Masters in Educational Administration Program Rankings

As a student in an education administration master’s degree program, the skills you’ll learn vary from working with a team of teachers to dealing with troubled students. You’ll learn to take on a leadership role, while dealing with problems from parents, students, other administrators, and educators. Classes in this type of program are not easy.

At the same time, getting a master’s degree in educational administration can be extremely rewarding. This is a career field where you have the chance to make a real impact on the lives of student, and your education will prepare you to make major decisions regarding policy. The best educational administration programs also give you real-world experience and research opportunities so that you can really stretch your wings in this field.

But which programs are best? While “best” is in the eye of the beholder, here are some of the programs that have been recognized as the best of the best in the field of educational administration:

Pennsylvania State University

Penn State has been ranked at the top educational administration school for graduate students in the United States by U.S. News and World Report, a publication that does an annual ranking of colleges. This programs allows students the opportunity to pick multiple paths to earning a degree. You can specialize your education to meet your specific goals in becoming an education administrator. You can also earn a doctorate degree in this field from Penn State’s program.

University of Michigan

The University of Michigan, or UM, is located in Ann Arbor and also has a high ranking educational administration program , according to U.S. News and World Report. The school has both teaching and research options for educational administration students, and like Penn State, you can also get a doctorate degree in this field from UM if you want to pursue even more education.

Vanderbilt University

If you’re looking for a slightly smaller college with a great educational administration program, Vanderbilt University is one to consider. They’re ranked as the top school for higher education administration, as of 2011, which means it is a great school for students who want to work in college administration. They’re the only school in the country currently offing a specialty in institutional advancement as part of this program, so you have that unique options, and along with higher education administration, they also have other educational administration programs you can consider.

Top Online Master of Education Administration Degrees

An individual with a master's degree in educational adminstration can take one of numerous career paths within the education industry. Teacher, principal, college administrator, college admissions director, and curriculum developer are just some of the career options open to those with this degree. The following schools all offer some form of an accredited online masters in education administration.

MA in Educational Leadership	George Washington University. George Washington University offers an MA in Educational Leadership, preparing teachers to become principals, administrators or instructional supervisors in K-12 educational settings. The expert faculty of scholars, authors and experienced school leaders bring together theory and practice for a well-rounded real-world curriculum. The program incorporates field experiences and is designed to meet administrative licensing requirements in a number of states.
M.Ed. in Administration	Liberty University. At Liberty University, the Master of Education program with a concentration in Administration/Supervision is approved for licensure, giving students the tools they need to become effective principals and school leaders. Classes concentrate on teaching real-world leadership skills and prepare students for the current job market. Courses can be taken on or off campus, though a minimum of one week of on-campus coursework is required.
MS in College Administration	Kaplan University. Kaplan University's MS in higher education with a specialization in college administration and leadership gives students the information and experience they need to become effective leaders of academic programs and departments in colleges and universities. Students will learn how to use institutional research and strategic planning to assess and create academic programs that benefit undergraduates.
M.Ed. in Educational Mgmt	Strayer University. Strayer University gives current K-12 teachers the training and development they need to become leaders in education with the M.Ed. in educational management program. Subjects covered include HR management, curriculum development, instructional technology, business skills and the latest information technology tools that can be immediately applied by working professionals.
MA/Edu: Administration	University of Phoenix. The MA in Education - Administration and Supervision program at the University of Phoenix prepares students to become licensed principals and school leaders. The program emphasizes instructional leadership, communication and media relations, management, technology, and comprehension of data and statistics, and students get in-field training via an administrative internship in a school principal's office.
MS in College Administration	Grand Canyon University. Grand Canyon University offers an MS in College Administration that is designed for experienced educators who want to become certified and advance to managerial and supervisory roles. Coursework includes curriculum development, instructional leadership, and public school finance for K-12, as well as integrating technology into education. One hundred hours of field experience and a 16-week internship are required.
MS in College Administration	Keiser University. Keiser University's MS in Education with the college administration concentration lays out the theoretical foundations for responsible and effective leadership and decision-making in postsecondary settings. In addition to the MS in Education core classes, the college administration coursework involves enrollment management, marketing and recruitment, managing campus operations, personnel selection, and student retention.
MS in Educational Admin	Drexel University. The MS in educational administration at Drexel University uniquely prepares students to not only become education administrators, but to work in national and international organizations, government agencies and businesses surrounding the field of education. The two-year, online curriculum provides the foundation for advancement in a variety of careers studying, assessing, and administering educational programs.
M.Ed. Principal Licensure M.Ed. No Licensure	Jones International University. The M.Ed. in education leadership and administration with a concentration in principal and administrator licensure prepares candidates through internships and coursework to take the NCATE and the ELCC certification exams to be teachers, administrators or principals. Alternately, the M.Ed. in education leadership and administration with no licensure is another option for those seeking to advance their careers through a Masters, but who don’t need to be certified.
Master of Higher Ed Leadership	Upper Iowa University. The Master of Higher Education Administration (MHEA) at Upper Iowa University with an emphasis in leadership program uses real-world case studies, problem-based projects, field interviews, group projects, simulations, college visits, workshops and online discussions to help students learn best-practice business techniques and apply them to educational settings. Students are groomed for leadership positions in higher education finance, curriculum and program design, and distance learning among other career possibilities.
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