Are you a teacher with a master’s degree? Would you like to expand your knowledge of education and increase your career options? Are you ready for more authority in your school or district? With one of the cheapest education specialist degree online programs, you can advance your teaching career in an affordable, convenient learning platform.
These online degrees are built for working professionals like you, helping you become a strong leader in education while taking classes that fit your busy life.
We have identified 47 programs from 28 schools. These programs come with various focus areas, but all will build your knowledge of teaching, curriculum, classroom management, and more. They are not only convenient, but many also come with a low price.
ARTICLE NAVIGATION: Rankings Table | Career Guide
Average Cost (In-state): ~$17,000
Least Expensive: University of West Georgia ~ $8,664
Most Expensive: Nova Southeastern University ~$40,680
You can count on this ranking database for clear, reliable data on EdS programs in pre-K, elementary, or secondary education. We use simple calculations to create a ranking database built on facts. No complex formulas, just easy-to-use information.
Think an online education specialist degree is right for you? Scroll down to learn more about the programs, including courses, accreditation, admission requirements, and career outlooks. But most importantly, be sure to check out the top reasons that people enroll in these challenging yet rewarding programs!
The Cheapest Education Specialist Degree Online Programs
| Rank | School / Degree | State | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | University of West Georgia | (GA) | $8,664.00 | All Students |
2 | Fort Hays State University | (KS) | $9,852.00 | All Students |
3 | Wayne State College | (NE) | $11,400.00 | All Students |
4 | Kennesaw State University | (GA) | $11,710.00 | All Students |
5 | Georgia Southern University | (GA) | $11,814.00 | All Students |
6 | University of North Alabama | (AL) | $12,000.00 | All Students |
7 | Columbus State University | (GA) | $12,134.00 | All Students |
8 | University of Central Missouri | (MO) | $13,190.00 | All Students |
9 | The University of Alabama | (AL) | $13,500.00 | All Students |
10 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | (MA) | $14,220.00 | All Students |
11 | Delta State University | (MS) | $14,354.00 | All Students |
12 |  University of West Alabama | (AL) | $14,397.00 | All Students |
13 |  National University | (CA) | $14,586.00 | All Students |
14 | Converse College | (SC) | $15,770.00 | All Students |
15 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | (AL) | $16,710.00 | All Students |
| School / Degree | State | Price | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Troy University | (AL) | $17,100.00 | All Students | |
University of Virginia | (VA) | $18,380.00 | All Students | |
 Liberty University | (VA) | $18,697.00 $8,350.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military | |
Alcorn State University | (MS) | $18,890.00 | All Students | |
Auburn University | (AL) | $18,900.00 | All Students | |
University of Toledo | (OH) | $19,173.00 $19,323.00 | In-State Out-of-State | |
Tennessee Technological University | (TN) | $19,620.00 $23,820.00 | In-State Out-of-State | |
Mercer University | (GA) | $20,670.00 | All Students | |
National Louis University | (IL) | $21,250.00 | All Students | |
Bay Path University | (MA) | $21,450.00 | All Students | |
 Brenau University | (GA) | $25,175.00 | All Students | |
Regent University | (VA) | $26,600.00 | All Students | |
Nova Southeastern University | (FL) | $40,680.00 | All Students |
Program Note: To qualify for a ranking, the education specialist degree online must be regionally accredited. Additional programmatic accreditation is noted in the rank table. Degrees labeled with superscript 14 indicate that options for this program have changed since publication.
CAEP Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation
AAQEP Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation
Rankings Note: These online college rankings are based on a GetEducated Winter/Spring 2023 review of regionally accredited educational specialist degree online programs. Total cost includes full-time tuition and fees and was valid at the time of collection and specific to the online learning program. School profiles for the online education specialist degree programs in our directory may reflect a slightly different cost based on different editorial update schedules. The published costs are estimated sticker prices for the online educational specialist degree, including fees. Actual costs may vary by student. Factors such as transfer credits, prerequisite courses, professional licensing and financial aid availability will affect final cost.
Editorial Note: Online schools do NOT pay to be included in any GetEducated online degree ranking. These rankings are editorially independent, open to any regionally accredited or candidate college that offers an education specialist degree online that is available at least 80 percent through online learning and that is open to enrollment by the public. If your online college is regionally accredited and not currently reviewed by GetEducated, please contact us for inclusion.
These rankings of the cheapest education specialist degree online programs may NOT be re-posted online or reprinted in any format without a license from GetEducated ®. Consumer finance bloggers and writers can contact our editors for a free custom article on the cheapest education specialist degree online programs for use on your website. Our mission: Help consumers GetEducated ® about the best online colleges for cost and credibility.
The Top Reasons to Enroll in an Education Specialist Degree Online
There are many reasons to enroll in one of these programs. Whether you desire more responsibility, need to increase job options, or simply want a deeper knowledge in education, here are the main reasons why people choose these degrees:
- Career advancement: With these degrees, you can move into a range of new roles within education. You may, depending on the degree, work as a curriculum or instruction expert in elementary or high school education.
- Assume leadership roles: If you want a leadership role in education, these programs can help. Results depend on the degree, but some of these programs qualify grads for jobs as program directors, principals, and superintendents.
- Teaching or leading in higher education: Some of these programs will also qualify you for college-level teaching or leadership roles. If you want to be a professor, one of these degrees may be ideal.
- Increase salary potential: After completing an affordable education specialist degree online, you’ll have the chance to increase your salary base. Some of these programs allow you to advance your teaching certification level, which comes with higher base salaries.
Still interested? Keep reading to learn about the top online education specialist degrees from leading schools.
What to Expect from the Cheapest Education Specialist Degree Online
When you enroll in one of these programs, you’ll learn two important aspects of education.
First, you’ll become more well-informed in the area of instruction. You’ll learn theories and philosophies about education and the latest techniques for delivering high-quality instruction.
Second, you’ll learn how to lead. You’ll learn how to evaluate teachers, guide other educators, and create a stronger educational environment.
Different degrees will focus more or less on one of these areas, but nearly all of them include instruction advancement and teaching leadership in some form.
An EdS is a challenging degree, but they are relatively short, especially compared to a full doctorate. An EdS usually requires two years of study, although some may take over three years. They usually include at least 30 credit hours.
Essentially, these programs sit between a master’s and a doctorate. They are, in many cases, like completing a second master’s degree. However, if students want to pursue a doctorate, credits from these programs may transfer to the next level of education, creating a shorter path to a future doctoral degree.
In this database, you’ll find a variety of specializations and concentrations for educational specialist degree online programs. These include:
- Elementary education
- Secondary (high school) education
- Middle grades education
- Reading and language
- Literacy
- Curriculum
- Foreign language education
- Math education
In these programs, you’ll need to complete a mixture of online lectures and discussions along with research projects, in-school experiences, and more.
Courses in an Online EdS Program
To better understand these educational specialist degree online programs, it helps to look at the structure and coursework in a few select samples:
Georgia Southern University – Education Specialist in Reading Education (K-12)
This program helps current teachers advance in their careers. Teachers with a Level 5 certificate in Reading, Middle Grades Reading, Early Childhood Education, or Special Education can qualify for a Level 6 certificate once they graduate. The EdS requires eight core courses. There is also a content-specific requirement covering six credit hours.
Depending on educational background, some students may need to take prerequisite courses on learning theories and educational research, which set the foundation for the program. In the core section, students must complete classes that include “Literacy Leaders in Today’s Schools,” “Educational Statistics I,” and “Teaching the Literature of Social Reflection.”
Delta State University – Educational Specialist in Elementary Education
The EdS degree from Delta State University prepares current teachers to provide effective instruction and leadership to fellow teachers. It creates an in-depth perspective of teaching, focusing on holistic and reflective points of view.
Courses are delivered in an online format over four semesters. The classes include “Philosophy of Education,” “Instructional Strategies in Elementary Education,” and “Leadership Roles in Elementary Schools.”
University of Alabama at Birmingham – Education Specialist in Early Childhood Education
Those with a master’s degree in early childhood education and a Class A certification are eligible for this program, which qualifies applicants for Class AA certification. The program takes at least 31 credit hours. Courses focus on teaching leadership, analysis, and assessment of teaching practices.
Classes in this program include seven required courses such as “Introduction to Teacher Leadership,” and “Analysis and Evaluation of Teaching.” Students must also complete advisor-approved elective courses such as “Introduction to Exceptional Learner” and “Introduction to Qualitative Methods in Educational Research.”
Accreditation for these EdS Degrees
Going to college, even an online educational specialist degree, is a large commitment of time, money, and energy. How can you know that your degree will deliver a quality education? You can start by researching a school’s status.
Accreditation is a rigorous peer-review process. It helps set and maintain standards of excellence among academic programs. It ensures that colleges and their programs meet a high standard. Accrediting bodies look at factors like faculty, post-graduation careers, admissions process, financial stability of the school, support services, and overall quality of education.
Accreditation is important for many reasons. It not only verifies a quality education, but if you want to transfer into an accredited program, only credits from an accredited institution will be accepted.
There are two main forms of accreditation. The first is institutional accreditation. This type of approval covers the entire school. It’s granted by regional groups like the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). All the programs in this database come from schools that have institutional accreditation from a regional group.
The other form of accreditation is programmatic. This type is granted by subject-specific bodies that review only programs within their scope. For example, the American Library Association Committee on Accreditation only accredits librarian and library science degrees.
Education degrees, including these affordable education specialist degree online programs, are often accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). This group accredits bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate programs, as well as EdS degrees.
Another group that accredits EdS programs is the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP). A newer group, the AAQEP is quickly becoming a popular option for programmatic approval in the education space. Not all degrees hold programmatic accreditation. As long as a program comes from an accredited school, it will deliver a high-quality education.
Admission Requirements for these EdS Programs
To enroll in an educational specialist degree online, you’ll need to meet a set of requirements that includes education and professional experience.
First, you must hold a master’s degree in education, teaching, curriculum, or a related field. This master’s degree must be from an accredited school. Most programs require a minimum GPA from previous studies. A 2.75, 3.0, or 3.25 GPA is often required.
EdS programs usually require professional experience at a specific level, along with certification. For example, Delta State University requires a Class AA teaching certificate, or its equivalent (different states use different titles).
Applicants to this program also need a “satisfactory score” in a nationally recognized test, such as the Praxis or NTE tests.
Applicants to these programs must provide several documents. In addition to transcripts, certificates, and proof of test scores, applicants will need to submit a statement of purpose and letters of recommendation.
The admission requirements can be extensive, but with a strong education and professional background, you can find an educational specialist degree online that accepts your application.
The Program Cost for the Cheapest Education Specialist Degree Online
If you do your research, learn about the costs, and plan accordingly, these programs can be affordable. To help you find the most affordable educational specialist online degree programs to fit your needs, we have created an easy-to-follow ranking system based on tuition and fees.
The average price for these programs is $17,000. This is a high number for many aspiring students, but, assuming you are on a two-year track, this equals roughly $8,500 a year. Overall, this database lists 13 programs priced below $15,000, including five options that are less than $12,000.
The cheapest education specialist degree online comes from the University of West Georgia. This school only charges $8,664 for its Education Specialist in Instructional Technology, Media & Design. This price is available to all students, not just those living in Georgia.
You’ll find a variety of high-cost programs as well. The most expensive option comes from Nova Southeastern University allows teachers with a Class A certificate to advance to a Class AA certificate, which is one of the highest teaching certifications in the state. This level requires a state-approved education specialist degree and experience in the teaching profession.
Some of these programs will qualify graduates for careers as superintendents or principals in certain states. To become a superintendent, you generally need at least two years of experience in an administrative role, an active teaching license, and the completion of state-specific testing.
Salary and Career Outlook
Education may not have a reputation for high salaries. But if you work hard and have the right education, there’s a chance to earn an excellent income.
The median salary for teachers in the United States is $61,620. (BLS, May 2022.) This is already a strong salary, but the top 10% can earn over $101,000. After completing an education specialist degree online, you’ll be able to advance in your career and gain higher certifications. It’s reasonable to assume that you will be more likely to earn higher salaries as well.
Many professionals in education also have strong salaries. Instructional coordinators, who develop and implement curriculum, for example, have a median salary of $66,490, with the top 10% earning over $105,000.
Whether you are teaching in the classroom or leading a school district, you can find high-paying jobs in education. Unfortunately, the overall job market could bring limited opportunity.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says that overall employment in education and library careers will grow about as fast as the overall job market. While it may not decline, this career won’t see rapid expansion, at least not in most areas. But there is a bright side to the job market: the nearly universal need for educators. Every state, county, and city needs teachers and education experts, so no matter where you want to live, there should be a career opportunity waiting.
The Next Step in Your Education
For many, an education specialist degree online is the highest education you will pursue. However, you may consider a doctorate program in education. This education would make you one of the top experts in the field and allow you to work as a professor of education. With a doctorate of education, you could also work as a college president or leader at a college or university.
Continuing education is an important part of a teaching career. No matter what certification you hold, you’ll need to renew your certificate, which requires continuing education classes and other forms of education. The time frame can vary, but most states require renewal every five years.
Regardless of your education level, you should always maintain an attitude of continual learning. After all, you expect no less from your students!
Start Your Path to Becoming an Education Leader
You can be one of the top leaders in education. Search for an affordable education specialist degree online with all the helpful resources on GetEducated.com!