Top 20 Online Master's Degrees in Education Administration for 2019
Teachers play an important role in shaping the development of students, but they cannot do it alone. Education administrators work behind the scenes to ensure schools operate smoothly, which in turn creates a stable and healthy environment for learning. An online master's degree in education administration prepares budding professionals to oversee teachers and staff, manage budgets, and run schools efficiently to ensure the leaders of tomorrow possess the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.
Educational administrators are the CEOs and top managers in the educational system. Achieving these desirable positions is challenging, but by obtaining a master's degree in education administration, current teachers interested in advancing their careers can become principals, superintendents, or even university presidents. These new positions may be more demanding and fast-paced, but the rewards and recognition are well worth the effort.
What Are The Best Online Education Administration Programs?
Top 20 Online Masters Degrees in Education Administration for 2019
Using state and national leadership standards, Drexel University's accredited online master's degree in educational administration is designed to prepare and mentor future elementary and secondary educational leaders. The MS in educational administration is divided into four different concentrations: PA administrative certificate, principal K-12, supervisor of special education certification & principal (K-12) certification, supervisor of special education certification (without principal certification), and the non-certification track. This program is divided into four 10-week quarters per year. One semester-credit is equivalent to 1.5 quarter-credits. Students can expect to take up to 45 credit hours to complete the program. The program culminates in an action research project.
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What Will I Learn in an Online Education Administration Master's Program?
The curriculum requirements for an online master's in education administration vary from one school to the next. However, students can expect coursework that shares some common themes. Below are five sample courses that online master's programs in education administration usually offer.
Developing and empowering instructional leaders: In this course, students develop skills for workplace leadership, professional mentorship, data assessment, and instructional evaluation. Students identify instructional leaders, promote their professional development, and deliver constructive performance feedback. This course is preparation for graduates to work as school principals.
Educational research: This course introduces students to research basics. Students explore research planning skills and examine the application of quantitative and qualitative research methods to education contexts. They also practice interpreting and evaluating the research of others. This course is particularly relevant for students who wish to become education researchers.
Education finance: This course explores issues related to education budgets and school functioning. They study local, state, and federal financial regulations that affect school operations. Students examine accounting principles, fiscal resource allocation, and administrative processes, and graduates are equipped with budgeting skills that school principals and postsecondary administrators require.
Education law: Students examine case studies and discuss legal topics — including freedom of speech, school safety, religion in schools, and discrimination — to gain an overview of the laws and policies that affect American schools. This course prepares aspiring school principals to improve general student outcomes.
Using data to improve student achievement: Students develop instruction methods and methods for boosting student achievement through data use. In this course, participants discuss data collection, analysis, and application within educational contexts. They also examine the relevance of data to decision making at the legislative, administrative, and classroom levels. Aspiring instructional coordinators will find this curriculum especially valuable.
Job Outlook and Salaries for Education Administrators
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , the 2016 median pay for postsecondary education administrators was $90,760. The field is projected to grow 10% between 2016 and 2026, which is faster than the average rate for all other occupations. This growth can be partially attributed to higher student enrollment at colleges and universities. A master's degree is the typical entry-level requirement to become an educational administrator, and experience in the field is a plus when looking for jobs. Prospective candidates who work at four-year colleges and universities can earn nearly $10,000 more than their counterparts at junior colleges.
| Entry-Level (0-5 Years) | Mid-Career (5-10 Years) | Experienced (10-20 Years) | Late Career (20+ Years) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $51,000 | $61,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
Source: PayScale
Job Duties and Options for Education Administrators
Postsecondary education administrators oversee student services, academics, and faculty research at colleges and universities. Their job duties vary depending on the area of the college they manage, such as admissions, the registrar, or student affairs. Most administrators work full time, with work slowing down during the summer. Job duties may change depending on where they work, but some similarities should apply for education administrators across the board.
For an admissions position, administrators may determine the admission rate for schools, meet with prospective students, review applications, analyze admission and student data, and promote the school or university. Often times, these professionals work with a school's financial department.
For a position in the registrar's office, administrators can expect to register students, schedule space and time for classes, verify graduation requirements, plan ceremonies, and maintain student records.
Student affairs administrators advise students on different aspects of student life, communicate with parents or guardians, support students in non-academic affairs, and schedule programs. Each of these three areas has the potential for even more specialization, depending on the needs of the educational institution.
Postsecondary education administrators can also be provosts or academic deans. Provosts — also called chief academic officers — help college presidents develop academic policies, participate in making faculty appointments and tenure decisions, and manage budgets. Academic deans direct and coordinate the activities of an individual college or school. For example, in a large university, a dean may oversee the law school.
Professional Organizations for Education Administrators
Students pursuing an online master's in education administration may benefit from joining a professional organization dedicated to their field.
Professional organizations for education administrators provide resources for school principals, superintendents, instructional coordinators, and school business professionals. Members of these organizations can take advantage of research publications, networking events, professional development opportunities, and political advocacy resources. They may also have access to employment assistance, legal services, and product discounts.
Students pursuing a master's in education administration online degree can join one of the organizations listed below.
School Superintendents Association : AASA is a collective of school leaders who advocate for public education. Membership benefits include access to relevant publications, national conferences, and professional development opportunities. Members may also receive professional liability insurance, money management resources, and legal assistance.
National Education Association : NEA advocates for education reform and promotes social justice and equal opportunities for students. Members participate in conferences, service events, and advocacy initiatives. They also have access to financial resources, legal services, continuing education, and association publications.
Association of School Business Officials International : ASBO International promotes the strategic use of educational resources. Members include school business professionals who attend conferences and continuing education events. Additional membership benefits include access to employment assistance, advocacy opportunities, online forums, and product discounts.
To determine the best master's degrees in education administration, we looked at the most important factors prospective students, mainly common predictors of future success and a school's commitment to online programs. This boils down to admissions rate, student loan default rate, retention rate, graduation rate, and the percent of students enrolled in online classes. All data points are taken from information provided by colleges and universities to the National Center for Education Statistics.
Each factor is weighted evenly in order to give an objective view and determine the 20 best master's degrees in education administration. To calculate our rankings, we looked at a school's ranking when organized by a single factor, and then averaged each category's ranking to find an overall score: Admissions Rate (20%) + Default Rate (20%) + Retention Rate (20%) + Graduation Rate (20%) + Percent of Students Enrolled in Online Classes (20%) = Final score.