2024’s Most Affordable Online Master’s in Education Programs

Funding Your Online Master’s Degree in Education: 5 Ways to Save

While tuition costs are important to consider, they aren’t the only indicator a program will fit in your budget. There are a variety of ways to make a master’s in education more affordable, and we’ve rounded up five of the most effective.

Apply to scholarships, grants, and fellowships created for M.Ed. students.

One of the most effective ways to lower the cost of tuition is to apply for scholarships, grants, and fellowships. There are a variety of general scholarships for those pursuing master’s degrees with some being designed solely for M.Ed. students, including the BHD Endowed Scholarship for Teachers and Hach Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Scholarship. When looking for scholarships, note that most are for specific fields of education, meaning there will be less competition but fewer you’ll qualify for. For more scholarships, check out OMD’s scholarships and resources guide.

Work-Study or Assistantships

Another way to fund your M.Ed. is through an assistantship or a work-study position. Assistantship availability is based on individual program needs and often means helping a professor as a teaching or research assistant. Check with individual programs for available assistantships and their requirements.

A work-study position is a campus job, perhaps twenty hours a week for the Department of Education, to help offset tuition costs. Work-study programs are run through the federal government, and more information can be found on its website.

Employer Tuition Reimbursement Programs

Many schools will reimburse part or all of an employee’s tuition. This is especially common since many states have regulations around continuing education for teachers. The federal government also has a program, the Teach Grant, for reimbursing teachers for their master’s in education.

Payment Plans

Many schools offer payment plans where you can put money towards your tuition in more manageable quantities. If you don’t have enough money to pay for an entire semester upfront or are waiting on reimbursement for your employer, for example, payment plans allow you to make monthly installments. To find out if this is an option, check with each program you are applying to.

Paid Teaching Opportunities

A paid part-time or flexible teaching position provides an opportunity to utilize your coursework in a classroom setting while also earning money to offset the cost of tuition. This option is especially ideal for those who are not obtaining their master’s while working as full-time educators. There are some paid student teaching opportunities, but many are unpaid. Teach for America offers paid opportunities to give in-class experience and you don’t have to be a licensed educator yet to qualify.