There are many factors that determine quality in an online master’s computer science education. From the best schools to the most prestigious faculty, the alignment of professional goals with customizable electives, the list goes on. At GetEducated, we realize that the cost of an online master’s computer science program can make or break the choice between schools. Our research estimates that the difference in tuition prices between the most affordable and the most expensive computer science master’s online hits over $73,000. The Bureau of Labor Statistics job outlooks for computer scientists varies significantly. Programmers could see a -9% outlook while software developers are looking at a 22% growth rate throughout 2029. While you are making a best suited career choice, GetEducated has compiled this cost ranking of the most affordable online master’s computer science options so that you can base your decision on transparent and reliable information.
GetEducated compared 132 online master’s computer science programs from 61 regionally accredited schools to create this “Best Buy” list. Our rankings reveal the most affordable options in the United States, making it easier for aspiring students to rank their budgets before choosing a degree program. Become an informed consumer with this information provided by GetEducated.
ARTICLE NAVIGATION: Rankings Table | Career Guide
Average Cost (In-state): ~$29,000
Least Expensive: Georgia Institute of Technology ~ $6,604
Most Expensive: University of Southern California ~ $79,648
Our data-driven research creates a truly reliable system of scientific rankings. There are no fancy formulas here. We meticulously calculate total full-time tuition—including any fees—for the most accurate total cost. Our rankings cannot be bought, and therefore factually showcase the cheapest online master’s computer science options. The online computer science degrees listed above the gray dividing line are official 2020 “Best Buys” and cost less than the national average.
Most Affordable Online Master’s Computer Science
| Rank | School / Degree | State | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Georgia Institute of Technology | (GA) | $6,604.00 | All Students |
2 | Georgia Southwestern State University | (GA) | $7,710.00 | All Students |
3 | East Carolina University | (NC) | $8,077.80 $27,414.60 | In-State Out-of-State |
4 | Georgia Southern University - Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering & Computing | (GA) | $9,910.00 $34,750.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
5 | Fitchburg State University | (MA) | $11,022.00 | All Students |
6 | Florida Atlantic University | (FL) | $11,154.60 $30,804.30 | In-State Out-of-State |
7 | Southeast Missouri State University | (MO) | $11,220.00 | All Students |
8 | Columbus State University | (GA) | $11,514.00 | All Students |
9 | University of West Georgia | (GA) | $12,632.00 | All Students |
10 | University of Illinois at Springfield | (IL) | $12,728.80 | All Students |
11 |  University of West Florida | (FL) | $12,750.00 | All Students |
12 | Frostburg State University | (MD) | $13,560.00 $17,250.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
13 | Dakota State University | (SD) | $13,974.00 $17,262.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
14 | Alabama A & M University | (AL) | $15,386.00 $29,180.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
15 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | (LA) | $15,840.00 | All Students |
16 | Mississippi State University | (MS) | $15,934.00 | All Students |
17 |  Campbellsville University | (KY) | $16,050.00 | All Students |
18 | Troy University | (AL) | $16,302.00 | All Students |
19 | Charleston Southern University | (SC) | $16,615.00 | All Students |
20 | University of the Potomac | (DC) | $17,750.00 | All Students |
21 | Kansas State University | (KS) | $17,835.00 | All Students |
22 | Capitol Technology University | (MD) | $19,710.00 $11,310.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
23 | Old Dominion University | (VA) | $19,798.00 $21,294.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
24 | University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth | (MA) | $20,070.00 | All Students |
25 | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | (IL) | $21,440.00 | All Students |
26 | University of Louisville | (KY) | $22,110.00 $7,500.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
27 | Concordia University Wisconsin & Ann Arbor | (WI) | $22,997.00 | All Students |
28 | Westcliff University | (CA) | $24,040.00 | All Students |
29 | Texas Tech University | (TX) | $24,043.25 | All Students |
30 | Franklin University | (OH) | $24,205.00 $19,381.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
31 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | (NC) | $24,414.36 $50,733.36 | In-State Out-of-State |
32 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | (WI) | $24,600.00 | All Students |
33 | University of Idaho | (ID) | $25,110.00 | All Students |
34 | University of North Dakota | (ND) | $25,643.40 | All Students |
35 | Colorado State University | (CO) | $25,860.00 | All Students |
36 | Lewis University | (IL) | $26,730.00 | All Students |
37 | City University of Seattle | (WA) | $27,105.00 $12,168.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
38 | Fontbonne University (School Closing) Master of Science in Computer Science / Cybersecurity 14 Master of Science in Computer Science / Data Science 14 Master of Science in Computer Science / Software Engineering 14 | (MO) | $27,200.00 | All Students |
39 | Davenport University | (MI) | $27,800.00 | All Students |
40 | Nova Southeastern University | (FL) | $28,440.00 | All Students |
| School / Degree | State | Price | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mercy College | (NY) | $29,010.00 | All Students | |
University of Bridgeport | (CT) | $29,705.00 | All Students | |
Saint Joseph's University | (PA) | $29,730.00 | All Students | |
National University | (CA) | $31,550.00 $22,100.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military | |
University of Oklahoma | (OK) | $32,505.00 | All Students | |
Missouri University of Science and Technology | (MO) | $37,200.00 $22,783.10 | In-State/Out-of-State Military | |
New Jersey Institute of Technology | (NJ) | $39,330.00 $54,060.00 | In-State Out-of-State | |
Southern Methodist University Master of Science in Computer Science / Software Engineering 14 Master of Science in Computer Science / Cybersecurity 14 | (TX) | $40,500.00 $20,250.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military | |
DePaul University | (IL) | $44,980.00 | All Students | |
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | (MN) | $45,415.00 | All Students | |
Hofstra University | (NY) | $46,366.00 | All Students | |
Illinois Institute of Technology | (IL) | $50,555.00 | All Students | |
Syracuse University | (NY) | $50,590.00 | All Students | |
 Stevens Institute of Technology | (NJ) | $52,936.00 | All Students | |
Illinois Institute of Technology | (IL) | $53,823.00 | All Students | |
Illinois Institute of Technology | (IL) | $55,437.00 | All Students | |
Johns Hopkins University | (MD) | $57,110.00 | All Students | |
University of Southern California | (CA) | $60,316.00 | All Students | |
Drexel University | (PA) | $60,390.00 $45,292.50 | In-State/Out-of-State Military | |
University of Southern California | (CA) | $68,908.00 | All Students | |
Columbia University in the City of New York | (NY) | $69,935.00 | All Students | |
University of Southern California | (CA) | $79,648.00 | All Students |
14 Options for this program have changed since publication.
Accreditation Note
To qualify for a ranking, a program must be regionally accredited. Additional programmatic accreditation is noted in the rank table.
Rankings Note
These online college rankings are based on a GetEducated Fall 2020 review of regionally accredited online master’s computer science 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 master degree programs in our directory may reflect a slightly different cost based on different editorial update schedules.
The published cost is an estimated sticker price for the entire online 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 a master degree 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 online schools for computer science 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 best online master’s computer science options for use on your website. Our mission: Help consumers GetEducated ® about the best online colleges for cost and credibility.
Career Guide: Online Master’s in Computer Science
If you are already educated in computer science or technology, and want to expand your earning potential while creating fantastic new opportunities for your career, am online master’s computer science may be the perfect choice.
Online Master’s Computer Science Program Overview
These degrees are for people who already have a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field, such as information systems or network security. Helping to advance careers, they are excellent for people already working in the tech sector. Whether you want to work in a technology-leadership position, or want to move deeper into research and development, one of these excellent programs will be right for you.
Because they require strong academic skills, many have enrollment requirements, such as a requirement that students have a 3.0 GPA or better from previous studies. (This is an example only, program requirements will vary.)
The classes you take while studying in this field will change depending on the specific program. However, you can expect classes to include programming, such as C++ or Java programming, data structures, mathematics, and algorithms, among many other tech-related topics. You may learn about security fundamentals, memory analysis, and more.
Best Careers for Online Master’s Computer Science Graduates
When you complete an online computer science master’s degree, you’ll have access to a wide range of exciting careers.
Computer and Information Systems Managers
- Salary: $146,360
- Education: Bachelor’s
- Experience: 5 years or more
- Growth: 10%
If you have a knack for technology, the ability to lead others, and enough industry experience, you can work as a systems manager. These high-level IT professionals not only understand technology and information systems, they have the ability to plan, direct, and coordinate the efforts of others.
Although a bachelor’s degree may be enough for this technology position, many systems managers have completed the best online computer science master’s degree. With an online master’s in computer science, you can increase your earning potential and make yourself more likely to land one of these positions.
Computer Research Scientist
- Salary: $122,840
- Education: Master’s
- Training/Experience: None
- Growth: 15%
Technology is constantly changing, improving, shifting, and evolving. Many of these improvements are due in large part to the excellent work of computer research scientists, who invent and design new ways for using computer technology to enhance our lives. The specific tasks can take many forms, but most computer research scientists will be involved in the exploration of technology problems, creation of experiments, data collection, and developing software that improves computers.
This is one of the few technology careers that will require a master’s degree in most cases. A master’s is certainly useful regardless of your position, but few jobs will be available to re-search scientists without a master’s or doctorate.
Computer Hardware Engineer
- Salary: $117,220
- Education: Bachelor’s
- Training/Experience: None
- Growth: 2%
These are the IT experts who create the physical equipment that makes computing possible. They understand computer science, but also have a deep knowledge for electrical engineering and other important topics, allowing them to create circuit boards, processors, memory de-vices, and more. Software is always changing, so part of the tasks for these engineers will be creating new hardware to function with current programs.
To become a computer hardware engineer, a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering or computer science will be extremely useful. However, a master’s degree can help expand your knowledge and prepare you for many of these careers. While growth may be steady, centralized computing systems could reduce potential job growth.
Continuing Education for Computer Science Professionals
A technology education is never complete. Because software, hardware, and systems are constantly changing, even highly-educated tech professionals need to maintain a strong focus on continuing education. Staying informed on the industry through seminars, group events, and even trade publications will help you maintain proficiency in this ever-changing discipline.
Most tech professionals will not need licensing or certifications of any kind. Unlike some careers (lawyers and doctors, as examples) must be licensed through the state government, but this is not an issue with technology careers.
Eventually, you may decide to continue your education, which could mean a doctorate in a computer-related area. This will help you advance your education, and may be required if you want to teach computer science at the highest levels of universities.