Best Master's in Secondary Education Programs by Degrees Awarded

1. 1

   Grand Canyon University

   Phoenix, AZPrivate for-profitOnline available

   • 506Master's/yr
   • $59,180Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Education in Secondary Education (Initial Teacher Licensure)
   • Online
   About the program

   Grand Canyon University offers a Master of Education in Secondary Education (Initial Teacher Licensure), an online program designed for candidates entering the profession and pursuing licensure for grades 6-12. Students can align their studies with a STEM emphasis or a Humanities emphasis, choosing focus areas such as math, English, or history that match their intended teaching field. The 41-credit curriculum is delivered in accelerated six-week courses, a rhythm that lets working adults move through one subject at a time. It builds toward a 15-week student teaching practicum backed by roughly 100 hours of field and observation experience, keeping the pathway firmly hands-on. GCU is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and the program culminates in the supervised classroom placement that leads to initial teaching licensure. Earning a master's degree in secondary education is a common route toward becoming one of Arizona's secondary school teachers.

   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 506 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ, where elementary teachers earn a median $59,180, roughly $57,281 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
2. 2

   University of the People

   Pasadena, CAPrivate nonprofitOnline available

   • 335Master's/yr
   • $101,860Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Education in Advanced Teaching
   • Online
   About the program

   University of the People offers a Master of Education in Advanced Teaching aimed squarely at practicing teachers, including those in independent schools, who want to strengthen their teaching rather than earn a state license. Developed in cooperation with the International Baccalaureate, the 39 credit-hour degree lets candidates specialize in either elementary and middle grades from K to 8 or secondary grades 6 to 12, and it can waive the IB Category 1 Workshop requirement for qualified graduates. That IB connection and the focus on already-employed teachers frame the program as professional advancement for a globally minded classroom audience. Courses run in compressed nine-week terms at a low tuition of roughly $144 per credit, which keeps the degree accessible to working educators worldwide. It does not lead to state licensure or certification, so it functions as a credential for deepening practice rather than entering the profession. This master's-level secondary education program prepares graduates for work as secondary school teachers 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 335 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA, where elementary teachers earn a median $101,860, roughly $89,692 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

   University of West Alabama

   Livingston, ALPublic

   • 142Master's/yr
   • $61,380State teacher pay
   • Master of Education in High School Education (6-12)
   • Online
   About the program

   The University of West Alabama offers an online Master of Education in High School Education (6-12) built for certified teachers who want to advance quickly without leaving the classroom. Candidates must already hold a valid Bachelor's-level Professional Educator Certificate in the same teaching field, and the program deepens that expertise through concentrations in Biology, History, English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Science. Its pacing is aimed at busy professionals, 33 credit hours delivered in 8-week online courses, completable in about a year, with a comprehensive exam as the capstone. Each student is paired with a personal success coach to keep momentum through the accelerated schedule. Accredited by CAEP, with the university accredited by SACSCOC and participating in SARA, it leads to advanced Alabama teaching certification. Graduates of this secondary education program at the master's level often go on to work as secondary school teachers.

   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 142 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Alabama statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $61,380, roughly $69,104 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

   University of Arkansas at Monticello

   Monticello, ARPublicOnline available

   • 139Master's/yr
   • Master of Arts in Teaching
   • University accredited by the Higher Learning Commission
   • Online
   About the program

   The University of Arkansas at Monticello offers a Master of Arts in Teaching, an online program designed to move unlicensed candidates toward initial teaching licensure. Students can pursue the standard M.A.T. track or an M.A.T. with a Special Education track, letting them tailor the degree toward general secondary teaching or a special education focus. Housed at an institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, the program targets career changers and recent graduates who need a graduate-level route into the classroom. Eligible candidates may qualify for the Arkansas Teacher Academy Scholarship, which can cover program costs and reduce a key barrier to entering teaching. Graduates of this secondary education program at the master's level often go on to work as secondary school teachers.

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

   School site
5. 5

   New York University

   New York, NYPrivate nonprofit

   • 126Master's/yr
   • $96,900Metro teacher pay
   • MAT, Secondary Education: Teacher Residency (Initial Certification), Grades 7-12
   • Online
   About the program

   NYU Steinhardt offers an MAT in Secondary Education structured as a one-year teacher residency that fuses graduate study with a full year in the classroom. Across 30 credits, residents co-teach beside a mentor in a partner school in New York City, Upstate or Central New York, or Washington, DC, while meeting online with Steinhardt faculty twice weekly in the evening, an arrangement that keeps candidates immersed in real teaching while they earn the degree. Content specializations cover English, mathematics, science, and social studies for Grades 7-12, with a Grades 5-6 extension and a PreK-12 Students with Disabilities pathway available. Completion leads to eligibility for New York State initial teaching certification in the chosen subject. All residents qualify for scholarships and some level of wage or subsidy, easing the financial demands of the residency model. A master's-level path in secondary education, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in New York.

   Why it ranks here

   For a graduate program we set aside undergraduate figures and weigh three things instead: how established it is, the local market its graduates enter, and the institution's standing. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 126 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where elementary teachers earn a median $96,900, roughly $86,085 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

   Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

   School site
6. 6

   Liberty University

   Lynchburg, VAPrivate nonprofitOnline available

   • 115Master's/yr
   • $50,470Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education
   • Online
   About the program

   Liberty University offers an online Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education built around the flexibility working adults need, delivering its 36 credit hours in eight-week courses with multiple start dates through the year. The breadth of endorsement areas is striking, covering the core sciences, mathematics, English, and social studies alongside music, visual and theatre arts, business, computer science, engineering, family and consumer sciences, and English as a second language, so specialists across many fields can enter grades 6 through 12. The curriculum is framed around Virginia licensure requirements and also positions graduates for ACSI certification, giving it appeal for candidates aiming at both public and Christian school settings. Allowing up to half its credits to transfer in further eases the path for those with prior graduate work. Accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, it reads as an accessible, licensure-oriented option for career-changers and aspiring teachers nationwide. As a master's degree in secondary education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as secondary school teachers in Virginia.

   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 115 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Lynchburg, VA, where elementary teachers earn a median $50,470, roughly $56,478 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
7. 7

   Alder Graduate School of Education

   Redwood City, CAPrivate nonprofit

   • 106Master's/yr
   • $101,860Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Arts in Education (Teaching concentration)
   • Hybrid
   About the program

   Alder Graduate School of Education offers a Master of Arts in Education with a Teaching concentration built around a full-year teacher residency, and its structure makes clear it is designed for aspiring teachers learning the job by doing it. Candidates apprentice four days a week in a partner classroom while spending one day a week in regional cohort seminars, an immersive model that pairs daily practice with the support of a shared group. The program leads to recommendation for a California Teaching Credential, with pathways spanning Multiple Subject for K-8, Single Subject in English, math, science, or social studies for grades 6-12, and Education Specialist credentials for mild to moderate support needs, plus an optional Bilingual Authorization. All tracks except the bilingual one carry an embedded English Learner Authorization, reflecting a program tuned to California's diverse classrooms. With 96 percent of graduates landing full-time teaching positions and WSCUC accreditation behind the institution, it reads as a residency built to move candidates directly into the profession. As a master's degree in secondary education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as secondary school teachers 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 106 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, where elementary teachers earn a median $101,860, roughly $88,104 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
8. 8

   University of the Cumberlands

   Williamsburg, KYPrivate nonprofitOnline available

   • 101Master's/yr
   • $60,610State teacher pay
   • Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education, 8-12
   • Online
   About the program

   University of the Cumberlands offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education for grades 8-12, a fully online, 33-credit-hour program that moves candidates through content-specialized preparation in English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, or Social Studies. The 8-week term structure keeps momentum while three sequential clinical components, Clinical I, II, and a III/Practicum, build classroom experience in stages. An Option 6 pathway lets candidates earn provisional licensure and begin teaching while completing the degree, making the program workable for those already stepping into schools. Graduates must pass all state-required exams before a recommendation for professional licensure, which leads to Kentucky secondary certification. The program is offered through an EPSB-recognized, CAEP-accredited unit at a university accredited by SACSCOC. Graduates of this secondary education program at the master's level often go on to work as secondary school teachers.

   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 101 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Kentucky statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $60,610, roughly $67,226 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
9. 9

   Kennesaw State University

   Kennesaw, GAPublicOnline available

   • 91Master's/yr
   • $76,570Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Secondary Education
   • Hybrid
   About the program

   Kennesaw State University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education, a hybrid program leading to initial Georgia teacher certification for grades 6 through 12. Candidates prepare in English Language Arts, Mathematics, or Science, with science tracks covering Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, so the degree serves the core secondary content areas. Yearlong clinical field placements paired with hybrid coursework give the preparation a strong, sustained classroom apprenticeship that distinguishes the secondary tracks from the program's fully online concentrations in Elementary, Special Education, and TESOL. Before enrolling, candidates complete a GaPSC pre-service certification application, aligning them with state requirements from the start. The program is approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission and the Georgia Board of Regents. The extended clinical model reflects a program built to move subject-area graduates into certified secondary teaching. As a master's degree in secondary education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as secondary school teachers in Georgia.

   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 91 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA, where elementary teachers earn a median $76,570, roughly $76,526 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

   Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

   School site
10. 10

    William Carey University

    Hattiesburg, MSPrivate nonprofitOnline available

    • 86Master's/yr
    • $47,650Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Education in Secondary Education
    • Online
    About the program

    William Carey University offers a Master of Education in Secondary Education delivered fully online, with no synchronous meetings required so teachers can study around their own schedules. The program threads portfolio development through its coursework, prompting candidates to apply new ideas directly in the classroom rather than treating theory in the abstract. At a minimum of 30 credit hours, it is structured for efficient completion in as little as 12 to 15 months. That combination of asynchronous flexibility and a compact timeline positions the degree for working secondary educators seeking a focused, career-fitting master's. As a master's degree in secondary education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as secondary school teachers in Mississippi.

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

    Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

    School site
11. 11

    University of Redlands

    Redlands, CAPrivate nonprofit

    • 85Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Education: Learning and Teaching, Single Subject Track
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    The University of Redlands offers a Master of Arts in Education: Learning and Teaching, Single Subject Track that moves candidates into secondary classrooms while earning a full graduate degree. Aligned with California's SB 2042 standards and approved by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, it leads to a preliminary Single Subject Teaching Credential for secondary content areas, with dual credential tracks available for those who want to pair single subject with a second authorization. What distinguishes the program is choice in how candidates meet the practicum requirement, whether through fourteen weeks of full-time student teaching, a paid teaching internship, or a teacher residency. That flexibility lets the program serve both traditional candidates and those who need to earn while they learn. Delivered in a hybrid format, it reads as a practice-centered route into secondary teaching that adapts to a candidate's circumstances. A master's-level path in secondary education, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers 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 85 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

    School site
12. 12

    University of Phoenix-Arizona

    Phoenix, AZPrivate for-profitOnline available

    • 81Master's/yr
    • $59,180Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Education - Secondary Teacher Education
    • Higher Learning Commission (institutional)-accredited
    • Online
    About the program

    The University of Phoenix offers a Master of Arts in Education in Secondary Teacher Education, a 39-credit online program designed to prepare candidates for initial teacher licensure in grades 6 through 12. The single-subject track spans English, history, math, science, and social studies, letting candidates focus on a content area while learning online. Substantial clinical work anchors the degree, with at least 100 hours of field experience plus a minimum 12-week full-time clinical practice placement that grounds theory in classroom teaching. Because state licensure pathways vary, candidates in states without a direct route must first secure Arizona certification before pursuing their home-state license, a detail that shapes planning for out-of-state students. No GMAT or GRE is required for admission, lowering the barrier for career-changers entering the field. The university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. A master's-level path in secondary education, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in Arizona.

    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 81 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ, where elementary teachers earn a median $59,180, roughly $57,281 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

    Pace University

    New York, NYPrivate nonprofit

    • 77Master's/yr
    • $96,900Metro teacher pay
    About the program

    Pace University previously offered Master of Science for Teachers programs in adolescent education, including tracks in general adolescent education and combined childhood and adolescent education. These programs were discontinued effective Fall 2026 and are closed to new applicants, so no currently enrollable secondary-education master's is available at the school. Graduates of this secondary education program at the master's level often go on to work as secondary school teachers.

    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 77 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where elementary teachers earn a median $96,900, roughly $86,085 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

    Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

    School site
14. 14

    Arizona State University Digital Immersion

    Scottsdale, AZPublicOnline available

    • 72Master's/yr
    • $59,180Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Education (MEd) in Secondary Education with Teacher Certification
    • Online
    About the program

    Arizona State University offers a Master of Education in Secondary Education with Teacher Certification, a 30-credit online program that carries candidates toward an institutional recommendation for Arizona certification in grades 6 through 12. Students select a subject-specific methods course from a broad list spanning the sciences, mathematics, English, world languages, social studies, and physical education, tailoring the degree to their teaching field. Across sixteen classes the program blends coursework with hands-on middle- and high-school field experience, keeping the preparation grounded in real classrooms. It culminates in an applied research project in which candidates design a classroom intervention, giving the degree a practitioner-scholar finish. The online delivery suits working adults and career-changers pursuing licensure, though the certification track is not open to international applicants. The pairing of methods coursework, field experience, and an applied capstone marks this as a practice-focused route into teaching. A master's-level path in secondary education, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in Arizona.

    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 72 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ, where elementary teachers earn a median $59,180, roughly $57,281 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
15. 15

    University of Massachusetts Global

    Aliso Viejo, CAPublicOnline available

    • 62Master's/yr
    • $101,860Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching, Secondary Education (Single Subject) with CA 2042 Single Subject Credential
    • Online
    About the program

    UMass Global offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education that pairs the degree with a California Single Subject Teaching Credential (2042) for grades 7 through 12, making it a genuine initial licensure route. Candidates choose from seven content areas, including English, Mathematics, Science, History and Social Science, Physical Education and Health, World Languages, and Music or Art, so the program serves aspiring teachers across the secondary curriculum. Its most distinctive feature is intern eligibility after just the first four courses, which lets students step into a paid classroom and teach while completing the rest of their coursework online. That structure reads as built for career-changers and working adults who need to earn as they learn. The credential program is approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing and carries AAQEP accreditation, with the university institutionally accredited by WASC. A master's-level path in secondary education, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers 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 62 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA, where elementary teachers earn a median $101,860, roughly $89,692 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

    Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

    School site
16. 16

    Georgia College & State University

    Milledgeville, GAPublic

    • 60Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Georgia College and State University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education that gives certification-seeking candidates two routes into the profession, an on-campus one-year cohort that begins in June and an online four-semester version. Candidates can pursue 6-12 fields such as Biology, Business Education, Chemistry, English, History, Mathematics, Physics, and Political Science, along with P-12 options in Art, French, and Spanish. The curriculum of at least 36 semester hours is organized around five integrated strands spanning technology, classroom inquiry, content applications, literacy instruction, and diversity and exceptionalities, and it includes a field experience and internship. Enrollment requires a GaPSC Pre-Service Certificate, and completing the program leads to Level 5 Georgia Educator Certification once candidates pass the GACE 360 Ethics exam. The dual-format design makes it flexible for both recent graduates and working adults. Graduates of this secondary education program at the master's level often go on to work as secondary school teachers.

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

    School site
17. 17

    Azusa Pacific University

    Azusa, CAPrivate nonprofit

    • 59Master's/yr
    • $101,860Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Education: Teaching and Single Subject Teaching Credential
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    Azusa Pacific University offers a Master of Arts in Education: Teaching paired with a Single Subject Teaching Credential, a hybrid program leading to the California Single Subject Teaching Credential for grades 7-12. Candidates credential in a specific field, choosing from Art, Business, English Language Arts, Mathematics, Music, Physical Education, Science, Social Science, and World Languages. The 45-unit cohort completes the degree in about two years through weekly synchronous online classes plus one required in-person Saturday session each semester, a structure that supports working adults while preserving face-to-face contact. Supervised student teaching and a capstone seminar with a professional ePortfolio anchor the program in classroom practice and reflection. It carries accreditation from WSCUC, CAEP, and the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, reinforcing its standing as a credential-granting pathway. Graduates of this secondary education program at the master's level often go on to work as secondary school teachers.

    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 59 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA, where elementary teachers earn a median $101,860, roughly $89,692 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

    Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

    School site
18. 18

    University of West Georgia

    Carrollton, GAPublicOnline available

    • 56Master's/yr
    • $76,570Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education
    • Online
    About the program

    The University of West Georgia offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education designed expressly for people coming to teaching from another direction, whether career changers, provisionally certified teachers, or recent graduates. The 30-semester-hour program is delivered primarily online while grounding candidates through field experiences in public schools, and its content concentrations span biology, broad field science, chemistry, economics, English, history, mathematics, physics, and political science. That mix of remote coursework and in-school practice signals a program shaped around adults who need flexibility but still require real classroom preparation. Completion leads to a Georgia Educator Certificate for grades 6 through 12 once candidates pass the GACE Basic Skills and content exams. It reads as an efficient, subject-focused entry point into the profession for those already holding a bachelor's degree. Graduates of this secondary education program at the master's level often go on to work as secondary school teachers.

    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 56 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA, where elementary teachers earn a median $76,570, roughly $76,526 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

    Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

    School site
19. 19

    Mississippi State University

    Mississippi State, MSPublic

    • 55Master's/yr
    • $49,790State teacher pay
    • Master of Science in Secondary Education
    • Online
    About the program

    Mississippi State University offers an online Master of Science in Secondary Education for teachers who already hold a license and want to advance within their subject. The design assumes a working professional: candidates enter with a teaching credential and study toward eligibility for the Class AA Mississippi Educator License, choosing a concentration from a broad menu that spans the sciences, mathematics, English, business, reading, and world languages. Delivered entirely online at in-state tuition rates for every student, it removes the geographic and cost barriers that often keep practicing teachers from graduate study. A comprehensive written examination in the final semester serves as the culminating requirement, asking candidates to synthesize their coursework before graduation. The result is a focused, subject-deepening master's for licensed educators building on classroom experience. A master's-level path in secondary education, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in Mississippi.

    Why it ranks here

    A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 55 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.

    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
20. 20

    Point Park University

    Pittsburgh, PAPrivate nonprofitOnline available

    • 55Master's/yr
    • Master of Education in Secondary Education 7-12
    • Online
    About the program

    Point Park University offers an online Master of Education in Secondary Education 7-12 with an especially wide range of content specializations, spanning the traditional academic fields alongside less common options such as computer science, communications, and citizenship. The cohort-based, fully asynchronous structure suggests a program that wants online learners to progress together as a group while retaining the flexibility to study around their own commitments. At 42 credits, it is a thorough preparation, and the required in-person student teaching practicum of 60 days and 420 hours ensures that the online coursework is anchored in extended real classroom practice. The program leads to Pennsylvania initial secondary certification, Instructional I, valid for six years from the start of a teaching position, giving graduates a clear runway into the profession. This master's-level secondary education program prepares graduates for work as secondary school teachers in Pennsylvania.

    Why it ranks here

    A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 55 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

    School site
21. 21

    Seattle Pacific University

    Seattle, WAPrivate nonprofit

    • 53Master's/yr
    • MAT: Secondary/P-12 Certification
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Seattle Pacific University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching with a secondary or P-12 certification focus, structured as a paced, roughly two-year path spread across seven academic quarters. The rhythm of the program builds toward an extended, full-time supervised internship that begins in February of the second year, when candidates are paired with a mentor teacher and take on the day-to-day work of the classroom. Certification requirements are completed concurrently with the degree, so students earn the master's and their credential together rather than in separate stages. The clear outcome is a Washington Residency Teacher Certificate at the secondary or P-12 level. The deliberate, quarter-by-quarter design reads as a program that layers coursework and clinical practice gradually for candidates preparing to enter teaching. A master's-level path in secondary education, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in Washington.

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

    School site
22. 22

    American University

    Washington, DCPrivate nonprofit

    • 49Master's/yr
    • $79,470Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching, Secondary Education concentration
    • On-campus
    About the program

    American University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching with a Secondary Education concentration for candidates preparing to teach grades 7 through 12 in English, social studies, math, biology, chemistry, or physics. The cohort-based program builds professional identity through shared progression, and it front-loads practice with more than 600 hours of clinical experience spread across a practicum and a full student-teaching semester. That volume of supervised classroom time, well beyond a token placement, marks a program that treats teaching as a craft learned in schools. Graduates qualify for licensure across DC, Maryland, and Virginia, with reciprocity potential reaching many additional states. The program waives the GRE and reports full job placement within six months of graduation, and it is delivered in person with online options for some concentrations. Graduates of this secondary education program at the master's level often go on to work as secondary school teachers.

    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 49 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, where elementary teachers earn a median $79,470, roughly $72,986 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

    Area teacher pay: Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025, adjusted for local cost of living via U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities. A location figure, not this program's graduate earnings.

    School site
23. 23

    University of North Alabama

    Florence, ALPublic

    • 47Master's/yr
    • $60,580Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Education in Secondary Education
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    The University of North Alabama offers a Master of Education in Secondary Education that deliberately serves two audiences through parallel tracks. A traditional pathway advances teachers who already hold certification, while an alternative pathway opens the profession to career changers, both leading to Alabama Professional Educator Certification in the chosen 6-12 teaching field. The program's breadth is notable, with concentrations ranging across biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, English language arts, social sciences, ESOL, music, physical education, Spanish, and even instructional leadership and school counseling. Delivered in a hybrid format, it sits alongside related Ed.S. options in instructional leadership and teacher leadership for those aiming further. Accredited by CAEP through Spring 2028 and approved by the Alabama State Department of Education, it functions as a flexible, wide-ranging hub for secondary educators. This master's-level secondary education program prepares graduates for work as secondary school teachers in Alabama.

    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 47 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL, where elementary teachers earn a median $60,580, roughly $71,424 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
24. 24

    State University of New York at Plattsburgh

    Plattsburgh, NYPublic

    • 46Master's/yr
    • $85,760State teacher pay
    • Adolescence Education (Grades 7-12), Master of Science for Teachers
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    SUNY Plattsburgh offers a Master of Science for Teachers in Adolescence Education for candidates preparing to teach grades 7-12 across a broad range of subjects, including biology, chemistry, earth science, English, French, mathematics, physics, social studies, and Spanish. The 42-credit program runs across three semesters in a hybrid format, with coursework completed online and required in-person fieldwork and student teaching in New York State school placements. That blend lets candidates keep the flexibility of online study while still logging the supervised classroom time the state expects for certification. Registered by the New York State Education Department and accredited by AAQEP, the program leads to initial NYS certification in grades 7-12 upon completion. Its three-semester pacing and clinical placement structure characterize a program built to move content specialists into the secondary classroom on a defined timeline. As a master's degree in secondary education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as secondary school teachers in New York.

    Why it ranks here

    For a graduate program we set aside undergraduate figures and weigh three things instead: how established it is, the local market its graduates enter, and the institution's standing. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 46 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New York statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $85,760, roughly $79,466 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
25. 25

    Georgia Southern University

    Statesboro, GAPublicOnline available

    • 42Master's/yr
    • $72,290State teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education
    • Online
    About the program

    Georgia Southern University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education built for people entering the profession who want to earn a graduate credential and Georgia certification at the same time. The fully online coursework spans an unusually wide range of content areas, from the sciences and mathematics to English, history, economics, and career and technical fields like agriculture and business education, so candidates specialize in whatever they intend to teach in grades 6 through 12. What keeps the program tethered to real classrooms is its supervised field requirement, which candidates satisfy either by serving as a full-time Teacher of Record anywhere in Georgia or through an assigned placement within 70 miles of the Statesboro or Armstrong campus. Completion leads to Georgia T-5 Secondary Education Certification once the GACE Content Assessment is passed. Approved by the GaPSC and CAEP accredited, it reads as a flexible path for career changers and provisionally hired teachers who need coursework that fits around work. A master's-level path in secondary education, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in Georgia.

    Why it ranks here

    Master's programs are judged differently here. Undergraduate stats do not apply, so the ranking looks at whether the program is established, the pay its graduates walk into locally, and how the university stands behind it. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 42 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Georgia statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $72,290, roughly $75,073 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

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