Best Online Master’s Programs in Indiana 2024

Badge for BEST ONLINE MASTER'S IN INDIANA

By Dr. James Barham
Reviewed By Academic Influence Staff

Published: May 11, 2022
Updated: Nov 22, 2023

Find the best online colleges in Indiana 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 Indiana

Purdue University
Ball State University
Indiana State University
Purdue Global
Indiana University Bloomington
Indiana Wesleyan University
Indiana University East
Indiana University South Bend
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis
Goshen College

Indiana University Bloomington
Purdue University
Indiana State University
Ball State University
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis
Goshen College
Indiana University East
Indiana Wesleyan University
Purdue Global
Indiana University South Bend

Goshen College 94%
Indiana State University 92%
Indiana Wesleyan University 87%
Indiana University South Bend 87%
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis 83%
Indiana University Bloomington 82%
Indiana University East 78%
Ball State University 69%
Purdue University 53%

Purdue Global 26 to 1
Indiana University Bloomington 17 to 1
Indiana State University 16 to 1
Ball State University 15 to 1
Purdue University 14 to 1
Indiana University East 13 to 1
Indiana Wesleyan University 13 to 1
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis 13 to 1
Indiana University South Bend 12 to 1
Goshen College 9 to 1

Goshen College $36,660
Indiana Wesleyan University $29,684
Purdue Global $10,080
Indiana University Bloomington $10,012
Purdue University $9,718
Indiana State University $9,452
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis $8,972
Ball State University $8,434
Indiana University East $7,274
Indiana University South Bend $7,274

Goshen College $29,678
Indiana Wesleyan University $14,112
Indiana University Bloomington $10,033
Purdue University $9,718
Ball State University $9,636
Purdue Global $9,472
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis $9,366
Indiana State University $7,884
Indiana University East $7,746
Indiana University South Bend $7,746

Goshen College
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis
Indiana University South Bend
Indiana University East
Indiana Wesleyan University
Indiana University Bloomington
Purdue Global
Indiana State University
Ball State University
Purdue University

Indiana University South Bend
Purdue Global
Indiana Wesleyan University
Indiana University East
Goshen College
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis
Ball State University
Indiana State University
Purdue University
Indiana University Bloomington

Purdue University 53%
Ball State University 69%
Indiana University East 78%
Indiana University Bloomington 82%
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis 83%
Indiana University South Bend 87%
Indiana Wesleyan University 87%
Indiana State University 92%
Goshen College 94%

Goshen College 9 to 1
Indiana University South Bend 12 to 1
Indiana University East 13 to 1
Indiana Wesleyan University 13 to 1
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis 13 to 1
Purdue University 14 to 1
Ball State University 15 to 1
Indiana State University 16 to 1
Indiana University Bloomington 17 to 1
Purdue Global 26 to 1

Indiana University East $7,274
Indiana University South Bend $7,274
Ball State University $8,434
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis $8,972
Indiana State University $9,452
Purdue University $9,718
Indiana University Bloomington $10,012
Purdue Global $10,080
Indiana Wesleyan University $29,684
Goshen College $36,660

Indiana University East $7,746
Indiana University South Bend $7,746
Indiana State University $7,884
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis $9,366
Purdue Global $9,472
Ball State University $9,636
Purdue University $9,718
Indiana University Bloomington $10,033
Indiana Wesleyan University $14,112
Goshen College $29,678

Table of Contents

Featured Programs

Colleges and Universities in Indiana

Prospective students searching for both brick-and-mortar and online colleges in Indiana have many excellent options, including notable institutions like University of Notre Dame, Purdue University, and Butler University. Each boasts a high graduate rate, a wide variety of traditional and online degree programs, and numerous excellent undergraduate and graduate programs. The tuition and student population vary widely between these schools.

Indiana University Bloomington is the largest public university in Indiana. The state university is also noted for its high graduation rate, its large student population of roughly 40,000 students, and an in-state tuition rate just above the national average at $11,000.

Find college admissions consultants in your state.

Additionally, students hoping to attend a school with a religious affiliation have nearly 30 options to choose from. Both traditional and online students at these schools can study areas like engineering, business, philosophy, religious studies, and law.

The state of Indiana offers loan forgiveness-based financial aid programs for health care workers who work in areas with labor shortages as well as for lawyers providing public legal aid. Additionally, graduates of Indiana University’s Maurer School of Law pursuing public interest law can apply for a special grant program that will help cover the cost of preparing and sitting for the bar exam.

With town names like Popcorn and Santa Claus, Indiana clearly has a quirky personality. Along with these unique towns, Indiana also hosts the famous Indianapolis 500 auto race; boasts a thriving art scene; and has been home to iconic celebrities, including Larry Bird, James Dean, and David Letterman.

Students wanting to experience all Indiana has to offer while studying have the option of attending one of Indiana’s more than 50 higher education institutes. Most offer both traditional and online degrees, as well as a full array of undergraduate programs and advanced degrees.

Explore Indiana’s more than 50 colleges and universities to find a program and future career path that’s right for you.

What are Indiana’s Colleges & Universities?

Indiana’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.

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

Methodology

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 Indiana 2023

Indiana’s Best Grad Programs in Your Area Interest

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Best Online Master’s Programs in Indiana 2024

Top 10 Online Master's Programs in Indiana

Featured Programs

Colleges and Universities in Indiana

What are Indiana’s Colleges & Universities?

Best Online Master’s Program in Indiana 2023

Career Outlook for degree at Purdue University

Online Master's Degrees

Concentrations

Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Ball State University

Online Master's Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Indiana State University

Online Master's Degrees

Online Master's Degrees

Concentrations

Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Indiana University Bloomington

Online Master's Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Indiana Wesleyan University

Online Master's Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Indiana University East

Online Doctoral Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Indiana University South Bend

Online Master's Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis

Online Master's Degrees

Concentrations

Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Goshen College

Online Master's Degrees

Indiana’s Best Grad Programs in Your Area Interest