A master’s degree builds on your existing education and experience to give you an advanced understanding of your field. With a master’s degree, you have the opportunity to move into leadership and management roles in your current profession. Having a master’s degree can lead to career advancement, and certain roles require a master’s degree.
Online master’s degrees have the same curriculum and requirements as on-campus programs. And an online program that allows you to earn a degree on a progression that suits your personal and professional needs. Online master’s programs can also be more affordable than a traditional option.
If you’re considering an online master’s program, we’ve identified our top picks for 2022 below.
Top 5 Online Master’s Degrees: Fast Facts
|
University |
Program stats |
How much? |
|
University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA |
|
Per credit hour: $1,400 Registration fee: $120 |
|
Columbus, OH |
|
Per credit hour: $1,595 residents $1,795 non-resident Registration fee: $60 |
|
Gainesville, FL |
|
Per credit hour: $525-$1,500 Registration fee: $30 |
|
Durham, N.C |
|
Per credit hour: $3,346 Registration fee: $95 |
|
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC |
|
Per credit hour: $586.23 residents $1,602 non-resident Registration fee: $95 |
Checklist for applying to graduate school
Applying to graduate schools is an involved process, but advanced planning can help it go more smoothly.
Departments and programs may have different deadlines than agency deadlines. Make sure to check the deadlines for the programs you are interested in and give yourself plenty of time to complete the application.
You should also gather documents, note down admission requirements, explore tuition and funding options, and contact admissions offices if you have any questions.
- Here’s a checklist of what you need to do to prepare for and apply to graduate school.
- Decide on a program type
- Select the schools to which you plan to apply
- Review the admissions criteria
- Take it the GRE, GMATor other entrance exam
- Complete the FAFSA quality for federal student aid
- Submit transcripts from your undergraduate degree and any previous graduate coursework
- Contact potential cover letter writers
- Research funding options such as assistantships and allowances
- Apply for private, faculty-level, and field-specific scholarships.
The Best Online Master’s Programs
To create this list, we started by gathering federally reported data, programmatic and expert results, and insights from industry experts. Then we apply ZDNet’s ranking method to find the best of the best. We’ve broken down the details to help you decide which college is right for you.
Unless otherwise specified, data are obtained from Integrated post-secondary education data system and College transcripts. Note that for public colleges, the average annual net price is for in-state students.
1. University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
About the school: With more than 14,000 graduate and professional students, UCLA Online Master’s degrees include one in healthcare administration and 15 engineering programs.
- Acceptance rate: 14%
- Graduation rate: 92%
- Average annual net price: $15,023
- Completion time: Two to three years
- Minimum GRE scored: There is no minimum
- Minimum GPA: 3.0
- Admission each year: Two
- Course delivery method: Asynchronous
2. Ohio State University
Columbus, OH
About the school: OSU provides 20 online master’s degrees. The online MBA is specially designed for working professionals.
- Acceptance rate: 68%
- Graduation rate: 77%
- Average annual net price: $16,845
- Completion time: Two years
- Minimum GRE score: There is no minimum
- Minimum GPA: 3.0
- Admission each year: Three
- Course delivery method: Synchronous and asynchronous course
3. University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida
About the school: With more than 80 online master’s degrees available, UF also offers study programs at dozens of locations across the state.
- Acceptance rate: thirty first%
- Graduation rate: 88%
- Average annual net price: $5,135
- Completion time: Two years
- Minimum GRE score: Change
- Minimum GPA: 3.0
- Admission each year: Three
- Course delivery method: Asynchronous
4. Duke University
Durham, North Carolina
About the school: Affiliated with the United Methodist Church, Duke hosts nearly 10,000 graduate students annually, including those already enrolled in the institution’s 10 online masters programs.
- Acceptance rate: 8%
- Graduation rate: 96%
- Average annual net price: $32,459
- Completion time: One to two years
- Minimum GRE score: Mandatory in some departments; no minimum set
- Minimum GPA: N / A
- Admission each year: Three
- Course delivery method: Asynchronous, synchronous and hybrid
5. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
About the school: Together with online PhD, undergraduate, and certificate programs, UNC-Chapel Hill offers 12 online master’s degrees.
- Acceptance rate: 25%
- Graduation rate: 90%
- Average annual net price: $12,469
- Completion time: Two years
- Minimum GRE score: 50th percentile and above are recommended
- Minimum GPA: 3.0 recommendations
- Admission each year: Four
- Course delivery method: Asynchronous and synchronous programs are available
6. University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
About the school: With 19 schools and colleges, UM offers 15 online master’s degreess of more than 275 online programs through Michigan Online. Through UM, students can earn online masters in health infrastructure and learning systems.
- Acceptance rate: 26%
- Graduation rate: 92%
- Average annual net price: $14,878
- Completion time: One to two years
- Minimum GRE score: There is no minimum; average is the 80th-90th percentile
- Minimum GPA: Change
- Admission each year: One
- Course delivery method: Asynchronous
7. Stanford University
Stanford, California
About the school: Stanford provides 13 online master’s degrees. Along with extensive engineering options, programs include education, statistics, physics, and master’s degrees in informatics.
- Acceptance rate: 5%
- Graduation rate: 96%
- Average annual net price: $12,894
- Completion time: Two to five years
- Minimum GRE score: Change
- Minimum GPA: N / A
- Admission each year: Four
- Course delivery method: Asynchronous and Synchronous Programs
8. Johns Hopkins University
City of Baltimore, Maryland
About the school: Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins has nine academic divisions. Johns Hopkins offers part-time and full-time students alike with more than 50 online master’s degrees.
- Acceptance rate: 11%
- Graduation rate: ninety three%
- Average annual net price: $23,428
- Completion time: Two to five years
- Minimum GRE score: Change
- Minimum GPA: 3.0
- Admission each year: Three
- Course delivery method: Asynchronous and synchronous programs are available
9. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
About the school: Through Penn .’s e-learning initiative, students can complete one of four master’s degrees online. Programs include nonprofit leadership, computer and information technology, animal behavior and welfare, and healthcare innovation.
- Acceptance rate: 9%
- Graduation rate: 97%
- Average annual net price: $25,046
- Completion time: Two to five years
- Minimum GRE score: Change
- Minimum GPA: Change
- Admission each year: Change
- Course delivery method: Asynchronous and synchronous programs are available
10. New York University
New York, New York
About the school: With three campuses and 11 academic centers and research programs worldwide, NYU offers 24 online master’s degrees through its nine schools.
- Acceptance rate: 21%
- Graduation rate: 84%
- Average annual net price: $38,569
- Completion time: Two to five years
- Minimum GRE score: Change
- Minimum GPA: Change
- Admission each year: Change
- Course delivery method: Asynchronous and synchronous programs are available
