15+
Online master’s programs
$437
Per credit hour
—
Public university ranking
—
Public research university
Institution type:
Private, nonprofit
Regional accreditation:
SACSCOC
Admissions model:
Rolling — multiple starts per year
GRE/GMAT required:
Not required
Out-of-state premium:
Yes — in-state rate shown; out-of-state may differ
Lamar University is built for working professionals — particularly those in Texas and the Gulf Coast region — who need an affordable, accredited online master’s degree that doesn’t require leaving their job. The typical Lamar online master’s student is a mid-career teacher seeking an MEd specialization, a nurse advancing to an FNP role, or a business professional pursuing an AACSB-accredited MBA at a fraction of flagship tuition. If you value budget-friendly access and practical credentials over brand prestige, Lamar is designed for you.
Lamar University is a public university located in Beaumont, Texas, and a member of the Texas State University System. It holds regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), which is the standard accreditor for institutions across the southern United States.
Lamar currently offers approximately 15 online master’s programs spanning education, business, nursing, engineering, criminal justice, public administration, communication, and healthcare. Per-credit tuition for online graduate programs generally falls in the range of $437 per credit hour, making full program costs between roughly $14,400 and $24,000 depending on the degree.
Three qualities define Lamar’s online master’s portfolio. First, the education program lineup is unusually deep — six distinct MEd specializations, including a nationally rare Deaf Studies/Deaf Education track. Second, the College of Business holds AACSB accreditation, placing its MBA among a relatively small percentage of business programs worldwide that carry this distinction. Third, Lamar’s engineering management and industrial engineering programs occupy a niche that few affordable public universities offer fully online. For students prioritizing affordability, accessible admissions, and practical professional credentials over flagship prestige, Lamar occupies a distinct position in the Texas public university landscape.
This guide provides a scannable overview of who Lamar University’s online master’s programs are designed for, what they cost, and what tradeoffs you should weigh before applying.
Approximately $437 per credit hour for online graduate programs. Total program costs range from roughly $14,400 (33-credit MS in Industrial Engineering) to $24,000 (55-credit MS in Speech-Language Pathology). Most 36-credit programs cost approximately $15,700. This places Lamar at the lower end of online master’s tuition nationally and competitively within the Texas public university system.
Most Lamar online master’s programs are asynchronous-dominant, meaning you can complete coursework on your own schedule without fixed class meeting times. Some programs — particularly the MSN Family Nurse Practitioner, MEd in Counseling and Development, and MS in Speech-Language Pathology — require clinical practicum hours or in-person components. Verify the format for your specific program of interest before applying.
Most programs operate on a rolling admissions basis with Fall, Spring, and Summer start dates. Nursing and speech-language pathology programs use deadline-based admissions with more structured cohort entry. GRE and GMAT requirements are generally waived or not required across most programs, making Lamar one of the more accessible options for applicants who lack recent standardized test scores.
Lamar’s online programs are designed around the schedules of working professionals. Multiple start dates per year, asynchronous coursework, and part-time pacing options mean most students can maintain full-time employment while earning their degree. Programs range from 12 to 36 months depending on credit load and pacing.
Lamar delivers strong value on cost, accessibility, and flexibility. The tradeoff is limited national brand recognition and a narrower program catalog compared to large flagships like Texas A&M University or the University of Houston. If you’re optimizing for affordability and practical credentials in education, business, or engineering technology, Lamar’s value proposition is strong. If you need elite institutional prestige or highly specialized STEM research programs, you should look elsewhere.
Lamar University doesn’t compete on the same playing field as Texas’s flagship research universities, and it doesn’t try to. Its reputation in online graduate education rests on a specific set of strengths that serve a well-defined audience.
The College of Business holds AACSB accreditation — a distinction shared by fewer than 6% of business schools worldwide. For students considering an online MBA, this accreditation matters because many employers and credentialing bodies view AACSB programs as a meaningful quality signal. Lamar’s MBA accomplishes this at a tuition rate that undercuts the vast majority of AACSB-accredited competitors.
In education, Lamar offers one of the broadest MEd portfolios among Texas public universities’ online programs. Six distinct specializations — Administration, Counseling and Development, Digital Learning and Leading, Special Education, Teacher Leadership, and Deaf Studies/Deaf Education — give educators multiple advancement pathways without leaving the classroom. The Deaf Studies/Deaf Education track is particularly notable: it’s one of a small number of fully online programs in this specialization available nationally.
Lamar’s engineering programs occupy an uncommon niche in online graduate education. The Master of Engineering Management bridges engineering expertise with management skills and doesn’t require an engineering undergraduate degree, making it accessible to a broader applicant pool. The MS in Industrial Engineering adds a more traditional engineering research option to the online catalog.
The nursing programs carry CCNE accreditation, with the Family Nurse Practitioner track serving as a direct pipeline to advanced practice licensure. The MS in Speech-Language Pathology holds CAA (ASHA) accreditation, which is essential for students pursuing clinical certification.
Finally, Lamar has a long history of serving non-traditional and working-professional students. The university’s online infrastructure isn’t a recent add-on — it’s a core part of how Lamar has expanded access for students across Texas and beyond. The institution belongs to the Texas State University System, and it carries the tuition advantages that come with that membership. For students listed on the OMC top HBCU resource or seeking historically diverse institutional environments, it’s worth noting that while Lamar is not an HBCU, it has a significantly diverse student body for a Texas public university.
The table below presents every known online master’s program currently offered by Lamar University. Programs are grouped by subject area, and each entry includes credit hours, estimated cost, admissions model, and notable accreditations or requirements.
Use this table to compare programs side-by-side. Pay particular attention to the in-person requirements column — several healthcare and counseling programs include clinical components that may affect your scheduling and location flexibility.
| Program | Degree | Subject | Credits | Tuition/Credit | Est. Total Cost | Start Dates | Admissions | GRE Req? | Accreditation | In-Person? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MEd in Administration | MEd | Education | 36 | $437 | $15,732 | Fall, Spring, Summer | Rolling | No | — | No | Principal certification pathway |
| MEd in Counseling and Development | MEd | Education | 48 | $437 | $20,976 | Fall, Spring | Rolling | No | — | Yes | Requires practicum/internship |
| MEd in Digital Learning and Leading | MEd | Education | 36 | $437 | $15,732 | Fall, Spring, Summer | Rolling | No | — | No | Instructional technology focus |
| MEd in Special Education | MEd | Education | 36 | $437 | $15,732 | Fall, Spring, Summer | Rolling | No | — | No | — |
| MEd in Teacher Leadership | MEd | Education | 36 | $437 | $15,732 | Fall, Spring, Summer | Rolling | No | — | No | Leadership without admin track |
| MEd in Deaf Studies/Deaf Education | MEd | Education | 36 | $437 | $15,732 | Fall, Spring | Rolling | No | — | No | Rare online niche program |
| MBA | MBA | Business | 36 | $437 | $15,732 | Fall, Spring, Summer | Rolling | No | AACSB | No | GMAT waiver available |
| MSN — Family Nurse Practitioner | MSN | Nursing | 45 | $437 | $19,665 | Fall, Spring | Deadline | No | CCNE | Yes | Active RN license required |
| MSN — Nursing Administration | MSN | Nursing | 36 | $437 | $15,732 | Fall, Spring | Deadline | No | CCNE | No | Nursing leadership focus |
| Master of Engineering Management | MEM | Engineering | 36 | $437 | $15,732 | Fall, Spring, Summer | Rolling | No | — | No | No engineering UG required |
| MS in Industrial Engineering | MS | Engineering | 33 | $437 | $14,421 | Fall, Spring | Rolling | — | — | No | — |
| MS in Criminal Justice | MS | Criminal Justice | 36 | $437 | $15,732 | Fall, Spring, Summer | Rolling | No | — | No | — |
| MS in Communication | MS | Communication | 36 | $437 | $15,732 | Fall, Spring | Rolling | No | — | No | — |
| MPA | MPA | Public Administration | 36 | $437 | $15,732 | Fall, Spring, Summer | Rolling | No | — | No | — |
| MS in Speech-Language Pathology | MS | Healthcare | 55 | $437 | $24,035 | Fall | Deadline | — | CAA (ASHA) | Yes | Clinical practicum required |
Several patterns emerge from Lamar’s program portfolio. Education dominates in breadth, with six distinct specializations covering classroom leadership, administration, special education, digital learning, counseling, and the rare deaf education niche. Business is represented by a single but AACSB-accredited MBA — quality over quantity. Nursing offers two CCNE-accredited tracks with distinctly different career endpoints (clinical practice vs. administration). Engineering provides both a management-oriented and a technical-research option. The remaining programs in criminal justice, communication, public administration, and speech-language pathology round out a mid-size portfolio that covers the core professional degree categories without attempting to be encyclopedic.
Education is Lamar’s deepest online master’s category. The six MEd programs serve meaningfully different student profiles: the Administration track feeds principal certification pathways, Teacher Leadership serves experienced educators who want influence without leaving classroom-adjacent roles, Digital Learning and Leading targets instructional technologists, and Deaf Studies/Deaf Education fills a nationally scarce niche. Counseling and Development is the most demanding at 48 credit hours and requires in-person clinical components, so students in that track should plan for practicum logistics. All education programs use rolling admissions and do not require GRE scores.
Lamar’s MBA is a 36-credit, AACSB-accredited program available with GMAT waivers for qualified applicants. At roughly $15,700 total, it significantly undercuts most AACSB-accredited online MBAs nationally. The program uses rolling admissions with three start dates per year. It’s a generalist MBA — there are no listed concentrations — so students seeking a specialized business master’s (finance, supply chain, analytics) will need to look elsewhere.
Both MSN tracks carry CCNE accreditation. The Family Nurse Practitioner concentration is a 45-credit clinical track that requires an active RN license and includes mandatory clinical practicum hours — this is not a fully remote degree. The Nursing Administration track is 36 credits and fully online, designed for RNs moving into healthcare management and leadership. Both programs use deadline-based admissions rather than rolling entry. Students exploring RN-to-MSN pathways may also want to review RN to MSN programs across institutions.
The Master of Engineering Management is Lamar’s most accessible engineering option — it does not require an engineering undergraduate degree, making it a viable path for professionals in technical fields who want management credentials. The MS in Industrial Engineering is a more traditional 33-credit research-oriented degree. Both are fully online. These programs fill a gap: affordable, fully online engineering management degrees from accredited public universities are uncommon.
The MS in Criminal Justice is a straightforward 36-credit fully online program with rolling admissions and no GRE requirement. It’s a practical credential for law enforcement professionals, correctional administrators, and policy analysts looking to advance. The program does not list concentrations.
The MS in Communication is a 36-credit fully online program designed for professionals in media, corporate communication, or public relations seeking graduate-level credentials. Rolling admissions and no GRE requirement keep the barrier to entry low.
The MPA is a 36-credit fully online program suited for professionals in government, nonprofit management, or public policy. Like most Lamar programs, it uses rolling admissions with three annual start dates and does not require GRE scores.
The MS in Speech-Language Pathology is Lamar’s most intensive online program at 55 credit hours with an estimated cost of $24,035. It holds CAA (ASHA) accreditation, which is essential for clinical certification and licensure. The program requires clinical practicum hours with some on-site components, so it is not fully remote. Admissions are deadline-based with a Fall-only start. Students researching this field should also explore the broader landscape of online speech pathology master’s programs .
Choosing an online master’s program isn’t just about whether a university meets your minimum requirements — it’s about how that university stacks up against realistic alternatives. Lamar draws comparisons most naturally to other affordable public universities with strong online presence and to large-enrollment private nonprofits that compete on accessibility and scale.
The comparison below positions Lamar against four institutions that prospective students frequently evaluate alongside it: the University of North Texas, the University of Houston, Southern New Hampshire University, and Western Governors University.
| Dimension | Lamar University | University of North Texas | University of Houston | Southern New Hampshire University | Western Governors University |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Approx. Per-Credit Tuition | ~$437 | ~$500–$600 | ~$600–$900 | ~$627 | ~$3,800/6-month term |
| Online Master’s Programs (approx.) | ~15 | ~30+ | ~25+ | ~100+ | ~20+ |
| Admissions Selectivity | Accessible/rolling | Moderate | Moderate–selective | Open/rolling | Open/competency-based |
| Notable Accreditations | AACSB (business), CCNE (nursing), CAA (SLP) | AACSB (business) | AACSB (business) | ACBSP (business) | ACBSP (business), CCNE (nursing) |
| Learning Format | Asynchronous-dominant | Asynchronous + some synchronous | Varies by program | Asynchronous | Competency-based, self-paced |
| Best-Known Online Program Areas | Education, MBA, Engineering Technology | Business, Education, Information Science | Business, Engineering, Social Work | Business, Education, Healthcare | IT, Business, Education, Nursing |
Key takeaways from this comparison:
For students who value the competency-based, self-paced master’s degree model, WGU is the natural alternative. For those who want a traditional course-based structure at the lowest possible cost from a regionally accredited Texas public university, Lamar has few direct competitors.
Lamar University’s online master’s programs are strongest for students who fit one or more of these profiles:
Lamar is not the right choice for every student. These profiles should explore other options:
Students seeking elite brand prestige or nationally ranked flagship credentials. Lamar is not a Tier 1 research university and does not appear in major national rankings for most program areas. If employer perception of institutional brand matters significantly to your career trajectory — especially outside the Texas/Gulf Coast region — a flagship like Texas A&M University or a nationally recognized online provider like Arizona State University will carry more weight.
Students needing highly specialized STEM research programs. Lamar’s online engineering options are professionally oriented, not research-intensive. Students who want thesis-driven master’s programs in advanced STEM fields, access to funded research labs, or doctoral-preparatory training should look at research universities with stronger graduate research infrastructure.
Students who want an extensive online student services ecosystem at scale. Large-enrollment online providers like Southern New Hampshire University or Western Governors University invest heavily in 24/7 advising, career services, and tech support scaled to massive online student populations. Lamar’s support services exist, but they operate at a different scale.
Students seeking programs in fields Lamar does not offer online. If your target field is social work, advanced data analytics, public health, information science, law, or medicine, Lamar does not have online master’s programs in these areas. Students interested in health education or occupational therapy will also need to look elsewhere.
Career changers who need strong national employer recognition outside the Texas/Gulf Coast region. Lamar’s name recognition is strongest in Southeast Texas and the broader Gulf Coast. If you’re planning a career pivot that depends on an employer in New York, Chicago, or the West Coast immediately recognizing and valuing your degree’s institution, a university with broader national name recognition may serve you better.
Not all online master’s programs at Lamar carry equal weight. These four stand out for specific, identifiable reasons — whether it’s a rare accreditation, a unique niche, or an unusually strong value proposition.
Lamar’s MBA is the program where accreditation and cost converge most impressively. AACSB accreditation places this program among a small global percentage of business schools — the same accreditation held by programs at universities charging two to four times Lamar’s tuition. At $15,732 estimated total cost with no GMAT required (waiver available for qualified applicants), this is one of the least expensive AACSB-accredited online MBAs in the country. The limitation: it’s a generalist MBA without concentrations. Students who need a specialized business track (finance, analytics, healthcare management) will need to look elsewhere — but for a general management credential with credible accreditation at a rock-bottom price, this is hard to beat.
The FNP track is Lamar’s most career-direct program. CCNE accreditation is table stakes for nurse practitioner programs that lead to licensure, and Lamar delivers it at an estimated total cost of $19,665 for 45 credit hours. That’s well below the median for CCNE-accredited FNP programs nationally. The honest tradeoff: this program requires clinical practicum hours, meaning you’ll need to arrange supervised clinical placements, typically near your location. It is not a fully remote degree. But for RNs in the Texas/Gulf Coast region who can manage the clinical logistics, the cost-to-credential ratio is very strong.
This is Lamar’s most distinctive program in absolute terms. Fully online master’s programs in deaf education are rare nationally — most programs in this field require substantial campus presence. Lamar’s 36-credit MEd is fully online at $15,732 estimated total cost, with rolling admissions and no GRE requirement. For educators already working with deaf and hard-of-hearing students — or those looking to specialize in this direction — the combination of accessibility, cost, and niche focus is genuinely difficult to find elsewhere.
The MEM stands out for two reasons: it’s fully online from an accredited public university at $15,732, and it does not require an engineering undergraduate degree. That second point is significant — many engineering management programs restrict admission to applicants with engineering backgrounds. Lamar’s MEM is designed for professionals in technical fields who want to transition into engineering management, operations leadership, or project management roles. The limitation is that this is a management degree, not a technical engineering degree. Students who need deep technical research credentials should pursue the MS in Industrial Engineering instead.
Lamar University’s online master’s admissions process is designed to be straightforward, particularly for working professionals who may not have recent standardized test scores.
General requirements for most programs:
GRE and GMAT policies: Most Lamar online master’s programs do not require the GRE. The MBA offers GMAT waivers for qualified applicants (typically those meeting a minimum GPA threshold or with significant professional experience). Students who are unsure whether they’ll need a standardized test for programs at other institutions may want to explore the GRE exam practice test resource.
Program-specific variations: The MSN programs (both FNP and Nursing Administration) use deadline-based admissions and require an active, unencumbered RN license. The MS in Speech-Language Pathology also uses deadline-based admissions with a Fall-only cohort start and may have prerequisite coursework requirements. The MEd in Counseling and Development may require additional application materials such as a personal statement or interview.
Application timeline: Rolling admissions programs accept applications on a continuous basis for Fall, Spring, and Summer terms. Deadline-based programs (nursing, SLP) publish specific application windows — applicants should check Lamar’s graduate admissions page for current deadlines.
Tips for strengthening your application: Because many programs don’t require standardized tests, your undergraduate GPA and professional experience carry more weight. If your GPA is below the stated minimum, some programs offer conditional admission pathways. A strong professional resume and, where applicable, relevant certifications or licenses can bolster an otherwise borderline application.
Lamar University’s online master’s tuition is among the lowest available from a SACSCOC-accredited public university. Understanding the full cost picture requires looking beyond per-credit rates to total program costs, fees, and how Lamar stacks up against realistic alternatives.
Total program costs vary by credit-hour requirements. The table below shows estimated tuition-only costs for representative programs.
| Program | Credits | Estimated Tuition Cost |
|---|---|---|
| MS in Industrial Engineering | 33 | $14,421 |
| MBA (AACSB) | 36 | $15,732 |
| MEd programs (most) | 36 | $15,732 |
| MSN — Nursing Administration (CCNE) | 36 | $15,732 |
| MSN — Family Nurse Practitioner (CCNE) | 45 | $19,665 |
| MEd in Counseling and Development | 48 | $20,976 |
| MS in Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) | 55 | $24,035 |
These figures represent tuition only. Additional costs — including university fees, technology fees, course materials, and potential travel costs for programs with clinical requirements — will increase your total investment. Budget an additional 5–15% beyond tuition for fees and materials as a general planning estimate.
Visit Lamar University’s official online programs page
Lamar’s program strengths intersect with several OMC ranking and comparison pages. These resources can help you evaluate Lamar’s programs in a broader competitive context:
A. Yes. Lamar University holds regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Additionally, specific programs carry programmatic accreditations: the MBA is AACSB-accredited, nursing programs are CCNE-accredited, and the MS in Speech-Language Pathology holds CAA (ASHA) accreditation. Regional accreditation by SACSCOC is the standard for recognized public universities in the southern United States and is widely accepted by employers and other institutions for credit transfer.
A. Online graduate tuition at Lamar is approximately $437 per credit hour. Total program costs range from roughly $14,400 for the 33-credit MS in Industrial Engineering to approximately $24,000 for the 55-credit MS in Speech-Language Pathology. Most 36-credit programs cost about $15,700 in tuition. Additional fees for technology, course materials, and university services apply and typically add 5–15% to the tuition-only figure.
A. Most Lamar online master’s programs do not require the GRE. The MBA program does not require the GMAT and offers waivers for applicants who meet certain GPA or professional experience thresholds. A small number of programs may consider GRE scores as part of a holistic review, but standardized testing is not a barrier for the majority of applicants. Check your specific program’s admissions page for current requirements.
A. Most programs are fully online with asynchronous course delivery. However, three programs have in-person components: the MSN — Family Nurse Practitioner requires clinical practicum hours, the MEd in Counseling and Development requires practicum and internship placements, and the MS in Speech-Language Pathology requires clinical practicum with some on-site components. If fully remote completion is essential to your decision, verify the specific program’s format before applying.
A. Completion timelines range from 12 months (accelerated pace for 33–36 credit programs) to 36 months (the 55-credit MS in Speech-Language Pathology at a standard pace). Most 36-credit programs are designed for completion in 12 to 24 months depending on whether you take a full-time or part-time course load. Multiple start dates per year (Fall, Spring, Summer for most programs) give you flexibility in when you begin.
A. Lamar is best known for three things in online graduate education: an unusually deep portfolio of MEd specializations (six tracks, including the nationally rare Deaf Studies/Deaf Education program), an AACSB-accredited MBA at a price point well below most AACSB competitors, and affordable engineering management programs that don’t require an engineering undergraduate degree. Across all programs, the common thread is high affordability and accessible admissions from a SACSCOC-accredited Texas public university.
A. Lamar is among the most affordable options in the Texas public university system for online master’s programs. Its per-credit tuition of ~$437 undercuts the University of North Texas (~$500–$600/credit) and the University of Houston (~$600–$900/credit). The tradeoff is a smaller program catalog and less national brand recognition. Lamar’s AACSB-accredited MBA and CCNE-accredited nursing programs match the accreditation quality of larger competitors, but students seeking broader program selection or research-intensive environments will find more options at UNT or UH.