessions, a structure that keeps the program connected and cohort-like while remaining completable in as little as 18 months. It is not presented as a licensure-track program, which frames it as advanced study for people building expertise rather than seeking initial certification. That flexibility, combined with live instruction, characterizes a program designed for ambitious working professionals. The degree is regionally accredited and has been ranked nationally among online master's in education programs by U.S. News & World Report. As a master's degree in education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as instructional coordinators in Illinois.

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

    School site
17. 17

    Portland State University

    Portland, ORPublic

    • 127Master's/yr
    • Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction
    • Online
    About the program

    Portland State University offers an online Master's in Curriculum and Instruction aimed at credentialed educators who want to lead change from within their schools rather than earn a first license. The 45-credit program moves students through core coursework in consistent cohorts, so the same peer group progresses together and builds a shared professional community. Candidates can concentrate in Teacher Leadership, in Equity and Anti-Racism, or in a customized combination of both, giving the degree a clear values orientation. Study culminates in an Action Research capstone focused on a district-specific problem of practice, tying the work directly to the candidate's own setting. With any-term starts and institutional accreditation from the NWCCU, it reads as a flexible leadership and equity credential for teachers already in the field. Earning a master's degree in education is a common route toward becoming one of Oregon's instructional coordinators.

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

    School site
18. 18

    Point Loma Nazarene University

    San Diego, CAPrivate nonprofit

    • 126Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Point Loma Nazarene University offers a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction that lets credentialed teachers specialize while keeping one foot in current practice. Four concentrations, Innovative and Lifelong Learning, Multilingual Education, Reading and Literacy, and Special Education, let candidates align the degree with the students and subjects they teach, and a Reading and Literacy Added Authorization is available as an optional credential. The structure clearly favors practicing teachers, since applicants without a California preliminary teaching credential are steered to the Innovative and Lifelong Learning track while the others assume classroom experience. Coursework builds toward an Action Research and Capstone project with a final presentation, grounding the degree in inquiry the candidate carries out on the job. Students have up to eight years to finish, accommodating full working lives. The program is delivered on campus, with credential-linked coursework aligned to California Commission on Teacher Credentialing standards. This master's-level education program prepares graduates for work as instructional coordinators 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 126 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

    School site
19. 19

    Southern Utah University

    Cedar City, UTPublicOnline available

    • 125Master's/yr
    • Master of Education
    • Online
    About the program

    Southern Utah University offers a Master of Education delivered fully online, built for practicing teachers who want to keep working while they study. Its concentrations span general education, curriculum and instruction, educational foundations and policy, higher education and student affairs, and special education, letting candidates aim the degree at a classroom, a policy interest, or a move into student affairs. A three-course Practitioner Research capstone anchors the program, pushing students to investigate problems in their own schools rather than study education in the abstract. Asynchronous seven-week terms with up to six start dates a year, completable in as few as three semesters, signal a design shaped around busy professional schedules. The special education track prepares candidates for a Utah professional teaching license, while the other tracks read as advancement routes for educators already credentialed and in the field. A master's-level path in education, it builds toward a career among instructional coordinators in Utah.

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

    School site
20. 20

    Northcentral University

    San Diego, CAPrivate nonprofitOnline available

    • 122Master's/yr
    • Master of Education
    • Online
    About the program

    National University offers a fully online Master of Education with an unusually broad set of concentrations, spanning Special Education, Early Childhood Education, English Language Learning, Trauma-Informed Educational Practices, Leadership in Curriculum and Teaching, School Safety and Emergency Management, Athletic Coaching, and Sport and Athletic Management. Students can follow a standard track of roughly 18 months or an accelerated one-year option, with weekly year-round start dates that suit educators fitting study around full-time work. The degree culminates in a capstone project that applies learning to a real-world educational challenge. Its licensure disclosure is explicit that completion does not lead to automatic or immediate certification, and the program is specifically not recognized for certification purposes in Kentucky, so candidates must confirm their own state's requirements. The program holds AAQEP accreditation through December 2028, and the institution is accredited by WSCUC. This master's-level education program prepares graduates for work as instructional coordinators in California.

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

    School site
21. 21

    Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

    Winona, MNPrivate nonprofit

    • 121Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Education
    • Online
    About the program

    Saint Mary's University of Minnesota offers an online Master of Arts in Education, a 30-credit program that most students complete in about a year and a half and cap with an action research paper rather than a traditional thesis. That applied capstone, focused on studying a real problem of practice, marks it as a degree for working educators who want their advanced study to feed directly back into their own teaching. Beyond the standard Curriculum and Instruction track, the program supports tailored paths for Wisconsin Educate Pathways students and a Lasallian Education specialization tied to the Buttimer and Brother John Johnston Institutes, giving it a distinctly mission-connected reach. It does not lead to initial teaching licensure, and candidates seeking a license are pointed to the separate Master of Arts in Teaching. Six start dates a year keep entry flexible for busy professionals. This master's-level education program prepares graduates for work as instructional coordinators in Minnesota.

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

    School site
22. 22

    California State University-Bakersfield

    Bakersfield, CAPublicOnline available

    • 121Master's/yr
    • Education, M.A. with Concentration in Curriculum and Instruction
    • Online
    About the program

    California State University, Bakersfield offers a Master of Arts in Education with a concentration in Curriculum and Instruction, delivered fully online for teachers who already hold a multiple- or single-subject credential. Because it requires a valid credential for admission, the degree functions as advanced professional development rather than a route into the profession. The 30-unit curriculum combines 12 core units with 15 elective units and culminates in a 3-unit Master's Exam, a structure that gives working teachers room to shape the program around their interests. Optional added authorizations and certificates in reading and literacy, computer science, bilingual education, and educational technology let candidates expand what they are qualified to teach. Some post-baccalaureate credential coursework may transfer in with advisor approval, easing the path for recent credential completers. The online format keeps it accessible to teachers statewide. This master's-level education program prepares graduates for work as instructional coordinators in California.

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

    School site
23. 23

    Ashford University

    San Diego, CAPrivate for-profitOnline available

    • 115Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Education
    • WSCUC institutional accreditation; not CAEP accredited
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University of Arizona Global Campus offers a fully online Master of Arts in Education delivered in accelerated five- to six-week courses taken one at a time, a rhythm suited to adult learners balancing work and study. Seven specializations, including child development, curriculum and instruction, early childhood education, family and community services, higher education, school leadership, and special education, let students shape the degree toward a particular corner of the field. The program is explicit that it is not a licensure or certification pathway and is not accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, so it reads as an academic and professional-development credential rather than a route into the classroom. Graduates seeking to teach would need additional coursework, student teaching, or testing. Admission requires no standardized test scores and carries no application fee. Backed by WSCUC institutional accreditation, it prioritizes accessibility and breadth over a single career track. This master's-level education program prepares graduates for work as instructional coordinators in California.

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

    School site
24. 24

    Stanford University

    Stanford, CAPrivate nonprofit

    • 113Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Stanford University offers a Master of Arts in Education, a full-time, on-campus degree that houses several distinct paths under one credential. Research-oriented concentrations in Curriculum and Teacher Education, Global and Comparative Education, and Policy, Organization, and Leadership Studies sit alongside an individually designed option and a suite of joint degrees with the business, law, and public policy schools, signaling a program oriented toward scholarship, policy, and leadership as much as classroom practice. For those preparing to teach, the 12-month Stanford Teacher Education Program leads to the MA plus a preliminary California teaching credential at the elementary or secondary level. Students complete a minimum of 45 quarter units, with an optional master's thesis and field placements such as the roughly 150-hour experience in the policy track. A coterminal option lets Stanford undergraduates fold the degree into their studies. The university is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission. This master's-level education program prepares graduates for work as instructional coordinators 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 113 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

    School site
25. 25

    Sacred Heart University

    Fairfield, CTPrivate nonprofitOnline available

    • 112Master's/yr
    • Master of Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Sacred Heart University offers an online Master of Education built for teachers who already hold certification and want to deepen a specialty, with 30-credit specializations in Literacy and Special Education. The online delivery and the emphasis on working, already-licensed educators mark it as a degree meant to fit alongside a teaching career rather than launch one. The Literacy track carries a concrete credential payoff, making graduates eligible to apply for Connecticut remedial reading and language arts certification (#102) once they have completed 30 months of classroom experience. Each specialization is timed to its cohort, with the Literacy track starting in spring and the Special Education track starting in fall on a roughly 15-month pace. The structure reads as a focused, credential-advancing option for practicing teachers ready to specialize. This master's-level education program prepares graduates for work as instructional coordinators in Connecticut.

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

    School site

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