For many teachers and others working in education, pursuing a master’s degree is a big investment.
Of course, there’s the time and energy it takes to complete the classes, but there is also the dollars and cents investment–it’s not cheap to go to college.
Fortunately, for many, it’s a pretty wise choice. For teachers specifically, holding a master’s degree means earning about $11,000 more per year, on average, than those with just a bachelor’s. But there’s still a question of costs and financing.
This article will highlight the cost of an online masters degree, obtaining an MEd or MAT degree–which can vary pretty broadly–and help you evaluate your degree options.
Average cost of a master’s degree for teachers
There aren’t many good statistics that show a true “average” cost to obtain a MAT or MEd degree. But it’s simple enough to look at the costs of a dozen or so degree offerings and get a sense for what it might cost.
In a recent analysis, we found that most programs end up coming in at around $40,000.
Before you sweat the price tag too much, know that just because this is a rough “average” doesn’t mean it’s what you’ll have to pay to advance your career. It includes degrees that range in price from less than $10,000 to those that cost $60,000 or more.
Affordable online MAT and MEd programs
As mentioned above, there are many very affordable online MAT and MEd programs that come in at way below the $40,000 mark. Many are closer to $10,000.
Like most things in life, there is some value in comparing costs and value–but that doesn’t mean that a less-expensive program is necessarily any worse than one that’s expensive.
As with all college degrees, there is some level of prestige associated with certain brand names. But with very few exceptions, even these affordable degrees can provide the level of knowledge and expertise that you need to move forward in your career. And most of them are accredited by the same agencies as more-expensive programs.
Here are some of the most affordable degree options we found:
- Augustana University
Master’s in Education
Program cost: $11,500
Learn more - University of Illinois
Master’s in Education (various specialties)
Program cost: $13,560 (approx)
Learn more - William Carey University
Master’s in Education
Program cost: $9,900
Learn more
More expensive online MAT and MEd programs
At the other end of the spectrum are degrees that can cost $30,000 to $60,000. These generally come from brand-name schools with large traditional college campuses.
It’s probably not fair to say that these programs are objectively “better” than others, although the value will depend much on what you hope to pursue and ultimately what you plan to do with your career.
Evaluate these colleges just the same as you would any other, and consider if the added costs would provide additional benefit to you and to your career.
Here are some more expensive programs that we found:
- USC Rossier School of Education
Master’s in Teaching
Program cost: $50,323
Learn more - University at Buffalo
Master’s in Education
Program cost: $30,000 (approx, for non-residents)
Learn more - George Washington University
Master’s in Education (multiple specializations)
Program cost: $36,480
Learn more
Note: These lists are not comprehensive in nature–they’re meant to illustrate the range of prices for available programs.
