Once you decide to pursue an advanced degree in education, you must then choose the school and program that will best fulfill your requirements. An online program will provide the flexibility you need to continue working, but there are several other important factors to consider, such as accreditation, reputation, available programs and cost.
Financial Decisions
Pricing of online programs varies widely from school to school. Some charge a per-course fee in addition to tuition, and some schools charge per credit-hour per semester. Master of Education programs typically range from 30 to 38 credit hours. So, depending on your schedule and how many courses you take per semester, your costs can add up.
One financial benefit to choosing an online program as opposed to in-person classes on campus is that, because you will not be driving to campus, there are no commuting costs, like parking fees, tolls, gas, etc. Attending class from home instead of traveling to and from campus means that you will save time as well.
Worcester State University Master of Education Online Programs
Worcester State University currently offers three online Master of Education Programs:
- Master of Education in Elementary Education Online
- Master of Education in Early Childhood Education Online
- Master of Education in Moderate Disabilities Online
Each program is extremely affordable with an all-inclusive tuition cost of $365 per credit hour. The total cost for the 34 credit-hour programs is $12,410, and for the 37-credit-hour program, $13,505. There are no additional per-hour, per-course, or per-semester fees. And you only pay for each course as you take it.
Comparing Worcester State’s Programs to Other Programs
Because the number of required classes is different from one school to another, this comparison of program costs among Worchester State’s Master of Education degree programs and other schools reflects the cost of a 30-hour program taken over two semesters:
| University/School | Tuition per hour | Additional fees | Total cost for 30 hours |
| Worcester State | $365 | $0 | $10,950 |
| UMass Online | $470 | $30/semester | $14,160* |
| Merrimack College | $500 | $75/module | $15,750 |
| University of Phoenix | $540 | Fixed fee per course | $16,200 |
| Walden University | $580 | $210/semester | $17,820* |
*Two semesters
This table illustrates that, when compared with two Massachusetts brick-and-mortar schools that also offer online M. Ed. programs as well as two popular online schools with M.Ed. programs, Worcester State University’s online M.Ed. programs are not only the lowest cost per semester hour, but the only programs without additional fees. The above cost figures were sourced from university websites in April 2020.
The online M.Ed. programs from Worcester State University can be completed in as few as 14 months, and there are multiple start dates per year to make it easy to begin. All courses are taught by experienced faculty practitioners.
Worcester State University in Massachusetts is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education and has been training highly qualified educators for over 40 years. It is the only Massachusetts state university to be ranked among the “Best Northeastern Colleges” by The Princeton Review for 16 consecutive years, since 2005.
Learn more about Worcester State University’s online Master of Education programs.
