Best Online Master’s Programs in Connecticut 2023

Best Online Master’s Programs in Connecticut 2023

By James Barham
Reviewed By AI Staff

Published: May 11, 2022
Updated: Mar 13, 2023

Find the best online colleges in Connecticut ranked by the academic success of faculty and alumni associated with the colleges and universities and their online degree programs. Faculty and alumni with influential ideas are the foundation of respectable online degree programs employers can trust.

Top 10 Online Master's Programs in Connecticut

University of Connecticut

58%

University of Hartford

38%

Fairfield University

38%

Quinnipiac University

38%

University of Bridgeport

37%

Central Connecticut State University

34%

Sacred Heart University

33%

University of New Haven

32%

Eastern Connecticut State University

23%

Albertus Magnus College

22%

University of New Haven

94%

Quinnipiac University

88%

Albertus Magnus College

82%

University of Hartford

79%

University of Saint Joseph

78%

Central Connecticut State University

75%

University of Bridgeport

73%

Eastern Connecticut State University

73%

Sacred Heart University

66%

University of Connecticut

56%

University of New Haven

18 to 1

University of Connecticut

16 to 1

University of Bridgeport

16 to 1

Quinnipiac University

15 to 1

Albertus Magnus College

14 to 1

Eastern Connecticut State University

14 to 1

Central Connecticut State University

14 to 1

Sacred Heart University

14 to 1

Charter Oak State College

13 to 1

Fairfield University

12 to 1

Fairfield University

$52,870

Quinnipiac University

$51,270

Sacred Heart University

$45,230

University of Hartford

$44,885

University of Saint Joseph

$43,084

University of New Haven

$42,898

Albertus Magnus College

$36,442

University of Bridgeport

$35,760

Goodwin University

$21,198

University of Connecticut

$15,030

Sacred Heart University

$34,509

Albertus Magnus College

$21,744

Quinnipiac University

$19,530

Fairfield University

$19,383

University of Bridgeport

$19,096

University of New Haven

$17,820

University of Connecticut

$17,532

University of Hartford

$14,652

University of Saint Joseph

$14,328

Goodwin University

$11,934

Holy Apostles College and Seminary

15%

Goodwin University

16%

University of Saint Joseph

19%

Charter Oak State College

20%

Albertus Magnus College

22%

Eastern Connecticut State University

23%

University of New Haven

32%

Sacred Heart University

33%

Central Connecticut State University

34%

University of Bridgeport

37%

Fairfield University

56%

University of Connecticut

56%

Sacred Heart University

66%

Eastern Connecticut State University

73%

University of Bridgeport

73%

Central Connecticut State University

75%

University of Saint Joseph

78%

University of Hartford

79%

Albertus Magnus College

82%

Quinnipiac University

88%

University of Saint Joseph

7 to 1

University of Hartford

8 to 1

Holy Apostles College and Seminary

8 to 1

Fairfield University

12 to 1

Goodwin University

12 to 1

Charter Oak State College

13 to 1

Albertus Magnus College

14 to 1

Eastern Connecticut State University

14 to 1

Central Connecticut State University

14 to 1

Sacred Heart University

14 to 1

Eastern Connecticut State University

$6,162

Central Connecticut State University

$6,162

Charter Oak State College

$7,656

Holy Apostles College and Seminary

$9,080

University of Connecticut

$15,030

Goodwin University

$21,198

University of Bridgeport

$35,760

Albertus Magnus College

$36,442

University of New Haven

$42,898

University of Saint Joseph

$43,084

Holy Apostles College and Seminary

$4,500

Eastern Connecticut State University

$7,674

Central Connecticut State University

$7,674

Charter Oak State College

$9,288

Goodwin University

$11,934

University of Saint Joseph

$14,328

University of Hartford

$14,652

University of Connecticut

$17,532

University of New Haven

$17,820

University of Bridgeport

$19,096

Featured Programs

Colleges and Universities in Connecticut

Connecticut is home to a variety of top brick-and-mortar schools as well as a wide variety of fully accredited online colleges. Higher education in Connecticut includes both public and private institutions that offer associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees, both in person and through online degree programs.

With 19 public schools and 20 private schools, Connecticut gives both traditional and online students plenty of options to choose from.

Students seeking an affordable option can attend one of the state’s numerous community colleges, which average $4,000 a year for tuition. The in-state cost for tuition in Connecticut’s four year public schools ranges from $8,000 to $16,000. Many of the community and public colleges in Connecticut also offer online degree programs.

Students interested in psychology, economics, and communications can check out the University of Connecticut (UConn), which is home to the premier research institute for ecological psychology. Sacred Heart University, a Roman Catholic university, is known for its religious studies and business programs.

Those looking for a smaller student population and more online courses may want to check out Manchester Community College, which enrolls about 4000 students and offers affordable in-person and online degrees in literature, biology, and social work.

And of course, Connecticut is also home to Yale University, the fourth oldest learning institute in the United States. The venerable Ivy League school enrolls just over 15,000 students at its New Haven campus.

Both traditional and online students in Connecticut can choose from a variety of higher education experiences fitting a full spectrum of budgets and career goals. Learn more and begin earning your degree from one of the top brick-and-mortar or online colleges in Connecticut.

What are Connecticut’s Colleges & Universities?

Connecticut’s Best Overall

Online master’s degrees offered by respected colleges and universities are generally respected by employers. The main thing to consider about your online master’s choices is whether the school name is well known and respected. In many cases, employers won’t know your degree was earned online. But even if they do, a degree from a respected college is automatically to your benefit.

We rank the colleges and universities in this list by the influence of their alumni and faculty. For master’s degree students, including online master’s degree students, having faculty who are influential in your field matters a lot. It’s a big indicator that you have the chance to get a quality education. And, knowing that you will join an alumni association with some impressive people is nice, too.

Frequently Asked Questions About Online Master’s Degrees

An online master’s degree costs about $40,000 for the average grad student. However, the cost of your online master’s degree will depend on the type of grad school you attend. In 2018-2019, the average cost for a year of tuition in a public grad school was $12,171. The average cost for a year of tuition in private, non-profit grad school was $27,776. An online master’s degree will usually cost about the same as a traditional master’s degree. Some schools will charge 5-10% more for online courses. This added cost pays for the technology and specialized training needed for online instruction. But getting a master’s degree online can also help you save money. The costs above don’t include expenses like housing, transportation, or certain campus fees. As an online grad student, you can save a lot of money by avoiding these added expenses. Many online master’s degree programs are also accelerated. Most master’s degree programs are designed to be completed in two years. But you may be able to earn your online master’s degree in as little as 12-18 months. Earning an accelerated online master’s degree can save you money on tuition.

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require some adjustment. While you’ll generally learn the same content and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, the medium will likely require you to manage much of this experience independently. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, your ability to harness the technology at your fingertips, and your ability to focus on the lectures, lessons, and assignments at hand. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take it upon yourself to build relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript or resume differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

While some employers may express concern about making the adjustment from online education to in-person workplace collaboration, many other employers will view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st Century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

The advantages of online classes are many. First and foremost, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will require some adjustment.

While there is much that can be supplanted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing which can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual classroom setting. As you make the adjustment to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face is overcoming this difference in order to the get the most out of your classes. Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

Best Online Master's Programs in Connecticut — Download Badge

How do we determine Connecticut's best online master's degree programs?

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great! If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence in their fields of study.

Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is freer from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

To rank the influence of schools, we first determine the influence of scholars and professionals based on the number of citations and publications they have had over the past 10 years. In addition to publications and citations, we consider the web links to and from these sources, and the page views of those sources. We then match the influential people to their alma maters and institutions of employment, so that their influence is attributed to those schools. Our machine-learning Influence Ranking algorithm produces a numerical score of academic achievements, merits, and citations across Wikipedia, wikidata, Crossref, Semantic Scholar and an ever-growing body of data. If you are interested in exploring how and why we rank by influence, explore our methodology in more depth.

Best Online Master’s Program in Connecticut 2022

Connecticut’s Best Grad Programs in Your Area Interest