Self Paced Masters Degrees

• Job Title: Marketing Managers
• Median Salary: $141,490 per year
• Primary Duties: Marketing managers plan programs to generate interest in products or services. They work with art directors, advertising sales agents, and financial staff members. Marketing managers estimate the demand for products and services that an organization and its competitors offer. They identify potential markets for the organization’s products. Marketing managers also develop pricing strategies to help organizations maximize their profits and market share while ensuring that their customers are satisfied. They work with sales, public relations, and product development staff.

• Job Title: Psychologist
• Median Salary: $82,110 per year
• Primary Duties: Psychologists study cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior by observing, interpreting, and recording how people relate to one another and their environments. They use their findings to help improve processes and behaviors. Psychologists seek to understand and explain thoughts, emotions, feelings, and behavior. They use observation, assessment, and experimentation to develop theories about the beliefs and feelings that influence individuals. Psychologists often gather information and evaluate behavior through controlled laboratory experiments, psychoanalysis, or psychotherapy. They also may administer personality, performance, aptitude, or intelligence tests. They look for patterns of behavior or relationships between events, and they use this information when testing theories in their research or when treating patients.

• Job Title: Health Educators and Community Health Worker
• Median Salary: $48,180 per year
• Primary Duties: Health educators teach people about behaviors that promote wellness. They develop and implement strategies to improve the health of individuals and communities. Community health workers provide a link between the community and healthcare professionals. They develop and implement strategies to improve the health of individuals and communities. They collect data and discuss health concerns with members of specific populations or communities. Although the two occupations often work together, the responsibilities of health educators and community health workers are distinct. Health educators, also known as health education specialists, have different duties depending on their work setting. Most work in healthcare facilities, colleges, public health departments, nonprofits, and private businesses. People who teach health classes in middle and high schools are considered teachers. For more information, see the profiles of middle school teachers and high school teachers.

• Job Title: Forensic Science Technician
• Median Salary: $60,590 per year
• Primary Duties: Forensic science technicians aid criminal investigations by collecting and analyzing evidence. Many technicians specialize in either crime scene investigation or laboratory analysis. Forensic science technicians may be generalists who perform many or all the duties listed above or specialize in certain techniques and sciences. Generalist forensic science technicians, sometimes called criminalists or crime scene investigators, collect evidence at a crime scene and perform scientific and technical analysis in laboratories or offices. Forensic science technicians who work primarily in laboratories may specialize in the natural sciences or engineering. These workers, such as forensic biologists and forensic chemists, typically use chemicals and laboratory equipment such as microscopes when analyzing evidence. They also may use computers to examine DNA, substances, and other evidence collected at crime scenes. They often work to match evidence to people or other known elements, such as vehicles or weapons. Most forensic science technicians who perform laboratory analysis specialize in a specific type of evidence, such as DNA or ballistics.

• Job Title: Social Worker
• Median Salary: $51,760 per year
• Primary Duties: Social workers help people solve and cope with problems in their everyday lives. Clinical social workers also diagnose and treat mental, behavioral, and emotional issues. Social workers help people cope with challenges in their lives. They help with a wide range of situations, such as adopting a child or being diagnosed with a terminal illness. Advocacy is an important aspect of social work. Social workers advocate or raise awareness with and on behalf of their clients and the social work profession on local, state, and national levels.

• Job Title: Education Administrators
• Median Salary: $97,500 per year
• Primary Duties: Postsecondary education administrators oversee student services, academics, and faculty research at colleges and universities. Their job duties vary depending on the department they work in, such as admissions, student affairs, or the registrar’s office. Education administrators’ duties depend on the size of their college or university. Small schools often have small staffs that take on many different responsibilities, but larger schools may have different offices for each of these functions. Postsecondary education administrators may be provosts or academic deans. Provosts, also called chief academic officers, help college presidents develop academic policies, make faculty appointments and tenure decisions, and manage budgets. They also oversee faculty research at colleges and universities. Academic deans coordinate the activities of the individual colleges or schools. For example, a large university may have a separate dean for business, law, and medical schools.

• Job Title: Education Administrators
• Median Salary: $98,890 per year
• Primary Duties: Administrative services and facilities managers plan, direct, and coordinate activities that help an organization run efficiently. The specific responsibilities vary, but these managers typically maintain facilities and supervise activities that include recordkeeping, mail distribution, and office upkeep. In a small organization, they may direct all support services and be called the business office manager. Large organizations may have several layers of administrative managers who specialize in different areas.

• Job Title: Coaches and Scouts
• Median Salary: $36,330 per year
• Primary Duties: Coaches teach amateur and professional athletes the skills they need to succeed at their sport. Scouts look for new players, evaluating their skills and likelihood for success at the college, amateur, or professional level. Many coaches also are involved in scouting potential athletes. Coaches teach professional and amateur athletes the fundamental skills of individual and team sports. They hold training and practice sessions to improve the athletes’ form, technique, skills, and stamina. Coaches are also responsible for instilling in their players the importance of good sportsmanship, a competitive spirit, and teamwork. Many coaches evaluate their opponents to determine game strategies and to establish plays to practice. During the competition, coaches call specific plays intended to surprise or overpower the opponent, and they may substitute players to achieve optimum team chemistry and success.

• Job Title: Medical and Health Services Manager
• Median Salary: $104,280 per year
• Primary Duties: Medical and health services managers, alsocalled healthcare executivesor healthcare administrators, plan, direct, and coordinate medical and health services. They may manage an entire facility, a specific clinical area or department, or a medical practice for a group of physicians. Medical and health services managers must adapt to changes in healthcare laws, regulations, and technology. Medical and health services managers work closely with physicians and surgeons, registered nurses, medical and clinical laboratory technologists, technicians, and other healthcare workers. Others may interact with patients or insurance agents.

• Job Title: Education Administrators
• Median Salary: $115,640 per year
• Primary Duties: Training and development managers plan, coordinate, and direct skills- and knowledge-enhancement programs for an organization’s staff. Training and development managers oversee training programs, staff, and budgets. They are responsible for creating or selecting course content and materials for training programs. Training may be in the form of a video, self-guided instructional manual, or online application and delivered in person or through a computer or other hand-held electronic device. Training also may be collaborative, with employees informally connecting with experts, mentors, and colleagues, often through social media or other online mediums. Managers must ensure that training methods, content, software, systems, and equipment are appropriate.

Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is a private university between Manchester and Hooksett, New Hampshire. The university is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education and national accreditation for some hospitality, health, education, and business degrees. With its online programs expanding, SNHU is one of the fastest-growing universities in the United States. SNHU’s College for America (CfA) offers degrees that rely on competency-based learning rather than traditional credit hours, based in part on programs at Western Governors University. In 2013, the CFA became the first of its kind to gain federal approval from the US Department of Education. SNHU offers many self-paced master’s degrees that are affordable.

Some of the master’s programs include:

• MS in Healthcare Administration
• MS in Marketing
• MS in Criminal Justice
• MS in Education

Capella University is a private for-profit, online university headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school is owned by the publicly traded Strategic Education, Inc. and delivers most of its education online. In 2019, Capella added learning sites in Atlanta, Georgia, and Orlando, Florida. Capella has 52-degree programs with over 1900 online courses. Approximately 38,000 students are enrolled from all 50 states, and 61 other countries, with 23 percent enrolled in doctoral programs, 47 percent enrolled in master’s programs, and 27 percent enrolled in bachelor’s programs. Capella is known for offering many self-paced master’s degrees.

Some of the master’s programs include:

• MS in Healthcare Administration
• MS in Psychology
• MS of Social Work
• MS in Education

Building on Purdue’s mission to provide greater access to affordable, high-quality education, Purdue University Global is a public, nonprofit institution that offers a world-class education online. Its mission is to deliver personalized online education tailored to the unique needs of adults who have work or life experience beyond the classroom, enabling them to develop essential academic and professional skills with the support and flexibility they need to achieve their career goals. Purdue’s self-paced master’s degrees are very popular among professionals that are looking to advance their careers.

Some of the master’s programs include:

• MS in Healthcare Administration
• MS in Psychology
• MS of Criminal Justice
• MS in Education

Arizona State University (ASU) is a comprehensive public research university, measured not by whom it excludes but by whom it includes and how they succeed. ASU also values advancing research and discovery of public value. With a 400 plus prestigious national academics honored faculty, 1000 plus scholars, and 79 elite programs, ASU has a crop of 530,000 alumni leading shaping and changing our world. Almost all of ASU’s online master’s degrees are self-paced master’s degrees.

Some of the master’s programs include:

• MS in Psychology
• MS of Criminal Justice
• MS in Education

Liberty University – Standing on the shoulders of more than two millennia of Christian scholarship, Liberty University emphasizes the pursuit of knowledge in every discipline. A world-class liberal arts university with 15 schools and colleges, Liberty offers more than 700 programs from the certificate to the doctoral level ranging from medicine, biology, chemistry, and engineering to design, music, religion, law, and more. Founded in 1971 in Lynchburg, Va., Liberty has grown from a small college of 154 students into a university with a residential student body of over 15,000. Preparing students to be doctors, educators, ministers, lawyers, aviators, counselors, engineers, and more, Liberty is committed to developing tomorrow’s leaders — men and women of a character whose impact will extend beyond their professions to change the world around them. Liberty University offers many self-paced master’s degrees that are very affordable as well.

Some of the master’s programs include:

• MS in Marketing
• MA in Applied Psychology
• MS in Psychology
• MS In Sports Management
• M.Ed. in Education

Grand Canyon University is a private for-profit Christian university in Phoenix, Arizona. Based on student enrollment, Grand Canyon University was the largest Christian university in the world in 2018, with 20,000 attending students on campus and 70,000 online. Grand Canyon University is famous for offering many self-paced master’s degrees.

Some of the master’s programs include:

• MS in Psychology
• MS of Criminal Justice
• MS in Education

Western Governors University (WGU) is a private nonprofit online university that offers many self-paced master’s degrees. Established in 1997 by 19 US state governors, WGU currently serves nearly 120,000 students across many fields. WGU offers many degrees that can be described as self-paced, and students can choose the timelines of graduation.

Some of the master’s programs include:

• MBA in Healthcare Management
• MS of Nursing
• MS in Cyber Security

Walden University is an online university out of Minnesota. Walden offers many online degrees that can be considered self-paced master’s degrees. Walden’s tuition is very affordable, and the depth of programs is impressive.

Some of the master’s programs include:

• MS of Criminal Justice
• MS in Public Administration
• MBA Programs

The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (UNC) is public research university out of North Carolina. UNC currently serves more than 30,000 students and offers many flexible online programs. UNC’s tuition is very affordable, along with high graduation rates. Many UNC master’s degrees are self-paced and provides the flexibility to students to control the pace of the programs.

Some of the master’s programs include:

• MS in Public Health
• MS of Healthcare Administration
• MS in Education

Colorado State University, Global Campus (CSU Global) is an online public university and part of the Colorado State University systems. CSU Global offers a wide variety of online degree programs and currently serves nearly 20,000 students. Many of CSU Global’s master’s programs can be described as self-paced master’s degrees along with low tuition and high-quality education.

Some of the master’s programs include:

• MS in Management
• MS in Data Analytics
• MS of Criminal Justice
• MS in Human Resource Management