Best Online Colleges for Master's Degrees

To earn a place on the Best Online Colleges for Master's Degree Programs ranking list, an online college must meet two criteria. First, they must offer their online master's degree programs at an annual tuition rate that students can reasonably pay off within 10 years of graduation. Second, they must offer a large number of master's degree programs to students (minimum of 10).

The online schools that meet these criteria are ranked against each other based on how well they meet each standard. For more information on this ranking please see the ranking methodology. Access the ranking seal, here.

Rank College Name Location # Online Master's Programs Full Time, In-state Tuition Per Credit, In-state Tuition Full Time, Out-of-state Tuition Per Credit, Out-of-state Tuition
1
Capella University Minneapolis, MN 75 $14,526 $538 $14,526 $538
2
Walden University Minneapolis, MN 40 $12,844 $550 $12,844 $550
3
Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale, FL 38 $18,373 $1,021 $18,373 $1,021
4
University of Florida Gainesville, FL 36 $10,770 $449 $27,335 $1,139
5
North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC 35 $8,088 $379 $22,610 $1,060
6
Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ 35 $9,783 $544 $9,783 $544
7
East Carolina University Greenville, NC 34 $4,656 $291 $17,547 $1,097
8
Texas A & M University-College Station College Station, TX 34 $5,784 $258 $15,953 $681
9
National University La Jolla, CA 34 $11,232 $416 $11,232 $416
10
Kaplan University-Davenport Campus Davenport, IA 31 $9,432 $393 $9,432 $393
11
American Public University System Charles Town, WV 30 $6,300 $350 $6,300 $350
12
Kaplan University-Mason City Campus Mason City, IA 30 $9,216 $384 $9,216 $384
13
Kaplan University-Lincoln Campus Lincoln, NE 30 $9,216 $384 $9,216 $384
14
Kaplan University-Omaha Campus Omaha, NE 30 $9,216 $384 $9,216 $384
15
Kaplan University-Maine Campus S Portland, ME 29 $7,680 $320 $7,680 $320
16
Kaplan University-Augusta Campus Augusta, ME 29 $7,680 $320 $7,680 $320
17
Kaplan University-Cedar Rapids Campus Cedar Rapids, IA 29 $9,216 $384 $9,216 $384
18
Kaplan University-Hagerstown Campus Hagerstown, MD 29 $9,216 $384 $9,216 $384
19
Kaplan University-Cedar Falls Campus Cedar Falls, IA 29 $9,216 $384 $9,216 $384
20
Kaplan University-Des Moines Campus Urbandale, IA 29 $9,216 $384 $9,216 $384
21
Concordia University-Wisconsin Mequon, WI 28 $10,170 $565 $10,170 $565
22
Western Governors University Salt Lake City, UT 26 $6,500 . $6,500 .
23
Liberty University Lynchburg, VA 26 $8,051 $466 $8,051 $466
24
Webster University Saint Louis, MO 26 $12,690 $705 $12,690 $705
25
New England College Henniker, NH 26 $13,560 $565 $13,560 $565
26
Kaplan University-Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI 25 $9,216 $384 $9,216 $384
27
University of South Carolina-Columbia Columbia, SC 25 $12,398 $533 $27,008 $1,142
28
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL 25 $15,267 $593 $28,507 $1,198
29
University of Central Florida Orlando, FL 24 $6,916 $370 $25,759 $1,194
30
Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ 24 $8,956 $444 $17,781 $1,164
31
Colorado State University-Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO 24 $9,628 $535 $23,604 $1,311
32
University of Phoenix-Arizona Tempe, AZ 24 $16,581 . $16,581 .
33
Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX 23 $5,400 $300 $12,744 $708
34
Saint Leo University Saint Leo, FL 23 $9,630 $535 $9,630 $535
35
Indiana Wesleyan University-National and Global Marion, IN 23 $10,218 $523 $10,218 $523
36
Dallas Baptist University Dallas, TX 23 $15,408 $856 $15,408 $856
37
Missouri State University-Springfield Springfield, MO 22 $4,644 $258 $9,324 $518
38
Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX 22 $5,139 $286 $12,483 $694
39
Kaplan University-Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN 22 $9,216 $384 $9,216 $384
40
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus Cincinnati, OH 22 $12,790 $640 $24,532 $1,227
41
Concordia University-Chicago River Forest, IL 22 $14,328 $597 $14,328 $597
42
University of the Cumberlands Williamsburg, KY 21 $5,670 $315 $5,670 $315
43
Wilmington University New Castle, DE 21 $8,190 $455 $8,190 $455
44
University of Maryland-University College Adelphi, MD 21 $8,244 $458 $11,862 $659
45
University of South Florida-Main Campus Tampa, FL 21 $8,350 $431 $19,048 $877
46
Kansas State University Manhattan, KS 21 $9,670 $403 $21,828 $910
47
Bellevue University Bellevue, NE 21 $9,810 $545 $9,810 $545
48
Western Kentucky University Bowling Green, KY 21 $11,400 $570 $16,320 $816
49
Mercy College Dobbs Ferry, NY 21 $15,156 $842 $15,156 $842
50
Auburn University Auburn, AL 20 $9,072 $504 $27,216 $1,512
51
Tiffin University Tiffin, OH 20 $12,600 $700 $12,600 $700
52
Indiana State University Terre Haute, IN 19 $7,128 $396 $13,986 $777
53
Concordia University-Saint Paul Saint Paul, MN 19 $8,550 $420 $8,550 $420
54
University of the Southwest Hobbs, NM 19 $14,376 $599 $14,376 $599
55
Emporia State University Emporia, KS 18 $5,922 $247 $18,414 $767
56
Iowa State University Ames, IA 18 $8,474 $471 $21,786 $1,211
57
Rutgers University-New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ 18 $16,536 $689 $28,128 $1,172
58
Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GA 17 $4,734 $263 $17,118 $951
59
Oklahoma State University-Main Campus Stillwater, OK 17 $5,033 $210 $19,801 $825
60
University of Louisiana at Monroe Monroe, LA 17 $6,490 $479 $18,590 $479
61
University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS 17 $7,549 $420 $16,419 $913
62
Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, IN 17 $9,208 $348 $28,010 $948
63
Xavier University Cincinnati, OH 17 $10,908 $606 $10,908 $606
64
Brenau University Gainesville, GA 17 $11,736 $652 $11,736 $652
65
Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI 17 $12,232 $548 $18,216 $819
66
Lesley University Cambridge, MA 17 $17,550 $975 $17,550 $975
67
American College of Education Indianapolis, IN 16 $5,500 . $5,500 .
68
Northwestern State University of Louisiana Natchitoches, LA 16 $5,738 $412 $16,526 $862
69
Arizona State University-Skysong Scottsdale, AZ 16 $6,024 $502 $6,024 $502
70
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus Denver, CO 16 $6,714 $373 $22,374 $1,243
71
Troy University Troy, AL 16 $7,146 $397 $14,292 $794
72
Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, MO 16 $9,566 $399 $27,312 $1,138
73
University of Phoenix-California Costa Mesa, CA 16 $16,067 . $16,067 .
74
Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia, PA 16 $16,092 $894 $16,092 $894
75
Villanova University Villanova, PA 16 $17,917 $943 $17,917 $943
76
The University of Texas at Tyler Tyler, TX 15 $4,896 $375 $12,294 $786
77
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, TX 15 $5,439 $411 $12,783 $819
78
Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA 15 $6,636 $277 $26,518 $1,105
79
University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR 15 $7,379 $410 $18,842 $1,047
80
Ball State University Muncie, IN 15 $8,386 $466 $20,698 $1,150
81
University of Georgia Athens, GA 15 $8,492 $354 $24,090 $1,004
82
Eastern Kentucky University Richmond, KY 15 $9,450 $525 $15,390 $855
83
Regis University Denver, CO 15 $11,250 $625 $11,250 $625
84
Michigan State University East Lansing, MI 15 $16,764 $699 $32,940 $1,373
85
Arkansas State University-Main Campus Jonesboro, AR 14 $4,626 $257 $9,252 $514
86
University of Nebraska at Kearney Kearney, NE 14 $5,418 $223 $11,886 $495
87
Lamar University Beaumont, TX 14 $6,048 $336 $13,392 $744
88
University of Central Missouri Warrensburg, MO 14 $6,683 $308 $13,366 $586
89
Aspen University Denver, CO 14 $6,975 $388 $6,975 $388
90
University of Memphis Memphis, TN 14 $8,820 $490 $17,604 $488
91
Florida International University Miami, FL 14 $8,912 $446 $21,393 $992
92
Florida State University Tallahassee, FL 14 $9,684 $482 $24,116 $1,114
93
Concordia University-Nebraska Seward, NE 14 $9,919 $557 $9,919 $557
94
Southwestern Assemblies of God University Waxahachie, TX 14 $10,350 $575 $10,350 $575
95
The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL 14 $10,470 $622 $26,950 $1,410
96
University of Arizona Tucson, AZ 14 $11,372 $812 $31,124 $1,729
97
Harding University Searcy, AR 14 $15,678 $734 $15,678 $734
98
University of Phoenix-Florida Orlando, FL 14 $17,234 . $17,234 .
99
Golden Gate University-San Francisco San Francisco, CA 14 $17,550 $975 $17,550 $975
100
New Mexico State University-Main Campus Las Cruces, NM 13 $4,088 $227 $14,254 $792
101
University of North Texas Denton, TX 13 $5,450 $399 $12,794 $807
102
The University of West Florida Pensacola, FL 13 $7,088 $378 $22,166 $1,037
103
University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND 13 $7,185 $299 $19,184 $799
104
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide Daytona Beach, FL 13 $7,440 $620 $7,440 $620
105
South Dakota State University Brookings, SD 13 $7,516 $347 $14,449 $636
106
Mississippi State University Mississippi State, MS 13 $7,780 $426 $20,900 $1,155
107
Clemson University Clemson, SC 13 $8,826 $612 $18,424 $1,223
108
Jacksonville State University Jacksonville, AL 13 $8,904 $371 $17,808 $742
109
Wayland Baptist University Plainview, TX 13 $10,620 $540 $10,620 $540
110
Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY 13 $10,870 $453 $22,210 $925
111
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Knoxville, TN 13 $11,044 $615 $29,232 $1,626
112
Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs Colorado Springs, CO 13 $12,139 $490 $12,139 $490
113
Oregon State University Corvallis, OR 13 $12,150 $450 $21,799 $807
114
South University�Savannah Online Savannah, GA 13 $13,488 $500 $13,488 $500
115
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN 13 $16,240 $1,353 $25,120 $2,093
116
Fort Hays State University Hays, KS 12 $3,398 $225 $9,676 $574
117
Angelo State University San Angelo, TX 12 $3,783 $210 $11,128 $618
118
Grantham University Lenexa, KS 12 $3,900 $325 $3,900 $325
119
University of Houston-Victoria Victoria, TX 12 $5,798 $402 $13,142 $810
120
The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, TX 12 $7,141 $401 $15,638 $893
121
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus Bowling Green, OH 12 $7,632 $424 $13,284 $738
122
Gardner-Webb University Boiling Springs, NC 12 $7,722 $429 $7,722 $429
123
University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA 12 $8,592 $478 $19,066 $1,059
124
Old Dominion University Norfolk, VA 12 $8,736 $478 $25,548 $1,195
125
Virginia International University Fairfax, VA 12 $9,144 $508 $13,068 $726
126
Southwestern College Winfield, KS 12 $10,085 $560 $10,085 $560
127
University of Phoenix-Utah Salt Lake City, UT 12 $13,243 . $13,243 .
128
City University of Seattle Seattle, WA 12 $13,914 $580 $13,914 $580
129
University of Phoenix-Colorado Lone Tree, CO 12 $15,989 . $15,989 .
130
Florida Institute of Technology-Online Melbourne, FL 12 $16,128 $896 $16,128 $896
131
University of Phoenix-Texas Houston, TX 12 $16,955 . $16,955 .
132
University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Norman, OK 11 $4,886 $204 $18,989 $791
133
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus Magnolia, AR 11 $5,022 $279 $7,452 $414
134
University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC 11 $5,117 $640 $18,566 $2,321
135
University of West Alabama Livingston, AL 11 $6,390 $355 $12,780 $710
136
University of Wisconsin-Stout Menomonie, WI 11 $6,878 $447 $14,573 $874
137
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln, NE 11 $7,134 $297 $20,412 $850
138
University of Missouri-Columbia Columbia, MO 11 $8,462 $353 $23,172 $966
139
University of Illinois at Springfield Springfield, IL 11 $8,624 $369 $16,640 $510
140
Northwest Nazarene University Nampa, ID 11 $8,851 $595 $8,851 $595
141
Colorado State University-Global Campus Greenwood Village, CO 11 $9,000 $500 $9,000 $500
142
Ohio University-Main Campus Athens, OH 11 $9,510 $587 $17,502 $1,083
143
Belhaven University Jackson, MS 11 $10,080 $560 $10,080 $560
144
Murray State University Murray, KY 11 $10,968 $503 $32,952 $1,419
145
Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA 11 $10,976 $610 $22,479 $1,249
146
Ashford University San Diego, CA 11 $10,989 . $10,989 .
147
California Baptist University Riverside, CA 11 $11,430 $635 $11,430 $635
148
Campbellsville University Campbellsville, KY 11 $11,904 $496 $11,904 $496
149
Stratford University Fairfax, VA 11 $13,365 $495 $13,365 $495
150
Creighton University Omaha, NE 11 $14,760 $820 $14,760 $820
151
DeVry University-Illinois Chicago, IL 11 $18,384 $766 $18,384 $766
152
The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso, TX 10 $4,497 $250 $12,326 $685
153
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Wake Forest, NC 10 $4,734 $263 $4,734 $263
154
Universidad Internacional Iberoamericana Arecibo, PR 10 $5,250 $159 $5,250 $159
155
Columbus State University Columbus, GA 10 $5,706 $317 $11,952 $664
156
Pittsburg State University Pittsburg, KS 10 $6,218 $323 $16,302 $743
157
The University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston, TX 10 $6,347 $264 $16,409 $684
158
Jackson State University Jackson, MS 10 $7,141 $397 $7,141 $973
159
University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, AL 10 $7,588 $396 $17,294 $935
160
University of Houston Houston, TX 10 $7,956 $442 $17,100 $950
161
Park University Parkville, MO 10 $8,025 $535 $8,025 $535
162
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Winona, MN 10 $8,100 $450 $8,100 $450
163
Austin Peay State University Clarksville, TN 10 $8,300 $415 $22,280 $1,114
164
Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN 10 $8,331 $347 $22,985 $958
165
Western International University Tempe, AZ 10 $8,352 . $8,352 .
166
Carson-Newman University Jefferson City, TN 10 $8,580 $477 $8,580 $477
167
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania Edinboro, PA 10 $8,694 $483 $13,050 $725
168
Mount Vernon Nazarene University Mount Vernon, OH 10 $8,964 $498 $8,964 $498
169
Union College Barbourville, KY 10 $9,600 $400 $9,600 $400
170
University of Saint Mary Leavenworth, KS 10 $10,764 $598 $10,764 $598
171
Arizona State University-Tempe Tempe, AZ 10 $10,810 $772 $23,480 $1,174
172
Brandman University Irvine, CA 10 $11,160 $620 $11,160 $620
173
Washington State University Pullman, WA 10 $11,224 $589 $24,656 $1,261
174
California University of Pennsylvania California, PA 10 $11,592 $483 $17,400 $725
175
Gwynedd Mercy University Gwynedd Valley, PA 10 $11,772 $669 $11,772 $669
176
Thomas Edison State University Trenton, NJ 10 $12,024 $668 $12,024 $668
177
Wright State University-Main Campus Dayton, OH 10 $13,474 $622 $22,890 $1,060
178
Lewis University Romeoville, IL 10 $14,310 $795 $14,310 $795
179
Canisius College Buffalo, NY 10 $14,310 $795 $14,310 $795
180
Champlain College Burlington, VT 10 $14,436 $802 $14,436 $802
181
University of Bridgeport Bridgeport, CT 10 $14,940 $830 $14,940 $830
182
University of Phoenix-Hawaii Honolulu, HI 10 $16,319 . $16,319 .
183
Full Sail University Winter Park, FL 10 $16,401 . $16,401 .
184
Argosy University-Phoenix Online Division Phoenix, AZ 10 $17,353 $750 $17,353 $750

See Other Best Colleges for Online Degree Lists

Methodology

To earn a spot on the Best Colleges for Online Master's Degrees list, an online college needs to offer a wide variety of affordable online master's programs. The online colleges on this list meet the following two criteria:

  1. Offer their online master's programs for a reasonable annual tuition rate - $18,400 is the upper tuition limit (annual in-state tuition) for this list. The annual salary for those with master's degrees according to the BLS is $71,760. Bankrate recommends that students not accumulate more student debt than they will make the first year after graduation. According to a recent TICAS (https://ticas.org/posd/map-state-data#) study and Peterson'€™s (https://www.petersons.com/) data, the average bachelor'€™s student graduates with about $30,000 in student debt. Another survey by Citizens Financial Group (https://www.citizensbank.com/HomePage.aspx), suggested that current students between the ages of 18-24 said they expect to have between $39,000-$42,000 in student debt upon graduating. If you take an approximate average of those two debt amounts, $35,000, and subtract that from the average annual salary of a master's graduate, $71,760, you get about $36,800. If you maintain the Bankrate principle of not graduating with more student debt than your graduating annual salary, for graduate students who already have about $35,000 of accumulated student debt, it would be wise to find a quality online master'€™s degree program that offers an annual master'€™s tuition of $18,400 or less (considering master'€™s programs are 2 years in length - 2 years at $18,400 tuition equates to the desired $36,800 master'€™s student debt). Thus, for this ranking list, we have included online master'€™s programs that offer an annual tuition of $18,400 or less.
  2. Offer a large number of online master's programs in a variety of study areas. We used 10 as the lowest number of master's programs an online college could offer in this ranking list. If these conditions were met, online colleges were sorted from top to bottom based on the number of online master's programs that they offer to students.

Sources