Online Master’s in Educational Administration Programs

Educational administrators help plan and manage school systems. Administrator tasks may include providing leadership, promoting a safe environment for students, and managing human resources.

An online master’s in educational administration prepares students for relevant roles by teaching trends in education, practical issues, and theories.

You can choose programs that specialize in K-12 or postsecondary positions. Programs may offer a pathway to achieving state licensure.

Continue on to learn more about popular online master’s programs, available licenses, and career paths.

We chose to highlight the following schools based on several factors, including top position in organic or paid search results (as of October 2023), relevancy of program offerings, and categorization as a nonprofit. These programs are listed alphabetically by school and not weighed against each other in our methodology.

Master’s in educational administration programs teach leadership theory, relevant laws, and practical issues to help you pursue administrative roles. Institutions can award different types of degrees for this field, including:

The education coursework across these degree types tends to be largely the same, though some programs may have nuanced differences.

For example, an MA program may focus on the theoretical problems and solutions of educational administration, whereas an MS program may focus on the technical understanding of the subject.

Online master’s in educational administration can take 12-24 months for full-time students and approximately two years for part-time students. Programs usually include 30-36 credits, which may include core, elective, and fieldwork credits. You may have the option to earn a dual degree or specialized concentration within a similar timeframe.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the average annual tuition and fees for an online master’s degree in education is $8,155. In contrast, the average annual tuition for graduate degrees across all subjects was $20,513 in the 2021-2022 school year.

Master’s in educational administration online programs may offer separate paths for licensure and non-licensure. Licensure track programs attempt to meet state requirements for licensure, which may include specific classes or fieldwork.

Many programs recommend you contact local licensure boards before signing up for a program, to ensure that program meets specific state’s licensure requirements. You may need official testing before obtaining licensure, but not to graduate the program.

Before applying to any online master’s program, you should always confirm that the institution is accredited, which demonstrates that it meets a certain standard of education.

Institutional accreditation is required if you plan on receiving federal financial aid. You may be unable to transfer credits or pursue further graduate studies if you earned your master’s degree from an unaccredited college or university.

Programmatic accreditation differs from institutional accreditation in that it extends only to a specific program or department within an institution. For education-related programs, this type of accreditation serves as an additional marker of high quality, though it is not necessarily a requirement.

The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP) are the main programmatic accreditors for master’s in educational administration online programs.

Since your skills will be most appropriate for working with students and faculty, you can pursue various administrative roles at the K-12 or postsecondary level, including assistant principal, principal, director of admissions, and dean.

But it’s a broad enough degree that can also apply to other fields. Education administrators can work in human resources, facilities management, and even public relations — all of which could benefit from your degree’s experience and knowledge.

Note that some career paths, such as those in the K-12 public school system, may require teaching experience and a state-issued license to practice.

If you have a passion for education and wish to pursue an administrative role in the field, an online master’s in educational administration program may be worth the time and effort.

Specific administrative or leadership roles, such as school principal, may require a master’s degree. This degree can also open doors to other potentially lucrative education careers, such as school district superintendent, and serve as a stepping stone into a doctoral program in education.

You can also use the program to meet state licensure requirements. If you plan on obtaining licensure in your state, a master’s degree can offer a fixed curriculum and help you meet your goal.

Page last reviewed October 17, 2023. The programs highlighted on this page were preselected by the BestColleges Team. The review of this content by Samantha Fecich, Ph.D., does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation of the aforementioned programs.