Completing an online Masters in Education program is an excellent way to advance or enter a teaching career. In fact, a Masters of Education won’t just help you be a better teacher – it can also open up advanced roles in administration within schools and universities. Doing your program online will allow you to study on your own time, so you can continue to work full-time and meet all your commitments as a family member. Keep in mind though – an online degree isn’t necessarily an easy way to get a Masters. Online programs have to meet the same quality standards and use basically the same curriculum as on-campus programs.

Top Online Masters in Education Programs

Here are some of the best Masters in education online programs in the US, and what makes them stand out.

University of Southern California – this school doesn’t offer an online Masters Degree in Education, but they have an excellent online Master of Arts in Teaching. The Rossier School of Education, through which this online program is administered, has a long history of producing quality teachers and consistently ranks highly in lists of top education schools in the US.

University of Massachusetts – this school offers a wide variety of specializations online, including a Masters in Science Education and a Masters in Reading and Language. The online programs offered by this school focus more on adult education, so they’re not ideal for someone looking to get into teaching kids.

University of Phoenix – this school is one of the heavyweights of online education, and they offer most of the traditional specialization streams for a Masters of Education including secondary education, elementary education, early childhood education and special education. For a broad selection and a guarantee of a respectable, accredited degree, University of Phoenix is definitely a top choice.

Kaplan University – the Masters of Science in Education offered by Kaplan focuses on preparing teachers for elementary and high school level education. It shows you how to put together a lesson plan, layout your teaching plan for the year in line with the official curriculum, and deal with challenging situations you may face in the classroom.

Walden Online University – Walden’s program focuses not only on the practical techniques you need to be an effective teacher, but also the underlying principles and philosophy of teaching. This is an in-depth program that will likely give you a new perspective on your chosen career path. It not only teaches you how to instruct your students, but to identify their own natural learning strengths and allow them to teach themselves more effectively.

Northcentral University – Northcentral offers a wide variation of specializations in the Masters of Education program, including athletic coaching, e-learning and global training and leadership. Northcentral also allows you to go on to a PhD in Education or a Doctor of Education degree, if you want to push your knowledge of advanced education even further.

University of Cincinnati – this school is very highly respected for its offline programs, and it has now joined the trend towards online learning by offering a top-notch Masters in Education program. The Teachers’ College has accreditation from NCATE, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, making it equally as valuable as any on-campus degree.

The Value of an Online Masters in Education Degree

Many people who consider an online Masters in Education degree love the idea of being to fit in advanced education alongside full time work, but they worry their degree won’t count for as much as an on-campus degree.

In reality, online Masters in Education degrees are now quite common and well-respected amongst many employers. However, the key remains the quality of the school you attend. You can get a worthless degree from a bad online university, just as you can get a worthless degree from a bad offline university. Program quality and accreditation are the factors that matter most at the end of the day, along with the school’s general reputation amongst the professionals who will be deciding whether or not you get a job so getting your online masters in education is more convenient.