Drexel University Online Master’s Programs

Drexel University’s Snapshot

Drexel built its reputation on cooperative education — a model that embeds professional experience directly into academic programs. That applied, career-oriented DNA carries into its online portfolio. Unlike many universities that launched a handful of online master’s degrees and stopped, Drexel went deep: more than 30 distinct master’s programs across eight-plus subject areas, many with multiple concentration options, and several carrying the kind of programmatic accreditations that directly affect licensure and career outcomes.

The quarter system means four start dates per year and faster course pacing (10-week terms instead of the typical 15-week semester). This gives students more on-ramps but also means coursework moves quickly — a structure that rewards disciplined, self-directed learners.

Drexel is not the cheapest option. Per-credit tuition ranges from roughly $1,048 to $1,250 depending on the college, putting total program costs in the $47,000–$66,000 range for most degrees. That positions Drexel above public university alternatives but competitively within the private R1 tier, especially given the breadth of accredited programs available.

Drexel’s online master’s programs span eight subject areas. Programs are grouped below by subject, with key details for each. For subject-level comparisons and broader program landscapes, follow the linked subject hub pages.

Business

Drexel’s LeBow College of Business offers six online master’s programs, all benefiting from AACSB accreditation. Tuition runs approximately $1,250 per credit, with most programs requiring 45–48 credits. Rolling admissions and quarterly starts give working professionals consistent entry points. Programs include the MBA (with concentrations in business analytics, finance, general management, and marketing) and specialized MS degrees in business analytics, finance, human resource development, project management, and sport management. Explore AACSB-accredited online MBA programs to see how Drexel’s MBA fits into the broader accredited landscape.

Nursing

Drexel’s College of Nursing and Health Professions is one of the most comprehensive sources of online MSN programs in the U.S. All programs carry CCNE accreditation. Seven nurse practitioner tracks — adult-gerontology acute care, adult-gerontology primary care, family, pediatric acute care, pediatric primary care, psychiatric mental health, and women’s health — require clinical practicum hours. Non-clinical tracks include nursing leadership in health systems management, nursing education, and a unique innovation/entrepreneurship concentration. Tuition is approximately $1,100 per credit. Admissions are deadline-based for NP tracks and rolling for non-clinical tracks. Students pursuing the BSN-to-MSN or RN-to-MSN pathway will find Drexel’s range of specializations especially relevant.

Healthcare

Beyond nursing, Drexel offers three health-focused master’s programs online. The Master of Public Health (MPH) is CEPH-accredited with concentrations in community health and prevention, environmental and occupational health, and epidemiology and biostatistics. The Master of Health Administration (MHA) and MS in Health Informatics round out the healthcare cluster. Tuition is approximately $1,100 per credit, with the MPH requiring 60 credits (~$66,000 total) and the MHA requiring 48 credits (~$52,800).

Psychology & Counseling

Drexel offers three distinct programs in the psychology and counseling space. The MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is CACREP-accredited and requires 60 credits plus supervised practicum and internship hours — a strong path to LPC licensure. The MS in Creative Arts in Therapy (with art therapy, dance/movement therapy, and music therapy concentrations) is a hybrid program requiring some on-campus intensives — rare in any delivery format, let alone online. The MS in Applied Behavior Analysis is ABAI-verified and prepares students for BCBA certification. All three require fieldwork or clinical hours.

Education

Drexel’s School of Education offers a broad MS in Education with nine specialization tracks: educational administration, global and international education, human resource development, instructional technology, mathematics learning and teaching, reading education, special education, STEM education, and TESOL. A separate MS in Higher Education is also available. Tuition is approximately $1,048 per credit — the lowest rate across Drexel’s online colleges — with most programs at 45 credits (~$47,160). Rolling admissions and fully online delivery make these accessible for working educators.

IT, Data & Cybersecurity

Four technology-focused MS programs are available: information systems, software engineering, data science, and cybersecurity. The cybersecurity program benefits from Drexel’s NSA/DHS Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense designation. Tuition runs $1,250 per credit (45 credits, ~$56,250 total). All are fully online with rolling admissions. Students interested in the cybersecurity MBA concentration space should note that Drexel offers a standalone MS rather than a business-school cybersecurity track.

Engineering

Three online MS programs — engineering management, construction management, and biomedical engineering — provide options for engineers seeking leadership roles or specialized expertise. Tuition is $1,250 per credit (45 credits, ~$56,250). All are fully online with rolling admissions.

Communication & Other

The MS in Communication offers concentrations in health communication, public relations and social media, and science communication. The MS in Television Management is a niche offering — one of the few online programs of its kind. Drexel also offers an MS in Homeland Security Management (relevant to criminal justice and security professionals) and an interdisciplinary MS in Professional Studies focused on creativity and innovation. The ALA-accredited MS in Library and Information Science, with 10 concentrations, rounds out the non-traditional offerings.

See the full programs table below for structured data on every program.

These five programs represent Drexel’s strongest offerings online — selected for accreditation strength, uniqueness, or career alignment:

Drexel competes most directly with other private, research-oriented universities that offer large online master’s catalogs. Here’s how it stacks up against four comparable institutions:

Drexel vs. Northeastern University

Both are private R1 universities in the Northeast with cooperative education traditions and broad online master’s portfolios. Northeastern’s experiential-learning model integrates professional experience differently (employer-aligned projects rather than traditional co-ops in the online format). Drexel has a wider range of health sciences programs online (especially nursing specializations and creative arts therapies) and its ALA-accredited MSLIS has no real Northeastern equivalent. Northeastern tends to be slightly more expensive per credit in several program areas. Students prioritizing business or data analytics may find comparable quality at both; students in nursing, library science, or counseling will generally find Drexel’s catalog deeper.

Drexel vs. George Washington University

Both are private, urban, mid-Atlantic universities with established online presences. GWU’s strengths skew toward policy, political science, public health, and government-adjacent fields — reflecting its D.C. location. Drexel offers a broader online master’s catalog overall, with particular advantages in nursing, library science, education, and engineering. Drexel’s per-credit tuition is generally lower than GWU’s, making it the more cost-effective choice for many comparable programs. Students targeting careers in federal policy or international affairs may find GWU’s brand and alumni network more valuable.

Drexel vs. Johns Hopkins University

Both are strong in health-related fields, but the comparison is nuanced. Johns Hopkins carries superior brand prestige in public health, biomedical sciences, and medicine — and for students who need that specific credential, it may justify the higher price. Drexel offers a wider variety of online master’s programs outside the health sciences and at a lower price point across most comparable programs. For students weighing a CEPH-accredited MPH, Drexel’s program costs roughly $66,000 total versus substantially higher Hopkins tuition. For nursing, library science, education, or engineering, Drexel has programs that Hopkins simply doesn’t offer online.

Drexel vs. Penn State World Campus

Penn State World Campus is the public university comparison point. Its per-credit tuition for online master’s programs is generally lower than Drexel’s — a significant consideration for cost-sensitive students. Penn State’s online catalog is broad but organized differently (semester system vs. Drexel’s quarters, fewer annual start dates for some programs). Drexel holds advantages in nursing specialization breadth, library science (ALA vs. no ALA accreditation at Penn State for a comparable online program), and creative arts therapies. Penn State’s brand carries particular weight for engineering, education, and business in certain employer markets. For students where cost is the primary factor, Penn State will often win; for students who need specific accreditations or niche programs, Drexel may be worth the premium.

Drexel is a strong fit for these specific student profiles:

Working nurses pursuing NP specialization with CCNE accreditation. If you need a nurse practitioner track in a less common specialty — women’s health, pediatric acute care, psychiatric mental health — Drexel’s breadth of CCNE-accredited options under one institution is hard to match. The ability to complete clinical hours locally adds flexibility.

Aspiring librarians and information professionals who want ALA accreditation without relocating. Drexel’s fully online MSLIS, with 10 concentrations and ALA accreditation, is one of the strongest options in the country for students who can’t or don’t want to attend on campus.

Business professionals who prioritize AACSB accreditation and quarterly flexibility. The MBA and MS business programs carry AACSB accreditation, offer four start dates per year, and don’t require GRE/GMAT for many applicants. If accreditation matters for your career goals and you want consistent entry points, Drexel delivers.

Students pursuing licensure-track counseling or behavior analysis programs. The CACREP-accredited clinical mental health counseling program and ABAI-verified applied behavior analysis program provide the credentialing pathways that matter for LPC and BCBA certification. These accreditations aren’t optional extras — they directly affect licensure eligibility in most states.

Mid-career health professionals wanting CEPH-accredited public health or health administration credentials. The MPH and MHA are both available fully online with rolling admissions, making them accessible for professionals who can’t pause their careers. The CEPH accreditation on the MPH adds weight that many online MPH programs lack.

Education professionals who need a specialized MS track, not just a generic MEd. With nine specialization options in the MS in Education — from STEM education to TESOL to educational administration — Drexel provides granularity that helps educators target specific career moves rather than settling for a one-size-fits-all degree.

Drexel isn’t the right choice for every student. Here’s where other options may serve you better:

You’re highly cost-sensitive. Drexel’s per-credit tuition ($1,048–$1,250) means most programs cost $47,000–$66,000 total. Public university alternatives — Penn State World Campus , Arizona State University , or the University of Florida — often offer comparable programs at substantially lower tuition. If minimizing student debt is your top priority, the private university premium may not be justified, especially for fields where employer brand preference is less of a factor. Exploring student loan forgiveness programs may help offset costs, but the base investment is still high.

You want the most affordable MSN available. While Drexel’s nursing programs are strong, the CCNE-accredited MSN landscape includes public university options at significantly lower per-credit rates. Students who need any NP credential — rather than a specific rare specialization — may find better value elsewhere.

You need a one-year accelerated timeline. Despite the quarter system providing more frequent start dates, Drexel’s online master’s programs typically take 18–36 months. Students specifically seeking programs that can be completed in 12 months or less will need to look at institutions with condensed, accelerated formats.

You prioritize a public university credential for government or state-system careers. In some career tracks — particularly state government, K-12 public education systems, and certain government-adjacent roles — a public flagship credential carries specific weight. Drexel’s private university brand, while strong, doesn’t offer that particular advantage. Western Governors University or Southern New Hampshire University may also offer lower-cost alternatives for students where institutional prestige is secondary to completion and affordability.

You want top-20 national brand recognition above all else. Drexel is well-regarded — particularly in the Philadelphia region and in its strongest fields — but it doesn’t carry Ivy League or top-20 research university brand weight. Students who specifically need a marquee name on their credentials for competitive consulting, finance, or academic research roles should consider whether the investment yields the brand return they’re seeking.

Drexel’s online master’s admissions process is straightforward for most programs, though clinical and cohort-based programs follow different timelines.

General pattern:

Exceptions — clinical and cohort programs:

Most students exploring Drexel’s online programs will find the admissions process accessible, especially for non-clinical degrees. Drexel appears on lists of online master’s programs that don’t require the GRE , which reflects the broader trend across its catalog.

Drexel’s online master’s tuition varies by college, not by individual program within a college. Here’s the breakdown:

Context: These costs place Drexel in the mid-to-upper tier of private universities — above public flagships like Penn State World Campus or Arizona State University, but generally below or competitive with peers like George Washington University and Johns Hopkins for comparable programs. The AACSB, CCNE, ALA, CACREP, and CEPH accreditations attached to many programs add credential value that less-accredited alternatives at similar or lower price points don’t provide.

Drexel offers financial aid for online students, including federal loans, scholarships, and employer tuition reimbursement processing. Military-affiliated students may qualify for additional benefits. Students should factor in the quarter system’s impact on financial aid disbursement — aid is distributed across four terms rather than two semesters, which affects cash flow timing.

Visit Drexel University’s official online programs page

Drexel’s online master’s programs are relevant to several OMC ranking pages: