Best Online Master’s in Early Childhood Education Programs of 2025

Early childhood education plays an important role in the growth and development of young children, establishing the foundation for socialization, academic success, independence, healthy living, and community engagement.

Pursuing an online master’s in early childhood education can enhance your teaching career and qualify you for leadership or administrative positions within the education sector.

Many schools offer flexible online options to earn your master’s degree in early childhood education. We ranked the best online early childhood education programs based on factors like selectivity, graduation rate, and program cost.

Source: BestColleges

There are several factors to consider when evaluating an online early childhood education program, including cost, program length, and the specific role you want to pursue.

In 2020, the average tuition and fees for an online master’s degree in early childhood education was just over $7,700. For on-campus students, the price increased to $12,600.

Factoring in grants and scholarships, however, the average net price for an online master’s degree in early childhood education was just over $6,000 in 2020, while on-campus students paid around $10,300.

There are several options you can explore to help lower the cost of an early childhood education degree, including the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), loans, grants, work-study programs, and scholarships.

An online master’s in early childhood education program typically requires around 30 credits and can be completed in two years of full-time study.

Accelerated online programs allow students to fast-track their degree and graduate in as little as one year. Additionally, several schools offer 4+1 programs that allow students to earn a master’s degree in early childhood education within a year of finishing their bachelor’s program.

A master’s in early childhood education can provide you with the necessary skills for various jobs in the education field, ranging from teaching positions to leadership roles.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects around 106,500 openings for kindergarten and elementary school teachers each year between 2023 and 2033, despite a slight decline in employment.

Additionally, the BLS projects 20,800 openings for school principals over the next decade. Local elementary and secondary school principals have the highest median annual salary of over $105,000, with private school principals following behind at almost $93,000.

An online master’s degree in early childhood education is worthwhile if you want to advance your career in early childhood education and potentially transition into a leadership role.

In the short term, pursuing a master’s degree takes additional time and money. If teaching is your goal, a master’s degree may not be necessary to pursue. However, if working in leadership or administrative capacities outside the classroom is your goal, you should strongly consider a master’s degree.

A master’s in early childhood education can open the door to career advancement and increase your earning potential. If you’re interested in advanced research and academic leadership, you might want to pursue a doctorate in education, which takes around three years to complete on average.

Education doctorates come in two forms: a doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) and a doctor of education (Ed.D.). A Ph.D. program emphasizes research, theory, and policy within the field and spans approximately 4-6 years. On the other hand, an Ed.D. focuses on training students for leadership roles in education, typically taking around three years to finish.