10 Most Affordable Master’s in Educational Leadership Online 2021

Labeled a "College of Distinction," Wayne State College is a public, civic-oriented master's teaching school that's produced alumni like Brian Wansink and Hilda Neihardt since its 1910 inception. Charging 3,571 Wildcats our list's cheapest in-state price of $3,600, WSC stretches beyond its 128 rural acres in Northeast Nebraska with online learning on Sakai. According to Niche, Wayne State has America's 159th best professors and 191st most liberal curriculum. Washington Monthly named WSC the 19th best buck while College Factual ranked its education programs 92nd for value added.

Graduating one in 10 Nebraska teachers, the CAEP-accredited School of Education and Counseling is headed by Dr. Nicholas Shudak with an Online Master of Science in Education – Instructional Leadership available. The 36-credit, thesis-optional degree suits PreK-12 teachers seeking senior authorities over curriculum design. Core courses like instructional theory are specialized in 13 emphasis areas, such as Mathematics Education, Reading Specialist, Exercise Science, and Music Education. Aspiring leaders must enter the community-based cohorts with cumulative GPAs above 2.75 and teaching endorsements.

Following the motto "Per Scientam ad Excellentiam," Midwestern State University is Texas' sole public, nonsectarian COPLAC liberal arts school that was called Hardin College until January 1950. Sitting upon a 225-acre, red-brick campus in Wichita Falls near Sheppard Air Force Base, MWSU offers online study on Desire2Learn for 6,080 Mustangs in 17 programs. In Washington Monthly, Midwestern State was lauded for producing the 149th most alumni with PhDs nationally. The U.S. News and World Report ranked MWSU as the West's 91st best university and 35th top public institution.

Featuring a below-average cohort default rate of 6.9 percent, the Gordon T. and Ellen West College of Education awards the M.Ed. in Educational Leadership Online with an optional Bilingual Education/ELL track. Organized by Dr. Kym Acuna, the 36-credit curriculum provides Texas Principal Certification with in-depth school business skills. Live online courses utilize video conferencing for teachers with 2+ years of experience to discuss personnel management, finance, curriculum assessment, and more. Before the TExES exam, educators tackle 12-week internships and impactful capstone projects.

Admitting its first "Pioneer Freshmen" in Fall 1991, the University of Texas of the Permian Basin is a public, Hispanic-majority research institute affiliated with the Center for Energy and Economic Diversification. Booming 15 percent growth has led to a record-high 6,050 Falcons learning at the 644-acre Midland-Odessa Metro campus and online via Canvas. Niche distinguished Permian Basin for America's 31st best online programs. UTPB was ranked the 105th top value college by The Economist with the 45th highest graduation rate in Washington Monthly.

Placed #6 for student services by the U.S. News and World Report, the CAEP-accredited College of Education has six start dates for the Online Master of Arts in Educational Leadership. Aligned to the Texas State Board for Educator Certification, the 36-credit degree directed by Dr. Ann Marie Smith takes just 12 months for mastering organizational behavior theories. Engaged, eight-week courses like school human resources, conflict resolution, and cultural proficiency lead to semester-long practicum in students' home districts. The 16-credit University of Texas Online Program for Superintendency (UTOPS) could be added too.

Serving 5,237 Savage Storm, 22 percent of whom are Native American, Southeastern Oklahoma State University is a public, regional master's branch designated by the Oklahoma State Regents Board in 1968. With a 19:1 student-faculty ratio, SOSU maintains courses in Durant, Idabel, Ardmore, McAlester, Tinker Air Force Base, and online on Blackboard. Washington Monthly selected Southeastern Oklahoma for America's 123rd best financial aid. SOSU is also congratulated for the 123rd most focused teacher education on College Factual and ninth highest Oklahoma ROI by PayScale.

Given the Kappa Delta Pi Achieving Chapter Excellence Award, the CAEP-accredited School of Education & Behavioral Sciences has a Master of Education in Educational Leadership Online taught by faculty with 20+ years of experience. Directed by Dr. Stewart Mayers from Morrison Hall, the 30-credit, 12-month curriculum forgoes internships for a coursework-only academic track. Modules start six times annually for post-grads with minimum 2.75 GPAs to study topics like operations management, school law, and community relations. There's also an Online M.S. in Sports Administration – Educational Leadership.

Reaccredited by the DETC in 2013, the Taft University System is a private, for-profit multi-campus academic institution established for CPAs in 1976 and named for the 27th President of the United States, William Howard Taft. Attracting 922 post-grads for 100 percent admission on $75 applications, Taft is headquartered on the Rocky Mountains' Front Range with online study via Blackboard Collaborate. Declared a GetEducated "Best Buy," the Taft University System was ranked 14th by College Values Online. College Factual also recognized Taft for America's eighth highest male-female diversity.

Providing the 40 percent Tuition Opportunity Grant, the Boyer Graduate School of Education advances teachers with the Online Master of Education (M.Ed.), Leadership Emphasis. Chaired by Dr. Barry Resnick from Brigham Young, the 34-unit program spans three 16-week semesters full-time to enhance administrative techniques. Boasting 1:1 faculty interaction, the master's emphasizes Montessori education in courses from school diversity to instructional evaluation. Self-paced students begin the 15th of any month year-round and progress toward the culminating research project.

Approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, North American University is the Lone Star State's youngest private, nonprofit vocational college established in April 2007 as the Gulf Institute. Occupying a nine-story headquarters on Airport Blvd. just 19 miles from Downtown Houston, NAU instructs 800 adults from 50+ countries online using Moodle. North American is declared America's 71st most focused education school on College Factual. Known for winning the 2013 ICPC South Central Regional Contest, NAU landed among Victory Media's "Military Friendly" schools.

Coordinated by Dr. Halil Tas, the ACICS-accredited Education Department has an average cohort size of 14 for completing the Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Educational Leadership Online. Certified teachers with 2+ years of classroom experience take three courses per term to finish the 36-credit, non-thesis degree within 18 months. Courses span from campus business to school public relations with 135 internship hours in students' own communities. Post-bachelor's applicants submitting the $60 application need two recommendations, curriculum vitae, and letters of intent.

Linked to 36,858 LinkedIn alumni, including Dave Wallace and Kellie Suttle, Arkansas State University is a flagship public, research-intensive master's institution founded by Missionary Baptists in 1909. Endowed for $54.9 million, A-State educates 14,085 Wolves with a median GPA of 3.48 from its 145-building Jonesboro Metro campus and online on Blackboard. The U.S. News and World Report applauded Arkansas State for the 180th best online teacher preparation. ASU also has America's 34th most research expenditures in Washington Monthly and 222nd highest starting salary on PayScale.

Employing the 2017 A-State Excellence in Diversity Award recipient, the College of Education & Behavioral Sciences created the Online Master of Science in Education in Educational Leadership. Authorized in 47 states except Georgia, Illinois, and Iowa, the 36-credit, CAEP-accredited program develops the dispositions for school management. Headed by Dr. Mary Jane Bradley of Dixie Public Schools, the curriculum requires LiveText for seven-week courses like community relations and resource allocation with a capstone internship. There's also an Online Ed.S. in Educational Leadership for Superintendency.

Approaching its 130th year, Henderson State University is a public, civic-oriented liberal arts COPLAC member of the Great American Conference that's named for Arkansas entrepreneur Charles Christopher Henderson. Enrolling 3,981 Reddies, HSU makes a "School with Heart" accessible at a 151-acre Clark County campus and online with Blackboard Learn. Henderson State is declared America's 97th best teachers' value on College Factual. HSU also boasts the 94th most community service in Washington Monthly with a "B" from the American Council of Trustees and Alumni.

Aligned to the Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC), the Teachers College immerses Henderson post-grads into the Master of Science in Education Leadership Online program for 18 months full-time. The 30-credit, CAEP-accredited curriculum has licensure tracks for Building-Level Leadership, Curriculum Leadership, Educational Technology Leadership, or District-Level Leadership. Chaired by Dr. Kenneth Taylor, the synchronous online degree develops educators' ePortfolios with courses like school governance, at least 217 internship hours, and the action research project.

Awarding $17.6 million in annual financial aid, the University of Arkansas-Monticello is an affordable public, close-knit master's liberal arts institution opened in 1910. Headquartered on a 1,600-acre, 80-building Tree Campus USA winner in the Timberlands, UAM maintains the 15:1 student-faculty ratio for training 3,925 on-site or online via Blackboard. Arkansas-Monticello is recognized for the 38th highest graduation rate in Washington Monthly. UAM also features America's 418th best faculty on Niche and 679th most popular education programs on College Factual.

Partnered with Drew Central School District, the UAM School of Education in Willard Hall has experienced a 34 percent enrollment increase since 2014 in six graduate programs, including the Online Master of Educational Leadership. Led by Dr. Denise Baldwin, the 11-course, CAEP-accredited curriculum produces rural teacher leaders with a 100 percent Praxis pass rate. Open for admission until July 21st yearly, the online M.Ed. spans topics from school improvement to instruction supervision before the 200-hour internship and capstone seminar.

Named for the Texas Revolution leader and empresario in 1921, Stephen F. Austin State University is a public, independent teacher's college endowed for $74.3 million. SFA extends beyond its 406-acre Greater Houston campus to offer 12,954 Lumberjacks online education on Desire2Learn. Granted its fourth Southland Conference Commissioner's Cup in 2016, Stephen F. Austin State has the 224th best online graduate programs according to the U.S. News and World Report. SFA also landed as America's 244th best master's institution in Washington Monthly and 203rd top public school on Niche.

Reporting a 90 percent TExES pass rate, the CAEP-accredited James I. Perkins College of Education launched the Master of Education in Educational Leadership Online. Directed by Dr. Barbara Qualls, the 30-credit, scholar-practitioner program integrates principal certification into empirical-based leadership development. Virtual courses like school law and instructional design have 160 total practicum hours before the capstone. Certified teachers with minimum 2.5 GPAs can submit the $50 ApplyTexas application until August 15th or December 15th annually.