Santiago Mallea
Content Writer At Gradehacker
Best Master's Degrees
Are you planning on going back to college to get a graduate degree but don’t know which Master’s degrees are worth in 2023?
Well, you are not the only one!
Because enrolling in a graduate program means a significant time and money investment, prospective students have to plan in advance what career field they’ll follow, where they’ll enroll, and how much that advanced degree will cost them.
At the end of the day, finding the right program is knowing for sure that the Master’s you choose will give you a return on investment as much as it lets you build a successful career.
Not knowing which are the best online Master’s degrees is not only a concern for those who don’t know what career path to follow. The same happens to those who already know their field of study but are clueless about which online program will be the right choice.
Here at Gradehacker, we are the non-traditional adult student’s most trusted resource. We help people like you with their entire college classes to accelerate their degree and finish college much sooner.
We know how critical it is to know in advance which are the best and most affordable programs, so we’ve compiled a list of all the best online master’s degrees that are worthwhile in 2023.
Best Master's Degrees in Business Administration
The Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) is one of the most common and lucrative careers to choose if you are interested in the business world and want to access some of the highest-paying jobs.
You’ll find lots of job prospects related to leadership roles where you’ll put your problem-solving skills to make your company successful in its field.
According to a study conducted by the Forte Foundation, the average salary for an MBA degree holder two years after graduating is between $133,500 and $144,900.
If you want to enroll in a degree program related to project management, these are the colleges you should consider:
Indiana University can be found among the best public universities to get an MBA. It ranks first in the U.S. News list of Best Online MBA Degree Programs and offers seven majors for its prospective students to choose from.
Its program consists of 54 credits, and upon graduation, the average annual salary for its graduate students is $122,000.
To apply for Indiana University, they will thoroughly review your professional background to ensure you are interested in your career advancement. Their admission process consists of two phases:
- Phase 1: Submit a short form where you share your professional background, academic credentials, and leadership experience
- Phase 2: Meet with one of their admission staff with supplemental application documents like
- Academic records (GPA from previous colleges and high school)
- GMAT/GRE scores
- Three letters of recommendation
- Personal statement
Tuition per credit hour at Indiana University is $1,449.
Including additional fees, that would be close to $82,150 for the entire MBA degree program.
However, they offer a wide range of scholarships that go up to $20,000 for their prospective students to apply for.
Now, if you are looking for a more affordable option, you have the University of Wisconsin MBA Consortium.
Its program ranks 9 in the U.S. News list and comprises 36 credit hours scheduled in fully online and asynchronous classes. Graduate students usually need two to three years to finish this online degree.
To enter this Master’s degree program, you have to:
- Hold a Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university
- Have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 2.75
- Score 475 or more on the GMAT or a comparable score on the GRE
- Submit a personal statement, your resume, and three letters of recommendation
- Send the official transcripts from every college and university you have attended
While their degree program is recommended for prospective students with at least two years of professional work experience, they can consider candidates with no hands-on experience and review them based on performance and merit.
Tuition here costs $825 per credit, which would be around $30,000 in total.
Best Master's Degrees in Nursing
Having a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is necessary for any nurse practitioner who wants to take their nursing career to the next level.
According to Nursing Process, the average annual salary for an MSN degree holder starts at $70,000, and with a few years of experience, it grows to $114,000.
Plus, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the employment rate for some nursing fields of study is expected to grow 40% from 2020 to 2030, which is much faster than the average.
Purdue University’s nursing degree program focuses on clinical experiences and comprises 60 to 90 credit hours to complete.
If nursing is your current field of work, here you’ll expand your knowledge in a wide range of concentration and population focus areas that go from education to psychiatric mental health.
If you want to apply for Purdue, you’ll have to:
- Meet their general requirements
- Have a Bachelor's degree and a current RN license
- Submit your official transcripts
- Hold a minimum GPA of 2.5 from an accredited university
- Have an approved criminal background check
Cost
Its tuition cost per credit hour is $420. Considering that most students finish the degree program in two years, the final cost would be around $37,800.
You can significantly lower tuition by transferring up to 45 credits or applying for any of their student loans or grants.
You can also use their pricing calculator to determine how much tuition your specific degree would cost.
Ohio State University ranks first in the U.S. News list of Best Online Master’s in Nursing Programs.
It prepares its nursing students in various clinical settings and offers four specializations, each centered on specialized knowledge.
If you choose the tracks for Clinical Nurse Leader, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, you won’t have to visit campus at all. But if you choose the remaining specialization (Family Nurse Practitioner), you’ll have to go to the university up to three times to complete practical exercises.
To enroll in the Ohio State University MSN online program, you need to:
- Have completed a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with a minimum GPA of 3.0
- Hold an active RN license
- Submit a personal statement, your resume, and three letters of recommendation
Cost
The cost per credit hour here is $920. However, there are other fees that online students have to pay.
In total, this university’s online Master’s program costs around $53,000.
Best Master's Degrees in Education
A Master’s in Education (MEd) is a great career option for those who want to work in the education field and help others learn the skills they are looking for.
According to PayScale, the average salary of an MEd degree holder is $61,000.
Clemson’s Teaching and Learning M.Ed. is the perfect program for prospective students who want to receive a quality education at an affordable price.
It ranks first in the U.S. News list of Best Online Master’s in Education Programs and offers an engaging curriculum that can be completed in just 18 months.
Admission Requirements
To enter this degree program, you have to:
- Hold a Bachelor's Degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0
- Have a current role in a formal or informal education setting
- Submit all your official transcripts, GRE or MAT scores
- Send your resume and a personal statement
- Include three letters of recommendation
Cost
Clemson University charges $499 per credit hour.
You can check their pricing calculator to see how much it would cost you per semester and apply for the different scholarships and grants they offer.
If teaching is your current career and you want to get an MEd online, the University of Florida has one of the best master’s degrees that you can enroll in. It ranks second in the U.S. News list, and its curriculum comprises 36 total credits.
On average, prospective students complete this program in two years.
Admission Requirements
To apply for this program, you must:
- Hold an undergraduate degree from an accredited U.S. college or university
- Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in undergraduate work
- It's recommended you have at least three years of teaching experience and provide evidence of your last two instructional evaluations
The cost per credit hour at the University of Florida is $734.
So, each course costs $2,202, and the entire degree program $26,424.
The good news is that there is only one additional fee to pay, which is $133 to purchase an account in LiveText. All the other expenses are included in the tuition cost.
Best Master's Degrees in Computer Science
The Computer Science Degree is another highest-paying master’s degree that people can get.
Earning this type of degree prepares students for careers such as information security analysts, computer research scientists, software developers, and other positions related to machine learning.
According to PayScale, the average salary of a Computer Science degree holder is around $108,000. And someone with more years of experience has even more salary potential!
For example, while software developers have a median salary between $63,000 and $114,000, a senior software engineer can win up to $170,000 annually.
And while this field of study has a competitive job market, it’s also a business on the rise since the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that its job growth rate between 2021 and 2031 is 21%.
The University of Illinois offers this online Master’s program that ranks seventh in BestColleges list of Best Accredited Online Master’s in Computer Science Programs.
This degree program consists of 32 credit hours comprised of eight advanced courses, and by the end, you’ll have to choose one of their four core areas of expertise.
In order to make this course more accessible and affordable, the University of Illinois partnered with Coursera to use its educational platform. Dedicated full-time students can finish the program as fast as one year and as slow as five years.
Coursera is one of the best and most well-known online platforms that we listed in our blog post. They also offer a wide range of great free courses where you can learn different analytical skills, and if you want to know how it works, you can check it out in our Coursera review.
Admission Requirements
To apply, you’ll have to:
- Hold a four-year bachelor's degree
- Recommended minimum GPA of 3.2
- A letter of recommendation is not necessary but is considered if included
Cost
Their cost of tuition is $670 per credit hour. This means a total of $21,440 for the 32 credits that the program consists of.
Additional fees include ProctorU, which is the software that proctors all the online exams. These fees go from $8.75 to $30.25.
You can alleviate some of these expenses by applying for any of their financial aid options.
Boston University is a private college that offers an online degree that helps prospective students expand their technical skills and knowledge of machine learning to immerse themselves in the fast-paced world of computer science.
Their online program ranks ninth in the U.S. News list of Best Online Master’s in Information Technology Programs and consists of 40 credits that take students between 18 and 24 months to complete.
To apply, you must:
- Have a Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college/university
- Submit official transcripts
- Include two letters of recommendation, your resume, and a personal statement
- GRE/GMAT exam scores are not required but accepted
As a part-time student (between 1 to 12 credits per semester), tuition costs:
- Courses Numbered 100–599: $520
- Courses Numbered 600–999: $955
As a full-time student (between 12.5 credits to 18), tuition costs $30,525 per semester, with an additional $1,908 per credit in excess of 18 credit hours.
Find The Right Online Master's Degree For You!
These are only some of the best master’s degrees you can enroll in.
It’s critical that before you choose what career field you’ll study and which college you’ll join, consider what your personal and professional goals are.
And don’t forget to plan how you are going to afford it!
You can find out in our blog post which are the cheapest online Master’s degrees, and if you are a non-traditional adult student, see all the scholarships available for busy prospective students like you.
We hope you choose the right online Master’s for you!
Remember that if you want to finish it faster, you can count on Gradehacker to help you with everything you need! From individual essays to your entire online classes, we’ll be happy to be right there with you to accelerate your degree.
And if you are looking for more tips for graduate students, check out these related blog posts:
Santiago Mallea
Santiago Mallea is a curious and creative journalist who first helped many college students as a Gradehacker consultant in subjects like literature, communications, ethics, and business. Now, as a Content Creator in our blog, YouTube channel, and TikTok, he assists non-traditional students improve their college experience by sharing the best tips. You can find him on LinkedIn.
