- Edited By Jeevan D'Souza
- Expert Reviewed By Soumen Chatterjee
Online master’s program rankings can help you narrow programs based on the factors that matter most to your decision, including cost, completion time, admissions requirements, learning format, and potential career outcomes.
OMC organizes rankings around these priorities so you can start with the factor most important to you, then evaluate the programs that meet that need.
Rankings use criteria appropriate to the question being evaluated. You can review OMC’s ranking methodology to understand how programs are researched, evaluated, and ranked.
Start Here: What Matters Most to You?
Start with the factor that matters most to your graduate-school decision. Each path below leads to rankings designed around a different program priority.
- Finish sooner — Explore rankings based on program length and accelerated completion options.
Start → Fastest Online Master’s Programs
- Keep costs manageable — Compare programs and degree options based on tuition, overall affordability, and other cost considerations.
Start → Most Affordable Online Master’s Programs
- Find programs that fit your admissions profile — Explore options based on GRE requirements and other admissions considerations.
Start → Online Master’s Programs With No GRE
- Find a format that fits your schedule — Explore master’s programs designed around different learning structures and scheduling needs.
Start →Self-Paced Master’s Degrees
- Evaluate career potential — Compare master’s degrees based on salary, employment, growth, ROI, future demand, and career-change potential.
Start → Highest Paying Master’s Degrees
Explore Online Master’s Program Rankings
Browse rankings by the factor you want to prioritize. Within each category, you can explore more specific ways to compare master’s programs and degree options.
Program Length
- Compare → Fastest Online Master’s Programs
- Compare → 1-Year Master’s Programs
- Compare → 6-Month Online Master’s Programs
Cost
- Compare → Most Affordable Online Master’s Programs
- Compare → Free Online Master’s Programs
- Compare → Online Master’s Programs Under $30,000
- Compare → Master’s Degrees With Lowest Student Debt
Admissions Requirements
- Compare → No GRE Online Master’s Programs
- Compare → Online Master’s Programs with Rolling Admissions
- Compare → Online Master’s Programs Accepting a Low GPA
- Compare → Online Master’s Programs With No Prerequisites
- Compare → Online Master’s Programs With No Application Fee
- Compare → Online Master’s Programs With No Work Experience Required
Learning Format & Flexibility
- Explore → Self-Paced Master’s Degrees
- Explore → Competency-Based Online Master’s Programs
- Explore → Asynchronous Online Master’s Programs
- Explore → Part-Time Online Master’s Programs
Career Outcomes
- Compare → Highest Paying Master’s Degrees
- Compare → Best Master’s Degrees by ROI
- Compare → Fastest-Growing Master’s Degrees
- Compare → Master’s Degrees With Highest Employment Rates
- Explore → Best Master’s Degrees for Career Change
- Explore → Best Master’s Degrees for the Future
- Explore → Most In-Demand Master’s Degrees
Programs for Specific Student & Professional Needs
- Explore → Best Online Master’s for Working Adults
- Explore → Best Online Master’s for Veterans
How to Use Master’s Program Rankings
A ranking is most useful when its primary factor matches the decision you are trying to make. If keeping costs manageable is your main constraint, start with affordability rather than a general program list. If time is more important, begin with rankings focused on completion length.
Once you identify programs that perform well on your primary factor, evaluate them against the other requirements that matter to you. An affordable program may take longer to complete, while an accelerated option may have a more intensive schedule. Programs with similar career potential can also differ substantially in cost, admissions requirements, curriculum, and format.
Rankings should therefore be a starting point for narrowing options rather than the only factor used to choose a master’s program. Once you have a shortlist, OMC’s guide to choosing an online master’s program can help you evaluate programs across the factors that matter to your decision.
| If your main priority is… | Start with… |
|---|---|
| Spending less on your degree | Cost rankings |
| Completing your degree sooner | Program-length rankings |
| Finding a program that fits your schedule | Learning format & flexibility |
| Finding programs that fit your admissions needs | Admissions rankings |
| Maximizing earning potential | Salary rankings |
| Evaluating financial return | ROI rankings |
| Choosing a field with strong demand | Employment & growth rankings |
| Preparing for a new professional direction | Career-change rankings |