How Much Does an Online Master’s Degree Cost?–

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.

What Can I Expect From an Online College Course?–

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.

Will Employers Respect My Online Degree?–

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.

What Are the Advantages of Online Classes?–

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.

What Are the Disadvantages of Online Classes?–

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 Maine'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.

Best Online Master’s Programs in Maine 2023

By James Barham
Reviewed By AI Staff

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

Find the best online colleges in Maine 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.

Best Online Master’s Program in Maine 2022

#1
University of Maine
Orono , ME
#1 Best Public Colleges in Maine 2023 #1 Best Research Universities in Maine 2023 #1 Best Grad Schools in Maine 2023 #1 Most Affordable Colleges in Maine 2023
Other Rankings
- #2 Best Colleges in Maine 2023
- #4 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2023
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
96%
Graduation
57%
Student body
10K
Online Master’s Degrees
Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Concentrations

Accounting
Business Analytics
Finance
Healthcare Systems
Human Nutrition
Outdoor Industry Management
Public and Nonprofit Management
Sustainability

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MS in Data Science and Engineering

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MS in Information Systems

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MEd in 4+1 Special Education

Required Credits: 33
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MEd in Curriculum, Assessment and Instruction

Required Credits: 33
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MEd in Instructional Technology

Required Credits: 33
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MAT in Secondary Education

Required Credits: 36
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MEd in Educational Leadership

Required Credits: 40
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MEd in Special Education

Concentrations

High Incidence Disabilities
Low Incidence Disabilities
Dual Concentration in High and Low Incidence Disabilities
Early Intervention
Individualized Program

Required Credits: 33-45
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MA in Interdisciplinary Studies

Concentrations

Peace and Reconciliation Studies

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MSW in Social Work

Required Credits: 46-63
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MS in Food Science and Human Nutrition

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
PSM in Bioinformatics

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MS in Spatial Informatics

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
PSM in Engineering and Business

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
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#2
University of Southern Maine
Portland , ME
#2 Best Public Colleges in Maine 2023 #2 Best Grad Schools in Maine 2023 #2 Most Affordable Colleges in Maine 2023 #4 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Maine 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
87%
Graduation
34%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
1059/22
Online Master’s Degrees
MS in Cybersecurity

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MS in Nursing (RN-to-MSN)

Concentrations

Nursing Administration and Leadership
Nursing Education

Required Credits: 60
Completion time: 2 years
Format: Online
MSEd in Teacher Leadership

Concentrations

Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 10 months
Format: Online
MSEd in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 10 months
Format: Online
MEd in Instructional Technology

Required Credits: 33
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MS in Adult and Higher Education

Required Credits: 36
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MSEd in Educational Leadership

Required Credits: 36
Completion time: 14 months
Format: Online
MS in Educational Psychology

Concentrations

Applied Behavior Analysis

Required Credits: 36
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MS in Special Education

Concentrations

In-Service
Pre-Service (Teaching Students With Mild to Moderate Disabilities)
Integrated General Education and Special Education Initial Teacher Certification
Effective Instruction and Assessment for Students with Suspected and Identified Disabilities

Required Credits: 51
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MA in Leadership Studies

Required Credits: 45
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MS in Nursing

Concentrations

Nursing Administration and Leadership
Nursing Education

Required Credits: 36
Completion time: 18 months
Format: Online
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#3
University of New England
Biddeford , ME
#2 Best Research Universities in Maine 2023 #3 Best Grad Schools in Maine 2023 #5 Best Private Colleges in Maine 2023 #7 Best Colleges in Maine 2023
Tuition + fees
$40K
Acceptance
90%
Graduation
63%
Student body
5K
Online Master’s Degrees
MSEd in Education

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2 years
Format: Online
MSED-RS in Education

Concentrations

Reading Specialist

Required Credits: 36
Completion time: 2 years
Format: Online
MSW in Social Work

Required Credits: 64
Completion time: 3 years
Format: Online
MSAN in Applied Nutrition

Required Credits: 36
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MS in Health Informatics

Required Credits: 36
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MPH in Public Health

Required Credits: 46
Completion time: 18 months
Format: Online
MHA in Healthcare Administration

Required Credits: None Reported
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
PMC in Post Master’S Certificate

Concentrations

Curriculum and Instructional Strategies
Literacy K-12
Inclusion Education
Educational Leadership
Individualized

Required Credits: 15
Completion time: 1 year
Format: Online
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#4
Unity College
New Gloucester , ME
#3 Most Affordable Colleges in Maine 2023 #5 Best Small Colleges in Maine 2023 #6 Best Private Colleges in Maine 2023 #6 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Maine 2023
Other Rankings
- #8 Best Colleges in Maine 2023
Tuition + fees
$13K
Acceptance
91%
Graduation
55%
Student body
1K
Online Master’s Degrees
MS in Urban Ecology and Sustainable Planning

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MS in Animal Science and Behavior

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MS in Environmental Geographic Information Science

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MS in Environmental Science

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MS in Environmental Studies and Sustainability

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MS in Marine Science

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MS in Wildlife Conservation and Management

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MBA in Sustainable Business Management

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
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#5
Thomas College
Waterville , ME
#7 Best Private Colleges in Maine 2023 #7 Best Small Colleges in Maine 2023 #8 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Maine 2023 #10 Best Colleges in Maine 2023
Tuition + fees
$29K
Graduation
51%
Student body
<1K
Online Master’s Degrees
Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Concentrations

Human Resources
Project Management
Healthcare Management

Required Credits: 36
Completion time: 1-2 years
Format: Online
MS in Criminology

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 1-2 years
Format: Online
MS in Cybersecurity

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 1-2 years
Format: Online
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#6
Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish , ME
#25 The Best Catholic Colleges and Universities Ranked for 2023 #8 Best Private Colleges in Maine 2023 #9 Best Small Colleges in Maine 2023 #10 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Maine 2023
Tuition + fees
$40K
Acceptance
81%
Graduation
68%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
945/22
Online Master’s Degrees
MAcc in Accountancy

Required Credits: None Reported
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Concentrations

General
Leadership

Required Credits: None Reported
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MSED in Education

Required Credits: None Reported
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MDiv in Divinity

Required Credits: None Reported
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MA in Theology

Concentrations

Advanced Diaconal Studies
Pastoral Theology
Sacred Theology

Required Credits: None Reported
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MHA in Health Administration

Concentrations

Catholic Health Leadership

Required Credits: None Reported
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MS in Nursing (MSN)

Concentrations

Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
Family Nurse Practitioner
Administration
Education

Required Credits: None Reported
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MSN/MBA in Nursing and Business Administration

Required Credits: None Reported
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
MSN/MHA in Nursing and Health Administration

Required Credits: None Reported
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online
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#7
Husson University
Bangor , ME
Tuition + fees
$20K
Acceptance
86%
Graduation
54%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1050/22
Online Master’s Degrees
Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Concentrations

Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Organizational Management
Risk Management
Healthcare Management

Required Credits: 36
Completion time: 1-2 years
Format: Online
MPH in Public Health

Required Credits: 12
Completion time: 1 year
Format: Online
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Best Online Master’s Programs in Maine 2023

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University of Maine

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University of Southern Maine

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University of New England

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Unity College

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Thomas College

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Saint Joseph's College of Maine

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