Best Master's in Educational Administration and Supervision Programs in 2026

The University of Washington offers a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Educational Foundations, Leadership, and Policy for students who want to study schooling as a system rather than pursue a single administrative credential. Its structure is unusually flexible, asking students to pair a primary and secondary cognate drawn from Educational Policy, Organization and Leadership; Social and Cultural Foundations; and Early Childhood Policy, so each degree reflects a distinct intellectual emphasis. A first-year professional seminar spans three quarters and gives the incoming class a shared cohort experience before the work branches out. Students cap the degree with their choice of an academic thesis, an independent study, or an internship project, a range that accommodates both scholarly and applied interests. The program totals 45 credits and typically takes about two years of full-time study, positioning graduates for research, policy, and organizational roles across education. It is a master's degree in educational administration and supervision at the master's level, based in Washington.

Colorado State University offers a Master of Education in Education and Human Resource Studies with an Educational Leadership, K-12 Principal Licensure Specialization, a 33-credit hybrid program that leads directly to Colorado P-12 principal and administrator licensure. The structure signals its audience clearly, with a fifteen-month cohort designed around the schedules of full-time working educators who intend to stay employed while they train. Coursework is anchored by a substantial field component, a six-credit principal internship totaling a 300-hour placement, so candidates practice leadership inside a real building rather than only studying it. The cohort pacing and embedded internship read as a deliberate bridge from teaching into a principalship, keeping theory tethered to on-the-ground supervision and mentoring. Graduates finish positioned to step into building-level administrative roles across Colorado schools. This program offers a master's degree in educational administration and supervision in Colorado.

PennWest offers a Master of Education in Educational Leadership through its Global Online division, and the program is built to move experienced educators into formal administrative roles. Two certification tracks anchor it, one preparing K-12 principals and the other preparing supervisors of special education, both leading graduates to the Praxis exam and to Pennsylvania certification. The design pairs asynchronous coursework with internships and action research projects, a structure that keeps working teachers in their schools while grounding the degree in real leadership practice. That practicum-driven approach, combined with a certification-focused endpoint, marks the program as career preparation for aspiring administrators rather than a survey of theory. Graduates can continue toward the Superintendent's Letter of Eligibility or an Ed.D. in Education Administration and Leadership, and the program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation. As a master's degree in educational administration and supervision, it adds to the master's-level educational administration and supervision options in Pennsylvania.

University of the Cumberlands offers a Master of Arts in Education (M.A.Ed.) built for educators who already hold a license and want to add a specialized credential. The fully online, 30 credit-hour program lets candidates choose a focus in Literacy Specialist, School Counseling, or Teacher Leader, so the path a student takes depends on the role they are moving toward rather than a single fixed sequence. Because it is designed around certification in these concentrations, the degree reads as a targeted advancement step for working teachers, not an entry route into the profession. The compact structure, advertised as completable in just over a year, signals a program shaped around practitioners balancing coursework with full teaching schedules. For those aiming at school administration specifically, the university routes candidates to a separate post-master's Ed.S. certification rather than this degree. As a master's degree in educational administration and supervision, it adds to the master's-level educational administration and supervision options in Kentucky.

Concordia University Chicago offers a Master of Arts in Educational Administration, a thirty-credit-hour online program spanning ten courses that build a broad foundation in school leadership and operations. The coursework surveys the core domains an administrator manages, including supervision, school finance, human resources, school law, and instructional leadership, and it closes with a master's capstone that ties the study together. The program is explicitly not a principal preparation licensure track, which frames it as a degree for educators seeking administrative knowledge and career advancement rather than a state credential. Its fully online delivery makes it workable for teachers and staff continuing to work while they study. The result is a flexible, knowledge-focused path into the administrative side of education. It is a master's degree in educational administration and supervision at the master's level, based in Illinois.

Murray State University offers a Master of Arts in Education Administration that moves certified teachers through a shared cohort toward Kentucky principal certification. Students take 6 credit hours per semester across four consecutive semesters, a steady 24 to 30 credit-hour pace delivered by Zoom and anchored at the main campus and regional sites in Paducah, Hopkinsville, Madisonville, and Henderson. The cohort format, paired with a required internship and a capstone project defense, reads as a program built to keep a group of working educators progressing together while applying leadership skills in real schools. It leads to Level I School Principal certification, with Level II expected within five years, and connects onward to central-office and Career and Technical Education roles such as Instructional Supervisor and Director of Pupil Personnel. The result is a practice-oriented, regionally rooted pathway into Kentucky school leadership. This program offers a master's degree in educational administration and supervision in Kentucky.

Bank Street Graduate School of Education offers Educational Leadership master's degrees, including a Progressive Leadership track, that carry the school's distinctive philosophy into how leaders are formed. The programs are grounded in Bank Street's reflective practice approach, which weaves human development and learning theory together with sustained clinical work, so candidates learn to lead by continually examining their own practice in real school settings. Alongside the 31-credit Progressive Leadership track, students can pursue Early Childhood Leadership or Leadership in Mathematics Education, with the Early Childhood track offering a path to School Building Leader certification. Registered with the New York State Department of Education, most tracks lead to state certification, and 87 percent of graduates report increased confidence in their specialty. Offered online and in person, the degree reads as one for reflective educators who want a values-driven, developmentally minded route into leadership. This program offers a master's degree in educational administration and supervision in New York.

Chadron State College offers a Master of Arts in Education with a concentration in Educational Administration, aimed at teachers preparing to lead Nebraska schools. Delivered fully online, the program builds candidates toward the state's Educational Administration endorsement and offers focus areas for the Elementary and Secondary Principal role or the Special Education Supervisor role, letting students align coursework with the specific leadership post they seek. The curriculum is trained to National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP) program recognition standards, and candidates must pass the Praxis II content test before graduating. Because applicants must document prior teaching experience and hold or qualify for a teaching certificate before full admission, the degree functions as an advancement step for established educators. The combination of endorsement alignment and required field experience frames it as a practical route from the classroom into administration. As a master's degree in educational administration and supervision, it adds to the master's-level educational administration and supervision options in Nebraska.

Mercy University offers a Master of Science in Educational Administration that prepares New York educators for building- and district-level leadership through a single unified track. The 33-credit program builds toward the New York School Building Certificate and School District Leader Certificate, and candidates complete the state's leadership examinations as part of qualifying. Two semesters of internship placed within a partner-school network across New York City and Westchester anchor the coursework in real administrative settings, while a Taskstream e-portfolio capstone asks candidates to document their growth as leaders. Nationally accredited through NCATE and CAEP, and available online as well as at the Bronx, Manhattan, and Westchester campuses, the program balances rigor with access for working teachers. The heavy fieldwork and portfolio requirement frame it as a hands-on, practice-tested route into school administration. This program offers a master's degree in educational administration and supervision in New York.

Neumann University offers a Master of Science in Education with a Leadership track that carries PK-12 Administrative I (Principal) Certification, built explicitly for teachers ready to move into school administration. Delivered 100% online and completable in as little as 12 to 18 months, it fits the schedules of educators who remain in the classroom while they study. The certification qualifies graduates to serve as elementary, middle, and secondary school principals and as supervisors of an instructional or pupil-services area. The leadership option sits within a broader MS in Education that also houses Teaching and Learning and Dual Teaching Certification tracks, signaling a program that serves both aspiring leaders and classroom specialists. Its design, aimed squarely at currently certified teachers, makes it a focused pathway from teaching into the principalship. As a master's degree in educational administration and supervision, it adds to the master's-level educational administration and supervision options in Pennsylvania.

A current master's program in educational administration or leadership is not part of University of Maryland Global Campus's active offerings. UMGC's education master's degrees center on Instructional Technology, Learning Design and Technology, and Teaching. Prospective administration candidates would need to look to another institution. As a master's degree in educational administration and supervision, it adds to the master's-level educational administration and supervision options in Maryland.

SUNY Cortland's Educational Leadership program is a certification-focused Certificate of Advanced Study designed for experienced educators stepping into administration. Delivered fully online with scheduled synchronous meetings on weekday evenings, Saturdays, and over the summer, it accommodates candidates who continue teaching while they study. The curriculum is deliberately practitioner-oriented and project-based, anchored by an administrative internship that grounds theory in real school settings. Three tracks let students target the role they are pursuing: School Building Leader at 30 credits, School District Leader at 30 credits, and School District Business Leader at 36 credits. Because admission requires a prior master's degree and New York teaching certification, the program functions as an advanced credential that leads to New York State Education Department recommendation for building-level, district-level, and district business leader certification. As a master's degree in educational administration and supervision, it adds to the master's-level educational administration and supervision options in New York.

The Master of Educational Design and Technology with an Educational Administration concentration at Strayer University is an online degree paced in 11-week terms, a rhythm suited to adults who need graduate study to bend around work and life. With up to four transfer courses accepted and one-on-one academic coaching built in, the program signals a clear orientation toward experienced professionals returning to school with specific goals. The administration concentration sets this path apart from the adult education and K-12 tracks, directing the curriculum toward leadership and the design of learning systems. Strayer notes plainly that the degree is not a licensure program and that completing it does not guarantee a graduate has met the requirements to apply for teacher or administrator certification in any state. The university holds institutional accreditation through the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. It is a master's degree in educational administration and supervision at the master's level, based in Washington, D.C..

Canisius University offers a Master of Science in Educational Leadership and Supervision that gives New York educators several distinct routes into building- and district-level roles. The 41-credit online, asynchronous program supports School Building Leader, School District Leader, and School District Business Leader certification, along with a consolidated Administrator and Superintendent Extension track arriving in fall 2026, plus elective concentrations in areas such as Educational Technologies, Athletics Administration, and Instructional Leadership. Substantial field work, 600 internship hours for most tracks and 350 for the business leader path, keeps the degree tied to actual school practice. Accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation and reporting a 99 percent pass rate on state licensing exams, it pairs strong outcomes with flexibility. Multiple entry points and a pathway to continue into an Ed.D. through D'Youville University make it well suited to working professionals planning a long leadership arc. It is a master's degree in educational administration and supervision at the master's level, based in New York.

Niagara University offers a Master of Science in Education in Educational Leadership that moves already-certified New York educators toward both School Building Leader and School District Leader certification. The fully online, 36-credit program runs on a 24-month timeline and is delivered through synchronous video conferencing, so candidates learn together in real time while keeping their teaching careers intact. One-on-one faculty advising provides career coaching along the way, a sign the program is built to guide teachers individually toward the specific leadership role they envision. Admission requires existing NYS educator certification and a graduate GPA of at least 3.0, confirming that this is an advancement degree for practicing educators. Accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation and offering rolling fall, spring, and summer starts, it reads as a flexible, mentorship-minded pathway into school and district leadership. It is a master's degree in educational administration and supervision at the master's level, based in New York.

The University of Central Arkansas offers a Master of Science in School Leadership, Management, and Administration for teachers moving into building and program leadership. The 30-credit program builds a 24-hour core around six hours of advanced study and a personalized internship, keeping the experience grounded in each candidate's own school setting. Two tracks let students focus on either building-level administration or curriculum and program administration, matching the degree to the role they are targeting. Delivered through a mix of synchronous and asynchronous online instruction, it can be completed in about two years while candidates keep working. Arkansas has authorized UCA to recommend qualifying graduates for administrator licensure without the School Leadership Series Praxis exam, and the program is CAEP-accredited, making it a practical, licensure-oriented step into Arkansas school leadership. This program offers a master's degree in educational administration and supervision in Arkansas.

Oregon State University's Master of Education in Adult and Higher Education looks past the K-12 classroom to leadership in colleges and universities. The two-year, fully online program is delivered in partnership with OSU Ecampus, making it accessible to working professionals across the country. Rather than preparing school principals, it readies graduates for administrative and leadership roles at four-year universities and community colleges, from student affairs to program administration. Within the OSU College of Education it stands as the closest match to a general educational-administration degree, since the university does not offer a distinct K-12 school-administration master's. For candidates whose ambitions lie in postsecondary settings, it offers a leadership pathway that carries no K-12 licensure but centers the adult learner. This program offers a master's degree in educational administration and supervision in Oregon.

The University of Kansas offers a Master of Science in Education in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies with a PK-12 Educational Administration track, delivered fully online through its Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. The track leads to building-level principal licensure in PK-12 educational systems, making it a clear pathway for teachers preparing to move into school administration. KU deliberately separates this online PK-12 track from the department's campus-based higher-education-administration master's, so applicants can align the degree with either the school or the college sector. The online format opens the program to working educators across the state and beyond who need to keep teaching while they earn the credential. Graduates finish positioned for principal and building-leadership roles in PK-12 schools. This program offers a master's degree in educational administration and supervision in Kansas.

Northern Illinois University offers a Master of Science in Education in Educational Administration, a thirty-six-credit online program that leads to a principal endorsement on the Illinois Professional Educator License. Admission requires a current, valid Illinois PEL, confirming that the program is built for licensed Illinois educators moving toward a building-level role. The delivery model is distinctive in its structure, a part-time synchronous cohort that meets in two classes each semester on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and progresses over six consecutive semesters. That steady, predictable rhythm suits full-time teachers who need to plan years ahead while continuing to work. Required in-person internship courses anchor the coursework in supervised field practice, so candidates lead within real schools before finishing the endorsement. As a master's degree in educational administration and supervision, it adds to the master's-level educational administration and supervision options in Illinois.

Northern State University offers a Master of Science in Education in Leadership and Administration aimed at preparing building-level principals for South Dakota schools. The 33-credit program runs entirely online and is typically completed in about two years, with faculty specifically trained and certified for online instruction. Its curriculum focuses on P-12 principal preparation and meets National Educational Leadership Preparation Standards, aligning candidates with recognized expectations for the role. The program's track record is a defining feature, having produced more than 70 school administrators across the state. For working educators in the region who aspire to lead a school, it reads as a proven, licensure-oriented pathway into the principalship delivered without requiring a move to campus. It is a master's degree in educational administration and supervision at the master's level, based in South Dakota.

Virginia Tech offers a Master of Arts in Education (M.A.Ed.) in Educational Leadership through its Principal Preparation Program, designed to move practicing educators into school leadership. The program runs as a cohort of mostly evening classes, an arrangement that lets working teachers stay in the classroom while they study, and it builds toward Virginia principal and supervisor licensure by aligning with the Professional Standards for Educational Leadership and the state's Principal Performance Standards. A defining feature is the 6-credit internship, structured around 36 standards-based objectives and mentored by a practicing principal, which grounds coursework in the daily realities of running a school. Candidates complete 30 credit hours over roughly four semesters and prepare for the School Leadership Licensure Assessment. A parallel Ed.S. track serves educators who already hold a master's degree, so the program reaches leaders at more than one career stage. This program offers a master's degree in educational administration and supervision in Virginia.

The University of San Diego offers a Master of Education (MEd) with a School Leadership specialization, delivered fully online over roughly twenty months for educators ready to move from the classroom into administrative roles. Because admission requires two years of prior teaching experience, the cohort is built for practicing teachers, and the five specialization courses reflect the daily work of a school leader, covering data-driven decision-making, instructional leadership, professional learning communities, family and community engagement, and ethical professional norms. A social-justice framing runs through the curriculum, which culminates in a required action research capstone tied to the student's own school context. The program is not approved for the California Administrative Services Credential, so it prepares graduates to pursue administrative credential exams and performance assessments in states outside California. USD also offers Higher Education Leadership and Curriculum and Instruction specializations within the same MEd. This program offers a master's degree in educational administration and supervision in California.

This institution is listed as offering an online master's program in educational administration and leadership. It is a master's degree in educational administration and supervision at the master's level, based in Iowa.

Miami Regional University offers a Master of Educational Administration through its graduate academic programs. The institution is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and is licensed by the Florida Commission for Independent Education. Its public listings describe the administration degree without detailing concentrations, format, or a specific certification pathway. This program offers a master's degree in educational administration and supervision in Florida.

Idaho State University offers a Master of Education in Educational Leadership, a thirty-credit program delivered fully online for professionals aiming at postsecondary and higher-education leadership roles. Its orientation toward the college and university sector rather than K-12 principalships sets it apart from most administration master's, positioning it for those already working in student services, program coordination, or campus administration. Admission expects a year of professional experience and a solid upper-division record, signaling a cohort of practitioners building on existing careers. The online format keeps the program accessible to working staff who cannot pause employment to study. Graduates leave prepared to take on broader leadership responsibilities within higher-education institutions. As a master's degree in educational administration and supervision, it adds to the master's-level educational administration and supervision options in Idaho.