Enrolling in online master's in K-12 education programs is a flexible route for full-time working teachers to deepen curricular pedagogy anytime after the bell rings, on weekends, or even during lesson planning breaks. According to Poets & Quants, education master's are the second-most popular offerings that represent 23.6 percent of graduate degrees for 178,062 yearly graduates. The Midwestern Higher Education Compact reports that 48 percent of the 3.2 million public U.S. teachers are master's-trained. Currently, the ASHA lists 32 states plus the District of Columbia that require a master's within five years of education licensure. Increasing K-12 teacher responsibility has persuaded many nationwide to hit the books for advanced courses online. Rejuvenating one's burned out classroom tactics could also help avoid the 8 percent teacher turnover rate published by NPR. Public universities usually offer the best values for K-12 education master's online programs that improve instruction skills for any subject and grade.
Explore these promoted online degree programs.
These top, accredited schools offer a variety of online graduate degree programs. Figuring out where to apply? Consider one of these online Master's or PhD programs.
Most Affordable Master's in K-12 Education Online
Other Master's in K-12 Education Online Degree Offerings
Western Governors University (Private)
Online Master of Science in Special Education K-12
Average Graduate Tuition: $6,500 per year
Gwynedd University (Private)
Accelerated MSEd Teacher Certification Track Online
Average Graduate Tuition: $11,772 per year
Online Master of Arts in Education, Reading and Literacy K-12
Average Graduate Tuition: $12,232 per year
University of South Carolina-Columbia
Master of Education in Teaching Online
Average Graduate Tuition: $12,398 per year
Averett University (Private)
Online Master of Education in Special Education K-12
Average Graduate Tuition: $12,495 per year
Regent University (Private)
M.Ed. – Master of Education Online
Average Graduate Tuition: $12,726 per year
Online Master's Degree in Education
Average Graduate Tuition: $12,790 per year
Lynn University (Private)
Educational Leadership: School Administration K-12 M.Ed. Online
Average Graduate Tuition: $13,050 per year
Online Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Learning and Teaching
Average Graduate Tuition: $13,320 per year
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Master of Education in Science Education Online
Average Graduate Tuition: $13,524 per year
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Master of Education in Global Studies in Education Online
Average Graduate Tuition: $15,267 per year
Online Master of Arts in Education P-12
Average Graduate Tuition: $16,764 per year
DeSales University (Private)
Master of Education M.Ed. Online
Average Graduate Tuition: $19,560 per year
University of New England (Private)
Online Master of Science in Education MSEd
Average Graduate Tuition: $19,936 per year
Master of Education (MEd) in Social Studies Education Online
Average Graduate Tuition: $21,748 per year
Drexel University (Private)
Online MS in Mathematics Learning and Teaching K-12
Average Graduate Tuition: $32,184 per year
Careers Options
Picking a K-12 education master's online over brick-and-mortar programs gives asynchronous access to curriculum that qualifies teacher leaders for virtually all careers in public, private, charter, and parochial schools. The biggest benefit of K-12 education majors is their varied application in wide-ranging disciplines from reading to mathematics and physical education. Accredited online schools generally meet state licensure requirements. For example, the Connecticut State Board of Education created the Distinguished Educator Designation for master's grads with 5+ years of experience. The Nebraska Department of Education even offers a $5,000 salary bonus for Cornhusker State master's holders in the Master Teacher Program. Teachers can join the Association of American Educators (AAE), the largest non-union organization founded in 1994, for access to networking events and the Jobs Bank. Here are five sample careers where online K-12 education master's graduates make the grade:
Elementary Teacher- Following the footsteps of Ms. Frizzle and Miss Crabtree into the U.S. News & World Report's #4 best teaching job lets online master's in K-12 education graduates train students during their most formative years. Elementary teachers create multi-subject lessons, build moral character, read children's literature, identify learning challenges, supervise teaching aides, prepare for standardized tests, and coordinate field trips.
Science Teacher-Business Insider reported that the United States ranks just 25th among OECD countries for PISA science test scores, which means science teachers are needed to boost achievement. Specializing in STEM after an online K-12 education master's involves teaching subjects like biology or physics, leading hands-on experiments, modeling the scientific method, caring for lab equipment, planning science fairs, and keeping progress reports.
Bilingual Educator- Online master's in K-12 education post-grads could qualify for the TEACH Grant by choosing this high-need field to teach ESL students English and native speakers another language like Spanish. Bilingual educators differentiate communication strategies, plan dual-language instruction, perform literacy tests, set learning targets, evaluate speaking/writing progress, facilitate home-school collaboration, and celebrate diverse cultures.
Music Teacher- Instrumentally inclined graduates with online K-12 education master's degrees could pursue CNN Money's 54th best job showing children how to carry tunes on pitch. Music teachers plan age-appropriate arts curriculum, nurture aural skills like harmony, introduce new genres, select song repertoires, deliver vocal coaching, evaluate performance, rehearse for recitals, direct choirs, oversee school band equipment, and assign grades.
Autism Specialist- The National Health Interview Survey found that one in 45 school children are diagnosed on the ASD spectrum, so autism specialists are needed to address the prevalent developmental disorder. Having a K-12 education master's online could help identify at-risk children for early intervention, develop child-specific curriculum, establish IEP goals, create class routines, reinforce behavioral change, and liaise with general teachers.
Still Looking for the Right Fit? Discover Similar Programs.
How Much Can Online Master's in K-12 Education Graduates Earn?
Finding cheap online master's in K-12 education degrees is vital because Fortune lists several teaching specialties among the 15 worst paid careers with median income from $48,700 to $55,000. These figures are significantly below the average master's wage of $69,732 on SmartAsset. According to the Brookings Institution, the mean master's educator pay bump is just $4,176 by the fifth year. An overall average wage of $48,000 was figured by the Department of Labor for America's education workforce. In May 2017, teachers made $59,020 in elementary, $59,800 in junior high, $61,420 in secondary, and $60,090 in special education classrooms on average. High schools with career and technical education teachers give a mean salary of $59,480. A master's in K-12 education online also opens doors for school principal jobs with median pay of $102,390 on Salary.com. Other high averages are $87,592 for curriculum specialists, $93,467 for international education directors, and $154,717 for superintendents.
Job Outlook
Hiring prospects after a master's in K-12 education online for teachers not yet employed are good as the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts job growth of 9 percent. By 2026, America will need 888,900 new education jobs fulfilled to avoid critical shortages. The 10-year outlook for elementary teachers is lower at 7 percent for total employment of 1.68 million. Eight percent jumps are expected for kindergarten, middle, and high school teachers. The slowest growth of 4 percent is estimated in career and technical education. The highest growth of 11 percent is projected for curriculum specialists with 17,200 new jobs. While the Center for Public Education (CPE) reports more hard-to-fill vacancies, the number of college students choosing to teach dwindled to 4.2 percent in 2016. Education Week highlighted Arizona, Indiana, Oklahoma, Hawaii, and Nevada as hiring hotspots. Online master's in K-12 education programs give the ultimate location flexibility to chase dream job offerings imparting wisdom in young minds.
See also: 10 Most Affordable Doctorate in K-12 Education Online
Additional sources:
Poets & QuantsMidwestern Higher Education CompactNPRNCES College NavigatorCouncil on Accreditation for Educator Preparation (CAEP)
