To enter the ranks of the leaders in education, you don’t need to get a doctorate—there is the quicker and cheaper option: the EdS degree, a terminal degree for education administrators and leaders. An EdS in educational leadership online will help you attain the credentials to move up the ladder quickly, but it pays to look around and make sure you will get value for your money. Choosing your school can make a big difference not only in the quality of instruction you receive, but in the price that you will end up paying. If you choose the most expensive program, you will pay almost $40,000 more than you need to spend, and $28,000 over the average cost of this degree.
We make comparing school costs easy with this guide. GetEducated has reviewed all 100 EdS in educational leadership online and the 57 schools that offer them. As you compare each program, you have a starting point to plan your next career move in educational leadership and a get cost-effective credential to make it to the next level in administration.
Average Cost (In-state): ~$18,800
Least Expensive: Appalachian State University ~$7,995
Most Expensive: Andrews University ~$47,004
Our data-driven research creates a truly reliable system of scientific rankings. There’s no fancy formulas here. We meticulously calculate total full-time tuition—including any fees—for the most accurate total cost. Our rankings cannot be bought, and therefore factually showcase the cheapest EdS in educational leadership online. The online education specialist degrees listed above the gray dividing line are official 2018 “Best Buys” and cost less than the national average.
Most Affordable EdS in Educational Leadership Online
| Rank | School / Degree | State | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Appalachian State University | (NC) | $7,995.30 $27,750.30 | In-State Out-of-State |
2 | Fort Hays State University | (KS) | $8,421.90 | All Students |
3 | Valdosta State University | (GA) | $9,021.00 | All Students |
4 | Arkansas State University | (AR) | $9,132.50 | All Students |
5 | East Carolina University | (NC) | $9,471.88 $33,965.16 | In-State Out-of-State |
6 | University of the Cumberlands | (KY) | $9,700.00 | All Students |
7 | Georgia College & State University | (GA) | $10,012.00 | All Students |
8 | Southeast Missouri State University | (MO) | $10,417.50 | All Students |
9 | Ball State University | (IN) | $10,512.00 $15,456.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
10 | Arkansas State University | (AR) | $10,940.00 | All Students |
11 |  William Carey University | (MS) | $11,550.00 | All Students |
12 | American College of Education | (IN) | $11,574.00 | All Students |
12 | Indiana State University | (IN) | $11,574.00 $14,679.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
14 | Georgia College & State University | (GA) | $11,740.00 | All Students |
15 | The University of Alabama | (AL) | $12,120.00 | All Students |
16 | Jacksonville State University | (AL) | $13,060.00 | All Students |
17 |  University of West Alabama | (AL) | $13,070.00 | All Students |
18 | University of North Alabama | (AL) | $13,480.00 | All Students |
19 | Minnesota State University-Moorhead | (MN) | $13,497.00 | All Students |
20 | Pittsburg State University | (KS) | $13,752.00 | All Students |
21 | University of Arkansas | (AR) | $13,912.80 | All Students |
22 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | (MA) | $14,220.00 | All Students |
23 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | (LA) | $14,250.00 | All Students |
24 |  University of Kentucky | (KY) | $14,250.00 | All Students |
25 | University of South Dakota | (SD) | $14,428.80 | All Students |
26 | University of North Alabama | (AL) | $14,752.00 | All Students |
27 | Troy University | (AL) | $14,820.00 | All Students |
28 | Auburn University at Montgomery | (AL) | $14,891.00 $15,221.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
29 | University of Wisconsin-Superior | (WI) | $15,000.00 | All Students |
29 | University of Montevallo | (AL) | $15,000.00 $29,490.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
31 | Columbus State University | (GA) | $15,504.00 | All Students |
32 | Northwest Nazarene University | (ID) | $15,530.00 | All Students |
33 | University of Mississippi | (MS) | $15,705.00 | All Students |
34 | University of South Alabama | (AL) | $15,750.00 | All Students |
35 | Trevecca Nazarene University | (TN) | $15,900.00 | All Students |
36 | Northwest Nazarene University | (ID) | $16,540.00 | All Students |
37 | Jackson State University | (MS) | $16,632.00 | All Students |
38 | University of Idaho | (ID) | $16,650.00 | All Students |
39 | McNeese State University | (LA) | $16,866.96 $26,866.96 | In-State Out-of-State |
40 | Northwest Nazarene University | (ID) | $17,045.00 | All Students |
41 | Columbia International University | (SC) | $17,100.00 | All Students |
42 | University of Northern Colorado | (CO) | $17,250.00 | All Students |
43 | Asbury University | (KY) | $17,575.00 | All Students |
44 | Central Michigan University | (MI) | $17,930.00 $10,700.00 | In-State/Out-Of-State Military |
45 | East Tennessee State University | (TN) | $18,197.00 $24,335.00 | In-State Out-of-State |
46 |  Liberty University | (VA) | $18,746.00 $8,350.00 | In-State/Out-Of-State Military |
| School / Degree | State | Price | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
University of Florida | (FL) | $19,149.48 $22,876.56 | In-State Out-of-State | |
 Saint Leo University | (FL) | $19,695.00 | All Students | |
Wright State University | (OH) | $19,800.00 $33,750.00 | In-State Out-of-State | |
Auburn University | (AL) | $20,790.00 | All Students | |
 Grand Canyon University | (AZ) | $21,200.00 $20,225.00 | In-State/Out-Of-State Military | |
Webster University | (MO) | $21,325.00 $16,055.00 | In-State/Out-Of-State Military | |
University of Northern Colorado | (CO) | $22,425.00 | All Students | |
Northern Kentucky University | (KY) | $23,508.00 | All Students | |
Webster University | (MO) | $23,825.00 $17,935.00 | In-State/Out-Of-State Military | |
 Regent University | (VA) | $24,365.00 $18,823.75 | In-State/Out-Of-State Military | |
Oakland University | (MI) | $25,092.00 | All Students | |
Regent University | (VA) | $25,795.00 $19,896.25 | In-State/Out-Of-State Military | |
Mississippi College | (MS) | $26,603.00 | All Students | |
Regent University | (VA) | $27,225.00 $20,968.75 | In-State/Out-Of-State Military | |
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | (TN) | $28,812.00 $31,962.00 | In-State Out-of-State | |
 Northcentral University | (CA) | $30,293.00 $21,680.00 | In-State/Out-Of-State Military | |
Northcentral University | (CA) | $30,403.00 $21,790.00 | In-State/Out-Of-State Military | |
 The George Washington University | (DC) | $31,280.00 | All Students | |
Nova Southeastern University | (FL) | $31,870.00 | All Students | |
 Capella University EdS - Leadership in Educational Administration 36,14 | (MN) | $36,090.00 $32,586.00 | In-State/Out-Of-State Military | |
Capella University EdS - Teacher Leader in K-12 Studies 36,14 EdS - Teacher Leader in Digital Transformation 36,14 | (MN) | $39,010.00 $35,214.00 | In-State/Out-Of-State Military | |
Andrews University | (MI) | $41,608.00 | All Students | |
Andrews University | (MI) | $47,004.00 | All Students |
Accreditation & Licensing Note: As in all careers with state-specific licensure requirements, prospective applicants should contact the education department in their state of residence and ensure the desired program qualifies a graduate for teacher licensure. Not all programs listed lead to licensure. Applicants can also learn more by clicking the links to request information about each degree program. To qualify for a ranking, a program must be regionally accredited. Additional programmatic accreditation is noted in the rank table.
36 Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
Rankings Note: These online college rankings are based on a GetEducated Fall 2018 review of regionally accredited EdS in educational leadership online. Total cost includes full-time tuition and fees and was valid at the time of collection and specific to the online learning program. School profiles for the online education specialist degree programs in our directory may reflect a slightly different cost based on different editorial update schedules. The published cost is an estimated sticker price for the entire online degree including fees. Actual costs may vary by student. Factors such as transfer credits, prerequisite courses, professional licensing and financial aid availability will affect final cost.
Editorial Note: Online schools do NOT pay to be included in any GetEducated online degree ranking. These rankings are editorially independent, open to any regionally accredited or candidate college that offers a EdS degree that is available at least 80 percent through online learning and that is open to enrollment by the public. If your online college is regionally accredited and not currently reviewed by GetEducated, please contact us for inclusion.
These rankings of the cheapest online schools for an EdS in Leadership and Administration may NOT be re-posted online or reprinted in any format without a license from GetEducated ®. Consumer finance bloggers and writers can contact our editors for a free custom article on the best eds in educational leadership online for use on your website. Our mission: Help consumers GetEducated ® about the best online colleges for cost and credibility.