2023 Best Value General Education Master's Degree Schools
Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing
Finding the Best General Education Master's Degree School for You
General Education is the #39 most popular major in the country with 29,810 degrees and certificates awarded in 2020-2021.
Today's students have lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Value General Education Master's Degree Schools ranking. Our analysis looked at 301 schools in the United States to see which master's degree programs offered the best value experiences for education students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.
When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.
Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.
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2023 Best Value General Education Master’s Degree Schools in the United States
The colleges and universities below are the best value schools for education majors pursuing a master's degree.
Top 25 Best Schools for Affordable Quality for a Master's in General Education
Our 2023 rankings named La Salle University the best value school in the United States for general education students working on their master’s degree. Located in the city of Philadelphia, La Salle is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at La Salle are $1,455 a year.
Read full report on General Education at La Salle University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Cabrini University. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Value General Education Master’s Degree Schools list. Cabrini University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Radnor.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Cabrini University are $2,318 a year.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Martin Luther College. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Value General Education Master’s Degree Schools list. Located in the distant town of New Ulm, MLC is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at MLC are $5,400 a year.
Read full report on General Education at Martin Luther College
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Worcester State University. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value General Education Master’s Degree Schools list. Located in the city of Worcester, Worcester State is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Worcester State are $5,796 per year.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Morningside College. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value General Education Master’s Degree Schools list. Located in the small city of Sioux City, Morningside is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
Morningside graduate students pay an average of $6,516 in tuition and fees each year.
Read full report on General Education at Morningside College
Whitworth University landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value master’s degree general education programs. Located in the suburb of Spokane, Whitworth is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
Whitworth graduate students pay an average of $12,456 in tuition and fees each year.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Whitworth also is in the top 15% of our Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools ranking.
Brandman University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for general education students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #7 on the list. Brandman is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Irvine.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Brandman are $12,720 per year.
In addition to its great value ranking, Brandman is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools list.
Read full report on General Education at Brandman University
Southwest Baptist University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Master’s Degree Schools ranking. Located in the distant town of Bolivar, Southwest Baptist University is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
Southwest Baptist University graduate students pay an average of $5,388 in tuition and fees each year.
Read full report on General Education at Southwest Baptist University
University of Northwestern - St Paul came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Master’s Degree Schools ranking. Northwestern is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Saint Paul.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Northwestern are $8,982 per year.
Full General Education at University of Northwestern - St Paul Report
Goucher College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for general education students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #10 on the list. Goucher is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Baltimore.
Goucher graduate students pay an average of $9,765 in tuition and fees each year.
Goucher also claimed a spot on our Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.
York College of Pennsylvania came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Master’s Degree Schools ranking. YCP is a small private not-for-profit school located in the midsize suburb of York.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at YCP are $11,646 a year.
In addition to its great value ranking, YCP is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools list.
Read full report on General Education at York College of Pennsylvania
Minot State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for general education students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #12 on the list. MSU is a small public school located in the town of Minot.
MSU graduate students pay an average of $10,263 in tuition and fees each year.
Southwest Minnesota State University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Master’s Degree Schools ranking. Located in the remote town of Marshall, Southwest Minnesota State University is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Southwest Minnesota State University are $8,818 per year.
Point Loma Nazarene University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Master’s Degree Schools ranking. PLNU is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large city of San Diego.
PLNU graduate students pay an average of $11,880 in tuition and fees each year.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, PLNU also did well on our Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Grand View University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value General Education Master’s Degree Schools list. Grand View University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the midsize city of Des Moines.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Grand View University are $9,440 per year.
Hamline University landed the #16 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value master’s degree general education programs. Located in the large city of Saint Paul, Hamline is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Hamline are $10,402 a year.
Wilson College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value General Education Master’s Degree Schools list. Located in the small city of Chambersburg, Wilson is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Wilson are $9,990 per year.
Calvin University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Master’s Degree Schools ranking. Located in the midsize city of Grand Rapids, Calvin is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
Calvin graduate students pay an average of $11,880 in tuition and fees each year.
Bemidji State University landed the #19 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value master’s degree general education programs. Bemidji State University is a small public school located in the remote town of Bemidji.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Bemidji State University are $9,586 a year.
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Master’s Degree Schools ranking. Located in the town of Winona, SMU MN is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at SMU MN are $10,890 a year.
Read full report on General Education at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
Westminster College Pennsylvania did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for general education students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #21 on the list. Located in the town of New Wilmington, Westminster New Wilmington is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Westminster New Wilmington are $13,170 a year.
Westminster New Wilmington excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools list.
Read full report on General Education at Westminster College Pennsylvania
Spring Arbor University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for general education students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #22 on the list. Spring Arbor is a small private not-for-profit school located in the small suburb of Spring Arbor.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Spring Arbor are $8,383 a year.
Minnesota State University - Mankato ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value General Education Master’s Degree Schools list. Minnesota State Mankato is a large public school located in the small city of Mankato.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Minnesota State Mankato are $9,308 per year.
Minnesota State Mankato excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools list.
Full General Education at Minnesota State University - Mankato Report
Valparaiso University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for general education students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #24 on the list. Located in the large suburb of Valparaiso, Valpo is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Valpo are $12,220 per year.
Central Methodist University - College of Graduate & Extended Studies came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Master’s Degree Schools ranking. CMU CGES is a small private not-for-profit school located in the distant town of Fayette.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at CMU CGES are $6,435 per year.
Rest of the Top Best Value General Education Master's Degree Schools
Honorable Mentions
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Value General Education Master's Degree Schools award.
Rank | College | Location |
---|---|---|
46 | Clayton State University | Morrow, GA |
46 | Concordia University, Texas | Lakeway, TX |
48 | Saint Michael’s College | Colchester, VT |
49 | California State University - Sacramento | Sacramento, CA |
50 | Baker University | Baldwin City, KS |
51 | Converse College | Spartanburg, SC |
52 | East Texas Baptist University | Marshall, TX |
53 | Bluffton University | Bluffton, OH |
54 | Messiah University | Mechanicsburg, PA |
55 | Notre Dame de Namur University | Belmont, CA |
55 | National University | La Jolla, CA |
57 | Delaware State University | Dover, DE |
58 | Simpson University | Redding, CA |
59 | Lindenwood University | Saint Charles, MO |
60 | Concordia University, Chicago | River Forest, IL |
General Education by Region
View the Best Value General Education Master's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.
Region |
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Southeast |
New England |
Rocky Mountains |
Plains States |
Middle Atlantic |
Far Western US |
Southwest |
Great Lakes |
More General Education Rankings
Majors Related to Education
One of 14 majors within the area of study, general education has other similar majors worth exploring.
Most Popular Majors Related to Education
Related Major | Annual Graduates |
---|---|
Teacher Education Grade Specific | 110,226 |
Educational Administration | 46,469 |
Teacher Education Subject Specific | 43,297 |
Special Education | 36,792 |
Curriculum & Instruction | 19,832 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to KOKUYO.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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