Best Master's in Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods Programs by Degrees Awarded

1. 1

   San Diego State University

   San Diego, CAPublic

   • 223Master's/yr
   • Master of Arts in Teaching (Elementary or Secondary)
   • Online
   About the program

   San Diego State University's School of Teacher Education offers a Master of Arts in Teaching with separate elementary and secondary tracks, letting candidates focus on the grade span that matches their career direction. The program runs fully online across one year, built from ten courses totaling thirty units, a compact structure that suits educators looking to earn a master's without a lengthy or place-bound commitment. The School of Teacher Education describes the degree as ranked third nationally among online education master's programs, a signal of its standing in the online space. Its one-year, all-online design reads as a program made for working teachers who want an efficient, reputable path to an advanced degree. It is a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods at the master's level, based in California.

   Why it ranks here

   A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 223 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

   School site
2. 2

   Alliant International University-San Diego

   San Diego, CAPrivate for-profitOnline available

   • 215Master's/yr
   • Master of Arts in Education
   • Online
   About the program

   Alliant International University offers an online Master of Arts in Education whose defining feature is efficiency, letting candidates earn the master's by adding only two or three courses to teaching-credential coursework they are already completing. Its tracks span multiple- and single-subject teaching, educational administration, TESOL, education specialist instruction, and school counseling and school psychology paired with a PPS credential, so the degree can be aimed at classroom teaching, specialist roles, or student services. Because the curriculum is approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, many tracks lead to a California preliminary teaching or services credential alongside the degree, giving graduates both a master's and a route to licensure. That accelerated, credential-integrated design reads as a program built for candidates who want to fold a graduate degree into their path to becoming licensed California educators. Delivered online, it extends that convenience to working students across the state. This program offers a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods in California.

   Why it ranks here

   A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 215 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

   School site
3. 3

   San Jose State University

   San Jose, CAPublic

   • 204Master's/yr
   • Master of Arts in Teaching
   • On-campus
   About the program

   San José State University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching built specifically for its own recent credential graduates, admitting only those who completed the university's Single Subject or Multiple Subject Credential Program within the prior six years. Because candidates already hold a preliminary credential and must be in an active teaching position at admission, this is a post-credential degree rather than an initial-licensure pathway. That shared starting point lets the program dive straight into classroom-based teacher inquiry, with candidates studying their own practice while co-teaching alongside mentor teachers. The curriculum emphasizes instruction for multilingual learners and students with disabilities, reflecting the demands of California's diverse classrooms. The overall shape is that of a professional advancement degree for new teachers deepening their craft during their first years on the job. This program offers a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods in California.

   Why it ranks here

   A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 204 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

   School site
4. 4

   University of South Carolina-Upstate

   Spartanburg, SCPublicOnline available

   • 193Master's/yr
   • Master of Education in Applied Learning and Instruction
   • Online
   About the program

   The University of South Carolina Upstate offers a Master of Education in Applied Learning and Instruction, an online degree built for teachers who already hold a valid teaching certificate. Its five concentrations, Early Childhood, Elementary, Literacy, TESOL, and Research in Practice Education, let educators sharpen expertise across the span of a K-12 career. The program leads to add-on certifications and endorsements in South Carolina, including Gifted and Talented and Project-Based Learning endorsements, adding tangible credentials to an existing license. Coursework moves quickly through accelerated 7.5-week sessions, a pace suited to working professionals. An in-person practicum completed at the student's own workplace keeps the learning tied directly to the classroom they already teach in. It is a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods at the master's level, based in South Carolina.

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

   School site
5. 5

   American College of Education

   Indianapolis, INPrivate for-profitOnline available

   • 174Master's/yr
   • $60,510Metro teacher pay
   • Master of Education
   • Higher Learning Commission-accredited
   • Online
   About the program

   American College of Education offers a Master of Education built for experienced educators who want to deepen subject-area expertise or step into leadership. A wide slate of specializations spanning curriculum and instruction, educational technology, early childhood education, educational leadership, STEM education, mathematics, special education, and literacy lets teachers align the degree with their own trajectory. The college positions this M.Ed. distinctly from its Master of Arts in Teaching programs, which serve aspiring licensure-seekers, so the M.Ed. reads as an advancement credential for those already in the field. Flexible pacing lets students take multiple courses at once and finish in as little as twelve months, and faculty are practicing educators, principals, and superintendents who bring current school experience into the online classroom. Most of its master's degrees cost under ten thousand dollars, and the program is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The affordability and practitioner faculty underscore its focus on working professionals. As a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods, it adds to the master's-level teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods options in Indiana.

   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 174 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN, where elementary teachers earn a median $60,510, roughly $63,231 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

   Valdosta State University

   Valdosta, GAPublic

   • 173Master's/yr
   • Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction in Accomplished Teaching
   • Online
   About the program

   Valdosta State University offers a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction in Accomplished Teaching, a 36-credit online degree shared collaboratively with Columbus State and Georgia Southern within the University System of Georgia. Classified as a P-12 Service certificate track, it targets experienced teachers seeking to formalize and advance their expertise rather than enter the profession. The pooled, three-campus delivery and NCATE accreditation give the program institutional depth, while a generous seven-year completion window accommodates educators who need to fit study around their careers. An alternative admission pathway for applicants below the standard GPA threshold widens access for working teachers whose recent classroom performance may outshine earlier transcripts. Graduates who pass the Georgia content assessment become eligible for Curriculum and Instruction Level 5 certification. This program offers a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods 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 173 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

   School site
7. 7

   University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

   Minneapolis, MNPublic

   • 162Master's/yr
   • Master of Education (MEd) with teaching licensure
   • On-campus
   About the program

   The University of Minnesota offers a Master of Education with teaching licensure through its College of Education and Human Development, a set of subject-specific tracks that carry candidates into the classroom while earning a graduate degree. The breadth is notable, spanning elementary education, secondary English, mathematics, science, and social studies, special education, early childhood, arts in education, multilingual and ESL, dual language immersion, and literacy. Many of these programs run as full-time, cohort-based, 12-month experiences, moving a group of candidates through licensure together in a single concentrated year. Rather than a traditional student-teaching placement, they use a year-long co-teaching model in which each candidate is paired with a cooperating teacher, sharing responsibility for a real classroom across the school year. The degree leads to Minnesota teacher licensure, with grade bands from PreK through 12 depending on the track. This program offers a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods in Minnesota.

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

   School site
8. 8

   Georgia Southwestern State University

   Americus, GAPublic

   • 153Master's/yr
   • $72,290State teacher pay
   • Master of Education
   • Online
   About the program

   Georgia Southwestern State University offers a Master of Education built for certified teachers who want an efficient, fully online path to an advanced degree. Candidates concentrate in Elementary Education, Middle Grades Education, or Special Education, and the asynchronous format lets them study on their own schedule without set meeting times. At 33 credit hours, the program can be finished in as little as 13 months, and it waives the GRE and GMAT, lowering the barriers for busy educators returning to graduate study. Admission opens only in the Summer semester, which points to a structured, cohort-like intake rather than rolling enrollment. Applicants must already hold or be eligible for a professional teaching certificate, confirming the degree serves practicing teachers advancing their credentials. It is a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods at the master's level, based 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 153 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
9. 9

   Southern New Hampshire University

   Manchester, NHPrivate nonprofitOnline available

   • 153Master's/yr
   • $72,410State teacher pay
   • Master of Education (MEd) in Curriculum and Instruction
   • New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)-accredited
   • Online
   About the program

   Southern New Hampshire University offers a fully online Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction, a 36-credit program structured in accelerated 10-week terms for educators who want to deepen expertise without stepping away from work. Rather than leading to licensure, the degree is meant to broaden and refine practice, and candidates choose from concentrations in dyslexia and language-based learning disabilities, educational leadership, online teaching, reading, special education, and technology, or a general track with no concentration. The dyslexia focus was built in partnership with the Landmark School, lending specialized weight to that path. Study closes with a capstone project and a professional portfolio that lets candidates showcase applied work. The program accepts up to twelve transfer credits and advises prospective students to check their state licensure board, since it does not itself confer a teaching credential. As a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods, it adds to the master's-level teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods options in New Hampshire.

   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 153 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into New Hampshire statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $72,410, roughly $69,515 once local cost of living is factored in, a real-world read on what the credential is worth in that market.

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

   School site
10. 10

    University of North Carolina at Pembroke

    Pembroke, NCPublicOnline available

    • 141Master's/yr
    • $54,930State teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching
    • CAEP; NC State Board of Education approved-accredited
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University of North Carolina at Pembroke offers a Master of Arts in Teaching that functions as a licensure pathway, giving new and aspiring teachers a route into North Carolina classrooms across fourteen tracks. The span of options is notably broad, reaching from Art, Birth to Kindergarten, and Health and Physical Education to Elementary, English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Spanish, and Special Education. A residency licensure option lets candidates begin teaching while they complete the degree, a design that fits career entrants who need to be in the room and earning as they qualify. The minimum 30-credit program waives the GRE and GMAT and requires an edTPA portfolio as evidence of teaching readiness. Delivered primarily online with some hybrid components and accredited by CAEP, it leads to North Carolina teaching licensure. As a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods, it adds to the master's-level teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods options in North Carolina.

    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 141 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into North Carolina statewide, where elementary teachers earn a median $54,930, roughly $58,234 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 North Carolina at Charlotte

    Charlotte, NCPublicOnline available

    • 125Master's/yr
    • $58,680Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Reading Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University of North Carolina at Charlotte offers an online Master of Education in Reading Education that leads to a Master's-level 'M' license in K-12 reading in North Carolina. The 33-credit cohort program runs across five semesters, roughly two years, and requires an Initial License in any teaching field, so it reads as an advanced literacy specialization for teachers already in the profession. Its curriculum meets International Literacy Association standards and folds LETRS training credit into three courses, pairing that structured literacy grounding with embedded clinical field experiences. An Early Entry option lets undergraduates earn up to 15 credits toward the M.Ed. through a Reading Education minor, smoothing the path from bachelor's study into the master's. The cohort format and clinical fieldwork mark it as a hands-on route for teachers becoming reading specialists. This program offers a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods in North Carolina.

    Why it ranks here

    For a graduate program we set aside undergraduate figures and weigh three things instead: how established it is, the local market its graduates enter, and the institution's standing. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 125 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC, where elementary teachers earn a median $58,680, roughly $60,279 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
12. 12

    Georgia Southern University

    Statesboro, GAPublicOnline available

    • 113Master's/yr
    • $72,290State teacher pay
    • Master of Education in Secondary Education
    • Online
    About the program

    Georgia Southern University offers a Master of Education in Secondary Education, a fully online, 36-credit degree for certified teachers looking to advance within their content area. Candidates align the program with the subject they already teach, choosing from concentrations that span biology, chemistry, physics, broad field science, English, mathematics, economics, geography, history, and political science. The four-to-six-semester timeline and online format accommodate teachers balancing coursework against a full schedule, while optional endorsements in ESOL, Reading, and Online Teaching and Learning let them broaden their reach. A certificate in Curriculum and Pedagogy for Social Justice offers a further avenue for candidates drawn to equity-focused practice. Approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, the program leads to a Georgia Level 5 certificate upgrade for eligible Level 4 teachers. It is a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods at the master's level, based 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 113 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
13. 13

    California State University-Sacramento

    Sacramento, CAPublic

    • 111Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Education (Curriculum and Instruction)
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    California State University, Sacramento offers a Master of Arts in Education with a concentration in Curriculum and Instruction built for educators who already have classroom footing, since admission requires two years of teaching experience or its functional equivalent. Students move through the program together as a cohort, with a traditional on-campus group that admits each fall and an online cohort through the College of Continuing Education that opens in fall and spring. Rather than preparing new teachers, the degree does not confer a credential and instead deepens practice through elective focus areas such as Educational Technology, Mathematics Education, Language and Literacy, Multicultural Education, and Gender Equity. The work culminates in an action-research capstone documented in an ePortfolio, with a master's thesis option available by prior approval. The hybrid delivery and shared cohort structure read as a program for working teachers refining their instructional expertise rather than entering the field. As a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods, it adds to the master's-level teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods options in California.

    Why it ranks here

    A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 111 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

    School site
14. 14

    University of Massachusetts-Boston

    Boston, MAPublic

    • 100Master's/yr
    • Elementary Education Master of Education (MEd)
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University of Massachusetts Boston offers an Elementary Education Master of Education leading to Massachusetts initial licensure for grades 1 through 6, with a strong orientation toward urban, diverse, and inclusive classrooms. The 36-credit sequence centers on a substantial 6-credit supervised practicum, combining 75 pre-practicum hours with 300 practicum hours in partner schools, which signals a program that treats sustained field experience as the core of teacher preparation. Prospective teachers can follow an initial licensure track at a part-time pace over two to three years or choose Teach Next Year, a 12-month intensive, cohort-based pathway that admits only in summer. Candidates must pass the required MTEL examinations before entering the practicum. Between its two pacing options, the program accommodates both career-changers seeking an immersive year and working students building toward licensure gradually. It is a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods at the master's level, based in Massachusetts.

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

    School site
15. 15

    Southern Arkansas University Main Campus

    Magnolia, ARPublicOnline available

    • 99Master's/yr
    • Master of Education, Instructional Facilitator / LEAD Teacher
    About the program

    Southern Arkansas University offers a Master of Education in Instructional Facilitator and LEAD Teacher preparation, a 30-credit program that runs roughly two years and is built for licensed teachers moving into instructional coaching and teacher-leader roles. Housed in the College of Education and Human Performance, it sits alongside a broad slate of M.Ed. tracks including higher and adult education, educational leadership, college and school counseling, special education, and library media, giving students a wider graduate ecosystem to draw on. Its focus on the instructional facilitator and LEAD teacher designations marks it as a degree for experienced educators ready to support and guide their colleagues. The two-year pacing suits teachers advancing steadily while remaining in their schools. This program offers a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods in Arkansas.

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

    School site
16. 16

    Arkansas State University

    Jonesboro, ARPublicOnline available

    • 80Master's/yr
    • Master of Science in Education in Educational Theory and Practice
    • CAEP-accredited
    • Online
    About the program

    Arkansas State University offers an online Master of Science in Education in Educational Theory and Practice that requires a valid, active teaching certificate for admission, making it squarely a professional advancement degree for teachers already in the field. Rather than granting initial licensure, the CAEP-accredited program deepens practice through an application-based curriculum, with coursework aligned to preparation for National Board of Professional Teaching Standards certification. Students choose between a general Educational Theory and Practice track and an Adult Education track, tailoring the degree toward K-12 classrooms or adult and community settings. At 30 credit hours and completable in as few as 18 months, it is designed to move working teachers efficiently toward their goals. Multiple start dates and no entrance exam lower the barriers to enrolling, reinforcing its orientation toward busy practicing educators. As a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods, it adds to the master's-level teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods options in Arkansas.

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

    School site
17. 17

    Viterbo University

    La Crosse, WIPrivate nonprofit

    • 77Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Education
    • Online
    About the program

    Viterbo University offers an online Master of Arts in Education (M.A.) that splits into a flexible generalist path and a leadership path leading to Iowa licensure. Candidates can design a Create-Your-Own emphasis as a 30-credit non-licensure degree, or pursue the 36-credit PK-12 Principal and Supervisor of Special Education track that combines the master's with principal licensure meeting Iowa Department of Education standards. The program runs across two years and six semesters, with an internship each semester under an approved mentor, a rhythm that reads as built for working educators stepping toward administrative roles. A servant-leadership and social-justice thread runs through the curriculum, framing school leadership as service rather than management. That dual structure lets the degree serve both classroom teachers seeking growth and those aiming for the principal's office. As a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods, it adds to the master's-level teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods options in Wisconsin.

    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.

    School site
18. 18

    University of Massachusetts-Amherst

    Amherst, MAPublic

    • 69Master's/yr
    • Elementary Teacher Education M.Ed. (Collaborative Teacher Education Pathway)
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University of Massachusetts Amherst offers an Elementary Teacher Education M.Ed. through its Collaborative Teacher Education Pathway, an on-campus program leading to Massachusetts elementary teacher licensure. The design leans on partnership and momentum, and it is especially attractive to UMass Amherst undergraduates through a 4+1 accelerated option that lets seniors apply up to nine credits toward the master's before they graduate. That head start shortens the path to both licensure and the degree, making the program read as a natural extension for students who decide during college to enter teaching. Coursework is state-approved for licensure valid in Massachusetts. The result is a streamlined route from bachelor's study into a certified elementary teaching career. It is a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods at the master's level, based in Massachusetts.

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

    School site
19. 19

    University of Central Arkansas

    Conway, ARPublicOnline available

    • 67Master's/yr
    • Master of Science in Education, Advanced Studies in Teacher Leadership
    • Online
    About the program

    The University of Central Arkansas offers an online Master of Science in Education in Advanced Studies in Teacher Leadership, a 30-credit-hour program built for working teachers who want to grow into change-leader roles without stepping away from their classrooms. The online delivery and career-friendly design signal a program that expects students to keep teaching while they study, expanding their core competencies over time. Its focus on teacher leadership positions graduates to influence colleagues, curriculum, and school improvement rather than to move into formal administration. The overall shape is that of a professional development degree, aimed at experienced educators ready to broaden their impact from within the profession. As a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods, it adds to the master's-level teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods options in Arkansas.

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

    School site
20. 20

    Carson-Newman University

    Jefferson City, TNPrivate nonprofit

    • 67Master's/yr
    • Master of Education
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    Carson-Newman University offers a Master of Education available fully online or in hybrid and face-to-face formats at multiple Tennessee locations, with accreditation held through CAEP and SACSCOC. Its six emphases, Curriculum and Instruction, Coaching, Reading Specialist, Special Education, Teaching ESL, and Educational Leadership, span both classroom specialization and school leadership. Depending on the track chosen, the degree leads to Tennessee licensure or endorsements, including K-12 Special Education Comprehensive, interventionist endorsements, P-12 ESL, and the P-12 Instructional Leader credential. The 36-credit program moves in half-semester units, with one course every seven weeks, allowing completion in eighteen to twenty-four months. With total cost kept under twenty thousand dollars, it presents itself as an accessible, credential-focused option for working Tennessee educators. As a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods, it adds to the master's-level teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods options in Tennessee.

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

    School site
21. 21

    Fayetteville State University

    Fayetteville, NCPublicHBCUOnline available

    • 66Master's/yr
    • Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Secondary Education
    • On-campus
    About the program

    Fayetteville State University offers a Master of Education in Secondary Education designed for college graduates whose undergraduate degrees lie outside education but who want to move into high school teaching. The on-campus program leads to North Carolina initial or advanced teaching licensure for grades 9 through 12, with specialty areas in Biology, Mathematics, and Comprehensive Science. Its emphasis on research-based instructional practices for diverse learners reflects a focus on preparing career-changers to teach effectively in real secondary classrooms. Housed in a CAEP-accredited College of Education and approved by the North Carolina State Department of Public Instruction, the degree offers a recognized route into the profession. It suits working professionals ready to translate content expertise into a licensed teaching career. This program offers a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods in North Carolina.

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

    School site
22. 22

    Lander University

    Greenwood, SCPublicOnline available

    • 65Master's/yr
    • Master of Education in Teaching and Learning
    • Online
    About the program

    Lander University offers a Master of Education in Teaching and Learning, an online degree accredited through CAEP by way of the university's College of Education. The program lets teachers specialize in one of three areas, Diverse Learners, Instructional Technology, or Montessori Education, each pointing toward a distinct professional direction. The Montessori concentration is the most distinctive, leading to American Montessori Society certification at the early childhood, elementary 1-3, or elementary 4-6 levels. Candidates who already hold a MACTE-accredited Montessori credential are awarded twelve Montessori-specific credit hours, a recognition that rewards prior specialized training and shortens the path to the degree. Taken together, the program reads as a flexible, endorsement-oriented option for licensed educators building depth in a chosen niche. This program offers a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods in South Carolina.

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

    School site
23. 23

    North Carolina State University at Raleigh

    Raleigh, NCPublicOnline available

    • 64Master's/yr
    • $60,170Metro teacher pay
    • Master of Arts in Teaching
    • CAEP; NC Department of Public Instruction approved-accredited
    • On-campus
    About the program

    North Carolina State University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching designed to move candidates into a licensed classroom quickly rather than to layer credentials onto an existing career. The accelerated 30-credit-hour program spreads across 14 concentrations, so a prospective teacher can specialize by content area or grade band, from Elementary Education and the four middle-grades tracks to Special Education, K-12 Reading, and Multilingual Education. A required student teaching placement of at least ten consecutive full-time weeks anchors the coursework in real practice, and the program deliberately drops entrance exams and interviews to widen the door. Delivery is flexible, with on-campus, hybrid, and fully online paths available. Accredited by CAEP and approved by the NC Department of Public Instruction, it leads to initial North Carolina licensure in the chosen content area. As a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods, it adds to the master's-level teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods options in North Carolina.

    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 64 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort. Its graduates step into Raleigh-Cary, NC, where elementary teachers earn a median $60,170, roughly $61,300 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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    University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth

    North Dartmouth, MAPublic

    • 62Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Teaching - Initial Licensure, ESL Concentration
    • On-campus
    About the program

    The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth offers a Master of Arts in Teaching with an Initial Licensure, ESL Concentration, a 30-credit on-campus program preparing teachers to serve multilingual learners. Candidates can pursue licensure at the PreK-6 or 5-12 grade band, and the curriculum concentrates on language-acquisition theory and its classroom application, reflecting a specialization built around the needs of English learners. The program welcomes both pre-service candidates entering without a license and in-service educators who already hold a Massachusetts Provisional License, making it a flexible entry point for newcomers and practicing teachers alike. Completion leads to an initial Massachusetts ESL teaching license. The dual audience and focused ESL emphasis position the degree as a targeted route into a high-need teaching field. This program offers a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods in Massachusetts.

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

    School site
25. 25

    Pepperdine University

    Malibu, CAPrivate nonprofit

    • 53Master's/yr
    • Master of Arts in Teaching
    • Hybrid
    About the program

    Pepperdine University offers a Master of Arts in Teaching structured as an eleven-month cohort of thirty units, an intensive timeline that carries candidates from enrollment to a preliminary California teaching credential in a single year. Graduates earn either a multiple-subject or single-subject credential alongside the degree, with the program approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing and the institution accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission. An average class size of fourteen keeps instruction close and personal, and access to more than two hundred student-teaching placement sites gives candidates a wide field for supervised practice. The program requires no GRE, lowering a common barrier to entry. Its compressed cohort model and heavy placement network read as a program built to move new teachers into licensed classrooms quickly and with strong clinical support. This program offers a master's degree in teacher education and professional development, specific levels and methods in California.

    Why it ranks here

    A master's degree earns its rank on program-appropriate signals, not undergraduate ones: established scale, local teacher pay, and institutional strength. On the first, it is clearly established, turning out 53 master's degrees a year, a steady if smaller cohort.

    School site

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