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The 135 Most Affordable Online Master’s in Nursing Education

Cost rankings of online master's in nursing educationTeaching the next generation of nurses requires several academic and licensing steps. If you are a registered nurse with a BSN, the next step in this career path is an online master’s in nursing education. Online programs offer the benefits of flexible scheduling, asynchronous courses, small class sizes and more, not to mention at an affordable cost.

An online master’s in nursing education will build your sought-after skills in leadership, communication, and the clinical skills and experience to back up your knowledge in the classroom. While the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the mean annual salary of a nurse educator to be over $83,000, there is some variation. If you consider your future to be in academia, hospital teaching nurses bank a projected salary of $121,000 annually. Teaching in a technical or trade school still brings in a rich salary of $73,100.

No matter your next step, the cost of your online nurse educator program will factor in and determine your financial stability over the next several years. GetEducated has surveyed 177 accredited online master’s in nursing education from 176 schools to bring you the following “Best Buy” list. These rankings reveal the most affordable MSN options in the United States. With a difference in tuition of up to $54,800, it pays to compare prices before committing to a degree. Take a look below to find an online nurse educator program that best fits your goals and your budget.

ARTICLE NAVIGATION: Rankings Table | Career Guide

Average Cost (In-state): ~$22,800
Least Expensive: Winston-Salem State University ~$7,463.12
Most Expensive: Texas Christian University ~$62,290

Our data-driven research creates a truly reliable system of scientific rankings. There’s 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 in nursing education. The online degrees listed above the gray dividing line are official 2021 “Best Buys” and cost less than the national average.

Most Affordable Online Master’s in Nursing Education

There is a critical shortage of nurse educators in the U.S., which is contributing to the ongoing shortage of nursing professionals. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), nursing schools in the U.S. were forced to reject more than 90,000 qualified nursing school applicants in 2021 due…
WGU’s online Master of Science in Nursing–Education (MSNUED) degree program prepares nurses who hold a current BSN to be a skilled leader in the field of nursing education. Designed in collaboration with healthcare’s foremost leaders, the MSNUED program focuses on evolving roles of nurse educators, context-based student-centered learning, curriculum design…
Some of the most important people in a person’s life are educators; from their earliest memories to their future studies these people are a major influence.  If you are interested in acting as an educator and mentor for future nurses, the master of nursing education online program from Sacred Heart…
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Military
RankSchool / DegreeStatePriceNote
1
Winston-Salem State University
(NC)
$7,463.12
$26,422.19
In-State
Out-of-State
2
University of North Carolina-Wilmington
(NC)
$8,547.33
$30,918.03
In-State
Out-of-State
3
University of Central Arkansas
(AR)
$10,075.00
All Students
4
Appalachian State University
(NC)
$10,393.89
$36,075.39
In-State
Out-of-State
5
Western Carolina University
(NC)
$10,478.12
$29,863.82
In-State
Out-of-State
6
Fort Hays State University
(KS)
$10,747.80
All Students
7
Georgia Southern University
(GA)
$10,842.00
All Students
8
Northeastern State University
(OK)
$11,036.80
$11,068.80
In-State
Out-of-State
9
University of Central Florida
(FL)
$11,456.20
$40,310.20
In-State
Out-of-State
10
University of North Georgia
(GA)
$11,805.00
All Students
11
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
(NC)
$11,944.00
$20,251.00
In-State
Out-of-State
12
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
(TX)
$12,088.00
$24,880.00
In-State
Out-of-State
13
Pittsburg State University
(KS)
$12,243.00
All Students
14
University of West Georgia
(GA)
$12,670.00
All Students
15
University of North Alabama
(AL)
$12,800.00
All Students
15
Emporia State University
(KS)
$12,800.00
All Students
17
Lamar University
(TX)
$13,098.00
All Students
18
Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi
(TX)
$13,194.40
$30,500.68
In-State
Out-of-State
19
Missouri State University
(MO)
$13,287.00
All Students
20
University of Central Missouri
(MO)
$13,485.45
All Students
21
Central Methodist University
(MO)
$13,675.00
All Students
22
Wheeling University
(WV)
$13,985.00
All Students
23
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
(NC)
$14,167.10
$23,888.64
In-State
Out-of-State
24
University of Wyoming
(WY)
$14,220.00
All Students
25
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
(IL)
$14,625.60
All Students
26
East Carolina University
(NC)
$14,970.40
$40,752.00
In-State
Out-of-State
27
Alcorn State University
(MS)
$15,135.00
All Students
28
The University of Texas at Tyler
(TX)
$15,156.00
$32,112.00
In-State
Out-of-State
29
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
(TX)
$15,196.68
$29,560.68
In-State
Out-of-State
30
Marshall University
(WV)
$15,219.00
All Students
31
Wichita State University
(KS)
$15,280.26
All Students
32
Delaware State University
(DE)
$15,475.00
All Students
33
New England Institute of Technology
(RI)
$16,250.00
All Students
34
Indiana State University
(IN)
$16,362.00
$21,098.00
In-State
Out-of-State
35
Granite State College (part of University of New Hampshire)
Master of Science in Nursing / Health Care Education 14
(NH)
$16,480.00
$18,040.00
In-State
Out-of-State
36
The University of Texas at El Paso
(TX)
$16,500.00
$20,460.00
In-State
Out-of-State
37
University of West Florida
(FL)
$16,575.00
All Students
38
Western Governors University
(UT)
$16,890.00
All Students
38
Bethel University - IN
(IN)
$16,890.00
All Students
40
CUNY Graduate School and University Center - School of Professional Studies
(NY)
$17,355.00
All Students
41
SUNY College of Technology at Delhi
(NY)
$17,752.32
$21,136.32
In-State
Out-of-State
42
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
(OH)
$17,928.00
All Students
43
Empire State University
(NY)
$17,957.20
$21,341.20
In-State
Out-of-State
44
The University of Texas Medical Branch
(TX)
$17,958.70
$34,038.78
In-State
Out-of-State
45
Auburn University at Montgomery
(AL)
$18,038.00
$19,634.00
In-State
Out-of-State
46
Ball State University
(IN)
$18,046.50
$25,678.50
In-State
Out-of-State
47
Frostburg State University
(MD)
$18,168.00
$23,088.00
In-State
Out-of-State
48
McKendree University
(IL)
$18,315.00
All Students
49
University of Mount Olive
(NC)
$18,425.00
All Students
50
Northwestern State University of Louisiana
(LA)
$18,525.00
$7,488.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
51
Ottawa University
(KS)
$18,599.00
All Students
52
SUNY Polytechnic Institute
(NY)
$18,681.30
$22,347.30
In-State
Out-of-State
53
Northern Kentucky University
(KY)
$18,712.00
All Students
54
Bushnell University
(OR)
$18,900.00
All Students
55
Gardner-Webb University
(NC)
$18,960.00
All Students
56
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
(WI)
$18,986.55
$38,528.10
In-State
Out-of-State
57
Texas A & M University
(TX)
$19,152.00
$37,954.00
In-State
Out-of-State
58
Kent State University
(OH)
$19,180.00
$19,530.00
In-State
Out-of-State
59
Oklahoma Baptist University
(OK)
$19,350.00
All Students
60
Baker University
(KS)
$19,355.00
All Students
61
Research College of Nursing
Master of Science in Nursing / Nurse Educator CCNE,14
(MO)
$19,400.00
All Students
62
University of Indianapolis
(IN)
$19,444.00
All Students
63
Oklahoma City University
(OK)
$19,470.00
All Students
64
Galen College of Nursing
(KY)
$19,650.00
All Students
65
Wilson College
(PA)
$19,680.00
All Students
66
Ohio University
(OH)
$19,833.00
$20,460.00
In-State
Out-of-State
67
Midway University
(KY)
$19,884.00
All Students
68
Mayville State University
(ND)
$19,950.00
All Students
69
University of Mary
(ND)
$20,313.00
All Students
70
University of Kansas
(KS)
$20,324.85
All Students
71
Stephen F. Austin State University
(TX)
$20,394.00
$36,306.00
In-State
Out-of-State
72
Austin Peay State University
(TN)
$20,410.25
$28,285.25
In-State
Out-of-State
73
AdventHealth University
(FL)
$20,565.00
All Students
74
Texas Woman's University
(TX)
$20,801.40
$37,161.40
In-State
Out-of-State
75
Bryan College of Health Sciences
(NE)
$20,875.00
All Students
76
University of Missouri-Columbia
(MO)
$20,920.70
All Students
77
Queens University of Charlotte
(NC)
$21,164.00
All Students
78
Nebraska Methodist College
(NE)
$21,230.00
All Students
79
Liberty University
(VA)
$21,236.00
$10,000.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
80
Post University
(CT)
$21,345.00
$11,475.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
81
Jacksonville University
(FL)
$21,450.00
All Students
82
University of Saint Mary
(KS)
$21,625.00
All Students
83
Saint Francis University
(PA)
$21,645.00
All Students
84
Pennsylvania College of Technology
(PA)
$21,859.00
All Students
85
Colorado Christian University
(CO)
$22,158.00
All Students
86
University of Southern Indiana
(IN)
$22,203.56
$23,463.56
In-State
Out-of-State
87
University of South Carolina-Upstate
(SC)
$22,227.50
$47,602.00
In-State
Out-of-State
88
Stevenson University
(MD)
$22,500.00
All Students
89
Cleveland State University
(OH)
$22,515.00
$22,895.00
In-State
Out-of-State
90
Olivet Nazarene University
(IL)
$22,770.00
All Students
91
Cedarville University
(OH)
$23,102.00
All Students
92
MidAmerica Nazarene University
(KS)
$23,155.00
All Students
93
Notre Dame College (School Closing)
Master of Science in Nursing Education 14
(OH)
$23,160.00
All Students
94
Jacksonville State University
(AL)
$23,200.00
$15,250.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
95
Cumberland University
(TN)
$23,310.00
All Students
96
Minnesota State University-Moorhead
(MN)
$23,881.62
All Students
97
Indiana Wesleyan University
(IN)
$24,067.00
All Students
98
Franklin Pierce University
(NH)
$24,140.00
All Students
99
Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing
(IL)
$24,215.00
All Students
100
University of Mobile
(AL)
$24,220.00
All Students
101
Thomas Edison State University
(NJ)
$24,346.00
All Students
102
Waynesburg University
(PA)
$24,480.00
All Students
103
Charleston Southern University
(SC)
$24,490.00
All Students
104
St. Catherine University
(MN)
$24,520.00
All Students
105
Southern New Hampshire University
(NH)
$24,603.00
$18,480.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
106
Western Michigan University
(MI)
$24,780.12
All Students
107
Walden University
(MN)
$24,810.00
$21,232.50
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
108
Cox College
(MO)
$24,905.00
All Students
109
Thomas University
(GA)
$25,040.00
All Students
110
Florida National University
(FL)
$25,172.00
All Students
111
East Tennessee State University
(TN)
$25,242.00
$33,642.00
In-State
Out-of-State
112
Lenoir-Rhyne University
(NC)
$25,350.00
All Students
113
King University
(TN)
$25,425.00
All Students
114
Indiana University Online
(IN)
$25,494.00
$67,200.00
In-State
Out-of-State
115
The University of Texas at Arlington
(TX)
$25,506.00
All Students
116
University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth
(MA)
$25,626.00
All Students
117
Clarkson College
(NE)
$25,684.00
All Students
118
South Dakota State University
(SD)
$25,831.75
$32,193.00
In-State
Out-of-State
119
West Coast University
(CA)
$25,860.00
$22,440.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
120
Mercy College of Ohio
(OH)
$25,882.00
All Students
121
Regent University
(VA)
$26,100.00
All Students
122
Benedictine University
(IL)
$26,130.00
All Students
123
Excelsior University
(NY)
$26,325.00
$13,025.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
124
Rivier University
(NH)
$26,340.00
All Students
125
Chamberlain University
(IL)
$26,370.00
$22,770.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
126
Stony Brook University
(NY)
$26,756.10
$30,986.10
In-State
Out-of-State
127
Union University
(TN)
$27,060.00
All Students
128
University of Memphis
(TN)
$27,080.00
All Students
129
American International College
(MA)
$27,220.00
All Students
130
Nova Southeastern University
(FL)
$27,322.00
All Students
131
ECPI University
(VA)
$27,428.00
All Students
132
University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences
(CA)
$27,643.00
All Students
133
Messiah University
(PA)
$27,690.00
All Students
134
University of Missouri-Kansas City
(MO)
$27,867.70
$50,602.20
In-State
Out-of-State
135
Saint Joseph's College of Maine
(ME)
$27,921.00
All Students
NOTE: The following schools did not make our Best Buy ranking but are also great online options.
School / DegreeStatePriceNote
Robert Morris University
(PA)
$28,120.00
All Students
Sacred Heart University
(CT)
$28,525.00
All Students
Baker College
(MI)
$28,660.00
$16,852.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
California State University-Northridge
(CA)
$28,675.00
All Students
Spring Arbor University
(MI)
$28,710.00
All Students
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
(MA)
$28,718.00
$57,883.50
In-State
Out-of-State
Fairleigh Dickinson University
(NJ)
$28,875.00
All Students
Eastern University
(PA)
$28,993.00
All Students
Southern Adventist University
(TN)
$29,250.00
All Students
La Roche University
(PA)
$29,290.00
All Students
Blessing Rieman College of Nursing and Health Sciences
(IL)
$29,450.00
All Students
Azusa Pacific University
(CA)
$29,493.00
All Students
Saint Xavier University
(IL)
$29,575.00
All Students
University of Utah
(UT)
$29,831.88
$66,159.12
In-State
Out-of-State
Concordia University Wisconsin & Ann Arbor
(WI)
$29,837.00
All Students
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
(PA)
$30,300.00
All Students
Wright State University
(OH)
$30,360.00
$51,750.00
In-State
Out-of-State
Carlow University
(PA)
$30,444.00
All Students
Bellin College
(WI)
$30,635.00
All Students
Idaho State University
(ID)
$30,755.00
All Students
Norwich University
(VT)
$31,200.00
All Students
University of Michigan-Flint
(MI)
$31,539.00
$46,354.50
In-State
Out-of-State
Allen College
(IA)
$31,870.00
All Students
Rockhurst University
(MO)
$33,001.00
All Students
Lewis University
(IL)
$33,115.00
All Students
Pennsylvania State University
(PA)
$33,264.00
All Students
University of Connecticut
(CT)
$33,300.00
All Students
Davenport University
(MI)
$33,729.00
All Students
Roberts Wesleyan University
(NY)
$34,035.00
All Students
Edgewood College
(WI)
$34,056.00
All Students
Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences (School Merged)
Master of Science in Nursing / Education CCNE,14
(PA)
$34,944.00
All Students
Mercy College
(NY)
$35,472.00
All Students
University of Providence
(MT)
$39,644.00
All Students
Creighton University
(NE)
$40,353.00
All Students
Drexel University
(PA)
$46,170.00
$38,475.00
In-State/Out-of-State
Military
Duquesne University
(PA)
$54,604.00
All Students
Texas Christian University
(TX)
$62,290.00
All Students

Accreditation & Program Notes

To qualify for a ranking, a program must be regionally accredited. Additional programmatic accreditation is noted in the rank table.

ACEN  Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
CCNE  Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
14 Options for this program have changed since publication.

Rankings Note

These online college rankings are based on a GetEducated Spring 2021 review of regionally accredited online master’s in nursing education options. 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’s 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 nursing education 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 in nursing education 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 Nursing Education

There are many ways you can contribute to healthcare. You can improve people’s overall wellbeing by working directly with patients as a nurse or nurse practitioner. You can use your industry experience to become a manager or leader for other medical experts. Or you can teach the next generation of nurses. With any path you consider, an online master’s in nursing education opens many doors.

What to Expect from an Online Master’s in Nursing Education

When you complete the nursing education specialization, you’ll graduate with a deep understanding of both teaching and nursing, which will help you guide top-quality nurses who go on to do great things in the profession.

Educators in nursing are desperately needed, as many schools and nursing programs are actually turning people down because they don’t have enough teachers. While nothing is certain, you can be virtually assured that you will find work as a nurse educator. Even if you don’t go specifically into nurse education, you can still use an MSN education online to advance your healthcare and nursing career.

Throughout your online master’s in nursing education, you’ll complete a wide variety of course. You’ll learn how to design and implement a nursing curriculum that is focused on evidence-based knowledge and nursing theory. You’ll also understand how to evaluate students to ensure they graduate as top-quality nursing professionals.

Specific course in a master’s in nursing administration online will change depending on the program, but classes will address issues like health care information systems, student-assessment methods, and the theoretical basics of nurse education.

Who Will You be Teaching?

When you complete an online nurse educator programs, you’ll have the chance to teach a variety of nursing professionals. Depending on the program, you may be teaching people who will go on to RN (registered nurse) positions, or people who will work as a nurse practitioner, nursing midwife, or nurse anesthetist. Although you may need further education, you will have the foundational skills to teach almost anyone in nursing.

Nursing Teacher

  • Salary: $74,600
  • Growth: 18%
  • Education: Master’s (Some with doctorate degrees)
  • Experience: 5 years or more

Nurse educators hold many responsibilities, but most importantly they create curriculum, teach courses, and work with students to develop the next generation of high-quality RNs and APRNs. Depending on the level of teaching and the lesson plans, the instruction can include direct guidance in a medical setting or providing classroom lectures and other forms of support.

According to the BLS, the median salary among all post-secondary teachers was $79,540 in May of 2019, while the expected growth is a promising 9%. For nursing instructors, however, the pay was slightly lower, coming in at $74,600. However, with the expected growth of the healthcare profession (nurse practitioners, for example, could grow 52%), it seems possible that the increases for nursing teachers could be even higher. If fact, the BLS expects nursing instructors to see increases of 18%.

Medical Services Manager

  • Median Salary: $100,980
  • Job Growth: 32%
  • Education: Bachelor’s
  • Training/Work Experience: 5 years experience

Most people who complete master of nursing education online programs will work as nursing instructors, but some may move into alternative careers, such as management and leadership. A medical services manager is a great position for someone with a master’s in nursing, and the education concentration will help you work with nurses to hone and refine their skills.

Because of the growing demand for healthcare professionals, there will also be a need for managers in the industry. This will lead to an expansion of medical services manager that far outpaces most careers.

Certifications, Licensing & Experience Requirements for Nurse Educators

In most cases, you don’t need certification to work as an educator. (Philosophy professors, for example, don’t need licensing.) However, because this is a career field that deals with the important topic of nursing, which is heavily rooted in science, you may need certification or licensing to teach. Even if it is not needed, certification is a mark of professionalism, a sign that you truly value your role as an educator and want to provide the best possible service to your students.

Post-secondary teachers who prepare students for careers that require licensing may need licensing or certification themselves. Which means you are more likely than other post-secondary teachers (an English professor, for example) to need certification.

If you have been working in nursing but feel a strong desire to advance your career, an online master’s in nursing education may be the right fit for your needs. You’ll have the chance to learn more about the profession while becoming one of the most important contributors to the healthcare industry.