The decision to pursue your education by attending graduate school will help advance your career. It is also an incredibly enriching experience as it provides you with new opportunities to study topics you are interested in and deepen your knowledge about your subject. But, many people consider the increasing cost of tuition and turn away from taking the next step. Whatever your financial circumstances, there are numerous possibilities to help you fight the rising costs of college.
In the beginning, numerous employers will pay tuition for students who are enrolled in an advanced degree program relevant to their current work. Also, you’re in the running for scholarships and financial aid if you go to university on the internet! There are also scholarships available for online students. In addition to the advantages offered at your disposal, you may choose to locate the most affordable and high-quality schools to attend. This article will provide you with the 20 most reasonable schools that offer master’s programs. Each master’s degree program included in this list comes with costs lower than the national average and less than $8,000.
The low-cost graduate schools included in this list are accredited and offer a wide range of master’s degrees online. Online degrees tend to be less expensive since there are fewer costs associated when attending classes online compared to face-to-face. Additionally, some schools provide reduced tuition costs to their online students, equal to their state-wide tuition regardless of the student’s location of residence.
You will also have the chance to obtain the education you’ve always wanted without disrupting your lifestyle by moving or disrupting your financial plan. You will not have to skip classes to get to classes or spend vast amounts of money to obtain your degree from an affordable master’s degree program in this ranking of colleges.
1. Fort Hays State University
Fort Hays State University is an accredited public institution located in Hays, Kansas. Initially founded as an agricultural-based institution, it would later become a regular school. The school was part of the Western Branch of Kansas State Normal School and was opened in 1902. It was the first branch of Kansas State Normal School. Kansas State Normal School went into Emporia State University, and the Western unit was expanded and became FHSU. The school now houses its College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, the College of Business and Entrepreneurship, the College of Education and Technology, and the College of Health and Life Sciences. The degree programs are available at the bachelor’s, associate’s, master’s, master’s, doctoral, and master’s levels, with 15,100 students. The Higher Learning Commission recognizes FHSU.
Fort Hays State University first started offering distance learning options in 1999 with”the Virtual College. It is a Virtual College evolved from the Department of Continuing Education and Learning Technology. There are about 20-degree courses available on the internet, mostly master’s degree programs. These low-cost master’s degrees can be obtained online except for three programs. The courses are taught synchronously to be easily incorporated into the hectic schedule of a professional or parent, or both. A few of these courses comprise just 30 credits. There are also choices for students who don’t have any undergraduate degrees in the same subject. FHSU offers online master’s degrees in nursing, counseling, business, psychology, etc.
2. Wayne State College
View Profile Average
Cost: $3,870
Wayne State College is a public four-year institution located in Wayne, Nebraska. It should not be confused with Detroit, Michigan’s Wayne State University. Wayne State College was founded in 1910. However, it can trace its origins back to 1891, when the institution’s predecessor was founded under Nebraska Normal College. The State bought the private school and established its State Normal College in 1910. Throughout its long history, Wayne State was also called the State Normal School and Teacher’s College, as well as it was also known as the Nebraska State Teachers College at Wayne. The college was named Wayne State College in 1963. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is part of the Nebraska State College System. The college has just 3,300 students and offers degrees at the master’s and bachelor’s degrees through four schools.
Around 100 different programs are offered There are more than 100 programs of study offered at Wayne State College. Nine master’s degree programs are entirely online, and five programs are partially online or provide online alternatives. The majority of programs comprise 30-40 credit hours, except for counseling programs, which contain 60 credits. There are seven options for students who want to pursue a Master of Science in Education: four distinct Master of Science in Organizational Management programs and an Education Specialist program. The most well-known program is the MBA. This Master of Business Administration is the most sought-after online option offered by Wayne State College. It is recognized by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education and is ranked as one of the top five affordable programs in the country in various studies. The MBA comprises 30 credits, and tuition is paid at a flat cost of $361.25 per hour of credit. With this rate and the minimal costs accompanying attendance, it is possible to complete your degree for as little as $10,000!
3. University of West Georgia
The University of West Georgia is a public university in Carrollton, Georgia. In the year 1906, when it was first established, the institution was named”the Fourth District A&M school. It was founded to help the rural population that was more likely to benefit from an agricultural and mechanical school. It was founded in the year 1933. changed to a two-year school and was given its title West Georgia College. As time went on, the school continued to grow and eventually became an institution four years of duration in 1957. Then, it became a university dubbed”the” State University of West Georgia. Today, it is known as UWG The University comprises seven colleges and seven schools. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools; the Commission on Colleges accredits the school, which provides degrees from bachelor’s level to doctoral.
Since the mid-1920s, UWG has been committed to enhancing educational opportunities for students who aren’t traditional by providing programs and education for an extension for adults. It continues to carry on the tradition by offering more than 50 online courses. 14 master’s degrees are available on the internet at UWG. The programs are delivered in a completely online format. Classes are offered asynchronously, allowing students to complete their assignments according to their schedule. The courses are comprised of between 30 to 36 credits. The majority of them require about two years of study to finish. However, the MBA available at the University of West Georgia can be completed in only 18 months. A few of the options are nursing, Applied Computer Science, Public Administration, and nine different degrees in education.
4. Chadron State College
Average Cost: $4,300
Chadron State College Chadron State College is an institution of higher education situated in Chadron, Nebraska. It is part of the Nebraska State College System and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The college was established in 1909 and officially opened in 1911. It has a mere 2700 students enrolled. This is the only institution located in the western part of the State. The degrees offered are the master’s and bachelor’s degrees. Numerous small publications have assessed the school’s affordable prices during the last few years. Despite its size being relatively small, Chadron still houses several academic divisions. They include The School of Liberal Arts, the School of Business, Mathematics, and Science, and the School of Professional Studies and Applied Sciences.
Chadron State College has a large selection of online degree programs. Students at the master’s degree level can select from 18 online programs and three partially-online courses. The tuition is charged at the same rate and without any additional charges, whatever location you reside. The online classes are taught in a speedy schedule, which lasts only eight weeks and allows students to complete their studies more quickly. The options for students studying at Chadron’s distance comprise three distinct Master of Organizational Management programs. one of which is a Master of Arts in Education in Science and Mathematics program. It also includes a Master of Arts in Education in Education Administration with three focus areas from which you can choose. The Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction has ten focus areas to select from and an MBA. There are three counseling programs, all of which are partly online.
5. Valdosta State University
Valdosta State University is a public institution located situated in Valdosta, Georgia. The State established it in 1906. It was a regular college, and it taught teachers. It was a typical college, a women’s school, and a four-year university throughout its history before becoming a university in 1993. Over 10,000 students are enrolled at the school, which provides degrees at every level, from associates to doctoral degrees. There are over 100 distinct programs offered at the university that are split between the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of the Arts, the Langdale College of Business Administration, The James L. and Dorothy H. Dewar College of Education & Human Services, and the College of Nursing & Health Sciences. VSU has been accredited through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges, and additional accreditations related to programs.
Valdosta State University offers close to 40-degree programs online. In reality, almost 50% of students at the school are enrolled entirely online. A staggering 72% of graduate students are fully registered in distance-learning programs. For the master’s degree, there are 22 choices for students seeking to complete their studies on the internet. The available options include Master of Education programs in Adult and Career Education, Curriculum and Instruction, Education Leadership Elementary Education, health and Physical Education, Instructional Technology and Training (with multiple focus areas), and Middle Grades Mathematics and Science. There are also six Master of Arts in Teaching programs, a Master of Arts in ESLA for teachers, an MBA (with the option of a Healthcare Administration focus), an MPA and an MLIS, and the Masters of Science in Criminal Justice.
6. West Texas A&M University
Average Cost: $4,496
West Texas A&M University is an institution of higher education situated in the Amarillo metropolitan area, specifically within the town of Canyon, Texas. Like many institutions in America, WTAMU was established as a typical university. Its doors were opened to its first class of 152 students in 1910. In 1910, the college was known as”the West Texas State Normal College and continued to operate under that name until it became West Texas State Teachers College in 1923. It was later changed to West Texas State College in 1949. The name would not change until the institution was granted a university in 1963. WTAMU has been accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges, and currently serves over 10,000 students. The degrees are available at master’s, bachelor’s, and doctorate levels.
U.S. News & World Report has acknowledged West Texas A&M University for its online programs on numerous occasions, naming the university’s online MBA programs and other graduate programs online in business among the top. There are 13 master’s degrees online at the school. Some qualifications, such as the Master of Education and school Counseling or the Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling, require a practicum completed in a local location at an approved site. Other options include the Master of Science in Nursing and the Master of Business Administration, the Master of Science in Computer Information Systems & Business Analytics, and many more. The programs are not based on face-to-face meetings and are taught in a flexible format. If one is interested in attending traditional classes, most master’s programs can be accessed online.
7. Henderson State University
Henderson State University is a public institution located in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. The school has a rich timeline. In 1890, the university was established in the form of Arkadelphia Methodist College, but it was shut down nearly 40 years later as per the state convention. The idea was to merge this college into Hendrix College, but due to the backlash of students and the Administration, the college was handed to state control to stop this. Instead of pursuing this merger plan, Hendrix College changed its name to the Henderson State Teachers College after becoming a public institution. It proliferated following that, expanding the range of academic programs and even introducing graduate education. To reflect these changes, the school changed its name to Henderson State College in 1967. University status was conferred in 1975, which led to the name change to Henderson State College. The school is home to around 3000 students and offers degrees from the associate level to the master’s degree and various certificate levels.
Henderson State University is the only University within Arkansas that is an official member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges and offers the one aviation degree in the entire State. These five schools and colleges make up HSU. There are a variety of distance learning programs available. Master’s degree options include the Master of Business Administration, an MBA in Public Management, an M.S. of Science in Developmental Therapy, and the Master of Science in Education programs in Special Education K-12, Educational Technology Leadership, and Building-level Leadership. The majority of programs have a synchronous component. However, they are designed to accommodate professionals’ work schedules and usually take place during the night. One degree which stands out is called the MBA. This can be completed in a single calendar year.
8. Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University is a public research university located in Kennesaw, Georgia. KSU also has campuses located in Marietta, Georgia, and holds classes at several satellite campuses across the State. KSU was founded in 1963 as a junior college; in the beginning, it was referred to as Kennesaw Junior College. It soon grew beyond the college and was incorporated in 1976. It later became a university in 1996. It was operating under two different names as a college before choosing KSU. More than 36,000 students are enrolled at the school, and it is among the largest universities on this list. It provides degrees at all levels and has been accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges. The university is growing. It was designated a National Center of Academic Excellence by the Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency in 2004.
It was also a memorable year for the university as it was the first time that it was classified in the category of doctoral research institution by the Carnegie Foundation and was elevated from a “regional university” to the status of a “national institution” according to U.S. News & World Report. There are about 80 programs of study that you can choose from at KSU, which is made up of 13 schools and colleges. KSU is home to the most extensive Department of Continuing Education in the nation, and the online degree programs are offered. There are 21 master’s degree options available online at Kennesaw State University. Students who attend the school can benefit from the university’s solid relationships with other universities and the vast array of elective options that allow you to customize the curriculum to meet your goals in the workplace. The fields include nursing, business engineering, education, business, and a handful of other areas.
9. Oklahoma State University
Oklahoma State University is an open research institution with its main campus in Stillwater, Oklahoma. It was established in 1890 as Oklahoma’s land-grant school following the Morrill Act. It was first opened in 1890 and was named”the Oklahoma Territorial Agricultural and Mechanical College. When 1907 came around, and Oklahoma became a state, the name changed to Oklahoma A&M College. The name was later changed to the Oklahoma State University of Agricultural and Applied Sciences in 1957 due to its transformation into an institution of higher learning. Still, it was only for a short time. It was settled at Oklahoma State University in 1980. OSU is recognized by the Higher Learning Commission and currently provides 250,000 students. It provides degrees at all levels through six universities and faculties.
Oklahoma State University has a highly regarded reputation and has been acknowledged by numerous publications and organizations. Notably, it was named an official Truman Honor Institution, and its School of Entrepreneurship was recognized in 2011 as being ranked 10th globally in research productivity. The school offers numerous programs. The university provides 23-degree choices that cover a variety of subjects of study. They include the Master of Science in Aviation and Space and Space, an MSc of Science in International Agriculture and an MSc of Science in Nutritional Sciences, the Master of Science in Information Assurance, and a host of other exclusive options. Each of these programs is accessible online, except for the M.S. in Fire & Emergency Management Administration, which requires a 9-hour intensive during the summer. OSUOnline is where you’ll get access to its distance-learning programs.
10. Utah State University
Utah State University is an American public land- and space-grant research institution in Logan, Utah. The school was established in 1888 under the name of it was known as the Agricultural College of Utah. In the beginning, specific departments were forced to shut down to tailor the curriculum to agricultural, domestic science, domestic science, and mechanical arts. But, the university was able to rebound and saw rapid growth in the early 1900s. Masters degrees were instituted in 1915, followed by doctoral degrees added in 1950. In 1957, the school was granted the status of a university. The name changed several times. However, the institution is officially known as”the Utah State University of Agriculture and Applied Science However, it is formally known informally as Utah State University. USU has been accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. There are nine schools and colleges in which the university is organized. In total, they have 27,679 students.
Utah State University offers degrees at bachelor’s, associate’s, master’s, doctoral, and master’s levels. Thirty-one different programs lead to various degrees and certificates. They are also available on the internet. There are also 18 additional minors to choose from too. U.S. News & World Report has honored USU’s online courses in its rankings of the top online graduate programs. The master’s program has 12-degree options to select from if you’d prefer to study at Utah State University at a distance. The degrees range between 30 and 36 hours of credit. The classes are delivered asynchronously, with some of them arranged into seven-week sessions that will help you finish more quickly. Online students can also access tutoring and advice on academics, discounts on software, and other deals.
