Best Master's in Elementary Education Programs in Mississippi
All 5 Elementary Education master's-level programs in Mississippi, ranked overall on graduation rate, affordability, and more, from the IPEDS database.
A master's in elementary education can lead to initial Mississippi licensure or advance a licensed teacher's career, and Mississippi has 5 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. Delta State University ranks first with a score of 54, on a 48 percent graduation rate.
Elementary school teachers in Mississippi earn a median of $49,790 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, Mississippi licensure, accreditation, online and accelerated formats, and career outlook, so you can compare elementary education programs in Mississippi on the factors that change your outcome rather than on marketing.
- 1
Delta State University
54score- 31Master's/yr
- $49,790State teacher pay
- Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Elementary Education
- Online
About the programDelta State University offers a fully online Master of Education in Elementary Education built for teachers who already hold a Mississippi Class A certificate. Rather than an entry route into the profession, it is an advanced degree that deepens classroom practice and leads to the Class AA educator license with an elementary endorsement. Coursework is asynchronous, letting practicing teachers study on their own schedule, and the program does not by itself certify a new teacher to work in an elementary classroom. As a master's degree in elementary education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as elementary school teachers in Mississippi.
Why it ranks hereProgram pageFor 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 31 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Mississippi statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $49,790, roughly $57,261 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market. 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
William Carey University
52score- 66Master's/yr
- $47,650Metro teacher pay
- Master of Education, Art of Teaching (Alternate Route), Elementary Education track
- Online
About the programWilliam Carey University's Master of Education, Art of Teaching, is an online alternate-route program for people who hold a bachelor's degree in a non-teaching field and want to earn initial Mississippi teacher licensure, with this track certifying elementary grades 4 to 6. The path unfolds in stages, beginning with initial coursework that earns a three-year license and continuing through two trimesters of internship supported by onsite mentors and supervisors, which lifts candidates to the standard five-year license. Adding further courses rounds the work out into a full master's degree, roughly 30 to 33 hours in all. Classes run online, though some sessions meet synchronously and internship seminars fall on Saturdays. The staged structure lets career changers move into the classroom while still completing the degree. It awards more master's-level elementary education degrees than any of Mississippi's 5 ranked master's-level programs, 66 in the most recent year. Earning a master's degree in elementary education is a common route toward becoming one of Mississippi's 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 66 master's degrees a year, one of the larger cohorts in the specialty. Its graduates step into Hattiesburg, MS, where elementary teachers earn a median $47,650, roughly $54,374 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
Mississippi State University
48score- 13Master's/yr
- $49,790State teacher pay
- Master of Science in Elementary Education
About the programMississippi State University's Master of Science in Elementary Education is an advanced, in-service degree meant to sharpen the practice of teachers who are already in the field. Because applicants must already hold or be eligible for a Class A teaching certificate, the program does not confer initial licensure and instead builds on credentials candidates already carry. It requires a minimum of 33 semester hours beyond the bachelor's, including 9 hours of electives, and closes with a written comprehensive examination. The coursework deepens work in the elementary core areas of literacy, mathematics, science, and social studies, keeping the focus on the subjects teachers face every day. It is described as designed to enhance the teaching of educators working across grades K-8. This master's-level elementary education program prepares graduates for work as elementary school teachers in Mississippi.
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 Mississippi statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $49,790, roughly $57,261 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market. 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
Mississippi College
45score- $12,000Est. tuition (excl. fees)
- 17Master's/yr
- $50,240Metro teacher pay
- Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Elementary Education
- Online
About the programMississippi College's Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Elementary Education is a fully online, accelerated degree that fits itself around teachers who are already working, running in brisk 8-week terms across 30 credit hours. Full-time students taking two courses a term can finish in roughly 12 months, while part-time students land closer to 24. This is an in-service, advanced degree rather than a first step into teaching, so applicants must already hold a standard, renewable K-6 Elementary Education license, and finishing lets them apply to upgrade from a Class A to a Class AA license. The program is CAEP accredited, and tuition runs $400 per credit hour. It reads as a straightforward way for practicing teachers to advance their standing without stepping away from the classroom. Earning a master's degree in elementary education is a common route toward becoming one of Mississippi'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 17 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Jackson, MS, where elementary teachers earn a median $50,240, roughly $56,419 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.
- 5
Blue Mountain Christian University
36score- 4Master's/yr
- $49,790State teacher pay
- Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Elementary Education K-6
- Online
About the programBlue Mountain Christian University's M.Ed. in Elementary Education K-6 is a 30 semester hour, 10-course program delivered fully online and typically completed in one year. It meets the requirements for the Mississippi Class AA (Master's) educator license in Elementary Education (K-6), an advanced credential that upgrades an existing standard teaching certificate. This is a degree for already-certified teachers seeking a master's-level license, not an initial-licensure route; it does not by itself qualify a candidate to begin teaching. Coursework may be adapted for candidates pursuing National Board Certification. The university holds SACSCOC institutional accreditation. Earning a master's degree in elementary education is a common route toward becoming one of Mississippi'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 4 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Mississippi statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $49,790, roughly $57,261 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market. 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 Mississippi
- Mississippi has 5 accredited master's in elementary education programs in our 2026 ranking, all drawn from federal IPEDS data.
- Delta State University ranks first among elementary education master's programs in Mississippi with a score of 54, on a 48 percent graduation rate.
- Mississippi College is the most affordable master's in elementary education in Mississippi, at $12,000 a year in-state tuition.
- Mississippi State University posts the highest graduation rate among elementary education programs in Mississippi, at 67 percent.
- Elementary school teachers in Mississippi earn a median of $49,790 a year (BLS), ranking Mississippi 50 of 51 states and territories for the occupation.
- 3 of the master's in elementary education programs in Mississippi offer an online or hybrid option.
- Mississippi requires the Praxis licensure exam, administered through Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensure, to earn a teaching license.
What a master's in elementary education costs in Mississippi (2026)
Published in-state tuition for a master's in elementary education in Mississippi runs from $12,000 to $12,000 a year across the 5 programs we rank, with a median of $12,000. The most affordable is Mississippi College at $12,000 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 58 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 Mississippi
Elementary school teachers in Mississippi earn a median of $49,790 a year, per BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), compared with a national median of $63,970. That ranks Mississippi 50 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 Mississippi is the entry point to that market, not the ceiling.
How to get a Mississippi teaching license
To teach in Mississippi you need a master's in elementary education (or a bachelor's plus an approved preparation program), a supervised student-teaching placement, and a Mississippi teaching license issued by Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensure. Mississippi calls the initial credential the Standard License, and earning it means passing Praxis (The Praxis Series) plus a background check.
Applications are submitted through the Mississippi Educator Career Continuum Archive (MECCA) system. Confirm your program is currently state-approved before you enroll.
Choosing an accredited elementary education program in Mississippi
Pick a master's in elementary education in Mississippi that is regionally accredited and whose educator-preparation program is approved by the Mississippi Department of Education, ideally with CAEP (Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation) accreditation. State approval is what lets the degree count toward a Mississippi teaching license, and CAEP is the national standard for program quality, so confirm both before enrolling in any elementary education program in Mississippi.
Sources: CAEP accreditation
Online and hybrid elementary education programs in Mississippi
3 of the master's in elementary education programs in Mississippi 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 Mississippi 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 Mississippi
How many master's in elementary education programs are in Mississippi?
There are 5 accredited master's in elementary education programs in Mississippi in our 2026 ranking, all drawn from the federal IPEDS database.
What is the most affordable master's in elementary education in Mississippi?
Mississippi College is the most affordable master's in elementary education in Mississippi, at $12,000 a year in in-state tuition.
How much do elementary school teachers make in Mississippi?
Elementary school teachers in Mississippi earn a median of $49,790 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 Mississippi?
Mississippi requires the Praxis (The Praxis Series) licensure exam, administered for Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Educator Licensure. See the <a href="https://praxis.ets.org/state-requirements/mississippi-overview.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">official exam page</a> for current test requirements.
Is a master's in elementary education worth it in Mississippi?
For most future teachers, yes. A master's in elementary education in Mississippi is the standard credential for a Mississippi teaching license, and it leads to a median elementary school teachers salary of $49,790 a year in Mississippi. 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 Mississippi for 2026, ranked on the outcomes that matter. Compare all 5 master's in elementary education in Mississippi 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 Mississippi.