Best Master's in Elementary Education Programs in Maryland
All 4 Elementary Education master's-level programs in Maryland, ranked overall on graduation rate, affordability, and more, from the IPEDS database.
A master's in elementary education can lead to initial Maryland licensure or advance a licensed teacher's career, and Maryland has 4 accredited elementary education master's programs to compare. This ranking scores every one on the outcomes that actually affect your return: graduation rate, in-state affordability, and selectivity, all pulled from the public federal IPEDS database. Frostburg State University ranks first with a score of 58, on a 50 percent graduation rate.
Elementary school teachers in Maryland earn a median of $77,680 a year according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, against a national median of $63,970. Each section below covers a specific decision point, cost and real ROI, Maryland licensure, accreditation, online and accelerated formats, and career outlook, so you can compare elementary education programs in Maryland on the factors that change your outcome rather than on marketing.
- 1
Frostburg State University
58score- 13Master's/yr
- $77,680State teacher pay
- Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT), Elementary
About the programFrostburg State University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education, a twelve-month full-time cohort built for career changers who hold a bachelor's degree and want to become elementary teachers. Students move through the program together across the summer, fall, and spring terms, with coursework tied directly to a school placement. Candidates spend an extended teaching practicum in classrooms over two semesters, and completion leads to Maryland initial teacher certification in elementary education. Graduates of this elementary education program at the master's level often go on to work as elementary school teachers.
Why it ranks hereProgram pageA 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 13 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Maryland statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $77,680, roughly $74,010 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market. Institutional standing and accreditation fill out the rest of the score.
Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.
- 2
McDaniel College
45score- $18,579Est. tuition (excl. fees)
- 16Master's/yr
- $76,400Metro teacher pay
- Master of Science in Elementary Education
- Online
About the programThis is a 33-credit, fully online Master of Science in Elementary Education for teachers who are already certified. Admission requires a copy of a Maryland State Department of Education Standard Professional Certificate (SPC I or SPC II), so the program does not lead to initial teacher licensure. Candidates work one-on-one with the program coordinator to self-design an academic plan matching their professional needs. It is an advanced in-service degree that adds no new teaching credential or grade-band certification. The program holds initial AAQEP accreditation through June 30, 2029. A master's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in Maryland.
Why it ranks hereProgram pageMaster'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 16 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. Institutional standing and accreditation fill out the rest of the score.
Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.
- 3
Johns Hopkins University
36score- $46,605Est. tuition (excl. fees)
- 1Master's/yr
- $76,400Metro teacher pay
- MS in Education, Educational Studies (Teach For America & TNTP)
- Online
About the programJohns Hopkins built this fully online, asynchronous MS in Education, Educational Studies specifically for Teach For America corps members and alumni and for TNTP alumni, an audience already immersed in high-need classrooms. The 39 credit program is taken part-time and usually finishes in about two years, with up to five allowed, so it flexes around demanding teaching schedules. Coursework leans into leadership and craft, moving through offerings such as a Seminar in Transformational Leadership and Teaching, Classroom Management, and Effective Practices in Teaching and Learning before a culminating Capstone. Flexible electives leave room for individual interests. The School of Education is clear that the degree does not itself award teacher certification, since candidates pursue state licensure through their TFA or TNTP placement instead. Earning a master's degree in elementary education is a common route toward becoming one of Maryland's elementary school teachers.
Why it ranks hereProgram pageMaster'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 1 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. Institutional standing and accreditation fill out the rest of the score.
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.
- 4
Mount St. Mary's University
34score- 17Master's/yr
- $79,470Metro teacher pay
- Master of Arts in Teaching, Elementary Education (Grades 1-6)
- Online
About the programMount St. Mary's University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education leading to Maryland certification for grades 1-6. Coursework is delivered in an online synchronous format with year-round starts and 5-, 7-, or 8-week sessions aimed at working adults. The program culminates in two supervised internships plus a professional seminar in authentic classroom settings. This is an initial teacher-certification pathway for candidates entering the profession, not an in-service degree for already-licensed teachers. Combined tracks pairing elementary with special education (grades 1-8) or early childhood (PreK-3) are also available. It awards more master's-level elementary education degrees than any of Maryland's 4 ranked master's-level programs, 17 in the most recent year. A master's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in Maryland.
Why it ranks hereProgram pageA 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 17 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. Institutional standing and accreditation fill out the rest of the score.
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.
Key facts about a master's in Elementary Education in Maryland
- Maryland has 4 accredited master's in elementary education programs in our 2026 ranking, all drawn from federal IPEDS data.
- Frostburg State University ranks first among elementary education master's programs in Maryland with a score of 58, on a 50 percent graduation rate.
- McDaniel College is the most affordable master's in elementary education in Maryland, at $18,579 a year in-state tuition.
- Johns Hopkins University posts the highest graduation rate among elementary education programs in Maryland, at 94 percent.
- Elementary school teachers in Maryland earn a median of $77,680 a year (BLS), ranking Maryland 10 of 51 states and territories for the occupation.
- 1 of the master's in elementary education programs in Maryland offer an online or hybrid option.
- Maryland requires the Praxis licensure exam, administered through Maryland State Department of Education, to earn a teaching license.
What a master's in elementary education costs in Maryland (2026)
Published in-state tuition for a master's in elementary education in Maryland runs from $18,579 to $46,605 a year across the 4 programs we rank, with a median of $18,579. The most affordable is McDaniel College at $18,579 a year. These are published sticker rates from IPEDS; most future teachers bring the net figure down with the Pell Grant, the federal TEACH Grant, and state teacher-preparation aid, so weigh net price, not the sticker.
Cost only means something next to completion. The elementary education programs ranked here average a 68 percent graduation rate, and a lower-priced program where fewer students finish is not necessarily the cheaper path to a degree. Compare tuition and graduation rate together above.
Sources: IPEDS tuition data
What elementary school teachers earn in Maryland
Elementary school teachers in Maryland earn a median of $77,680 a year, per BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), compared with a national median of $63,970. That ranks Maryland 10 of 51 states and territories for elementary school teachers pay. Nationally, pay for this occupation spans roughly $47,960 at the 10th percentile to $104,340 at the 90th, with a master's degree, years in the classroom, and the local district salary schedule driving the climb.
The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook projects 2 percent decline in elementary school teachers employment nationally from 2024 to 2034, with about 103,800 openings a year as teachers retire or change careers. A master's in elementary education in Maryland is the entry point to that market, not the ceiling.
How to get a Maryland teaching license
To teach in Maryland you need a master's in elementary education (or a bachelor's plus an approved preparation program), a supervised student-teaching placement, and a Maryland teaching license issued by Maryland State Department of Education. Maryland calls the initial credential the Initial Professional License, and earning it means passing Praxis (The Praxis Series) plus a background check.
Maryland requires Praxis Core basic-skills tests (waived with a 3.0 GPA), subject-area Praxis tests, and a pedagogy assessment via edTPA or PPAT. Confirm your program is currently state-approved before you enroll.
Sources: Maryland educator certification, Praxis exam
Choosing an accredited elementary education program in Maryland
Pick a master's in elementary education in Maryland that is regionally accredited and whose educator-preparation program is approved by the Maryland Department of Education, ideally with CAEP (Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation) accreditation. State approval is what lets the degree count toward a Maryland teaching license, and CAEP is the national standard for program quality, so confirm both before enrolling in any elementary education program in Maryland.
Sources: CAEP accreditation
Online and hybrid elementary education programs in Maryland
1 of the master's in elementary education programs in Maryland offer an online or hybrid option. Online teacher-preparation still requires in-person student teaching, so these formats suit working adults and career changers who can complete supervised classroom hours locally while taking coursework online. An online master's in elementary education from a state-approved, CAEP-accredited program leads to the same Maryland teaching license as an on-campus degree; the diploma does not distinguish the format.
Frequently asked questions about a master's in Elementary Education in Maryland
How many master's in elementary education programs are in Maryland?
There are 4 accredited master's in elementary education programs in Maryland in our 2026 ranking, all drawn from the federal IPEDS database.
What is the most affordable master's in elementary education in Maryland?
McDaniel College is the most affordable master's in elementary education in Maryland, at $18,579 a year in in-state tuition.
How much do elementary school teachers make in Maryland?
Elementary school teachers in Maryland earn a median of $77,680 a year, according to <a href="https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes252021.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics</a>, versus $63,970 nationally.
What exam do you need to teach in Maryland?
Maryland requires the Praxis (The Praxis Series) licensure exam, administered for Maryland State Department of Education. See the <a href="https://www.ets.org/praxis" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">official exam page</a> for current test requirements.
Is a master's in elementary education worth it in Maryland?
For most future teachers, yes. A master's in elementary education in Maryland is the standard credential for a Maryland teaching license, and it leads to a median elementary school teachers salary of $77,680 a year in Maryland. Compare graduation rate and net price above to find the best value in 2026.
These are the best master's in elementary education programs in Maryland for 2026, ranked on the outcomes that matter. Compare all 4 master's in elementary education in Maryland above by graduation rate, tuition, and selectivity, then open each program page to take the next step toward teaching in an elementary school classroom in Maryland.