New England has always been a hot spot for American higher education. Despite having fewer people than the Mid-Atlantic heavyweight state like New York and Pennsylvania, the tranquil, bucolic states of Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Massachusetts between them have half of the elite Ivy League universities in the country.
Joined by Vermont and Maine, you find the cascading effects of these and other fine universities trickling down into the public school system everywhere you look. In fact, in the Department of Education’s National Assessment of Educational Progress reports that detail educational achievement, the whole area is recognized for strong student performance. Four out of the five states in the region regularly compete for the top spot for scores in math, reading, and science.
Those results aren’t just achieved by osmosis. They come as a result of the hard work of principals and superintendents with the right talent and experience to translate the latest research and techniques into excellence in their own schools.
Identifying Top Master’s Degrees in Educational Administration in New England
When it comes to getting the right educational leadership degrees, you don’t need to go far to find them in this part of the country. Even outside the Ivy League, it turns out there are plenty of first-rate schools with the right path to licensure for future principals and superintendents in these states.
We’ve done the work it takes to put them all in one place with this list of the top master’s programs in educational leadership in the New England region.
If you’re curious about how exactly we selected our favorite schools in this elite higher education environment, you can check out the criteria here.
While there’s no question that it’s tough to pick out the most elite from an already high-quality bunch, we’re confident that every program here is worth your consideration.
Editor’s Choice for the Best Educational Leadership Administrator Prep Master’s Programs in the New England Region
Thomas College
Peter and Paula Lunder School of Education
Waterville, ME
Website
MS in Educational Leadership (online)
Total Estimated Program Cost: $19,503
- Ranked #2 in Maine for Social Mobility by U.S. News & World Report
- Superb convenience and flexibility through a fully online format
- Features an optimal blend of synchronous and asynchronous online courses
Thomas College’s MS in Educational Leadership easily makes our top programs list for its convenience and practicality. Offering a 100% online course of study, this program features both asynchronous and synchronous courses that are career- focused and expertly designed to help prepare you for Maine’s Building Administrator certification. Just some of the courses you’ll take in this exciting course of graduate study include School Law for Administrators, Organizational Behavior and Change in Schools, and Supervision and Evaluation of Personnel.
University of New England
College of Professional Studies
Portland, ME
Website
MSEd in Educational Leadership (online)
Total Estimated Program Cost: $18,600
- Ranked among the Best Online Programs – Grad Education by U.S. News & World Report
- Outstanding online resources and support through 24/7 tech support and the Student Academic Success Center
- Dedicated student support specialists provide personalized learning and support
- Fully online program includes no campus requirements and multiple start dates throughout the year for maximum convenience and flexibility
The University of New England’s MSEd in Educational Leadership serves as an outstanding springboard to an exciting career in educational administration! This exciting program of graduate study provides preparation for the Building Administrator endorsement in Maine through a rich and rigorous curriculum of study in educational leadership theory, principles, and practices. Just some of the topics you’ll study include school finance, special education law, instructional leadership, and school-community relations. Offered through a fully online format – no campus requirements! – this is the program that’s designed to get you where you want to be!
Boston University
Wheelock College of Education and Human Development
Boston, MA
Website
MEd in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies – PreK-12 (on-campus, hybrid)
Total Estimated Program Cost: $91,584
- Licensure and non-licensure tracks available
- Option to combine program with an MSW
- Ranked among the Top National Universities by U.S. News & World Report
- Named a Top Performer on Social Mobility by U.S. News & World Report
- Also offers:
- MEd in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies – Higher Education Administration
- MA in Leadership Policy and Advocacy for Early Childhood Well-Being
- EdD in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
- Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Boston University’s MEd in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies – PreK-12 offers a dynamic graduate education leading to superb opportunities in educational administration! Just some of the features of this program include: licensure and non-licensure options; an esteemed faculty of respected school and district leaders; full- and part-time options; and a nice selection of both online and on-campus courses for maximum convenience and flexibility. Choose Boston University for your grad degree leading to a principal or superintendent career and you’ll enjoy unparalleled support that includes an intensive clinical relationship between you, a highly experienced field-based practitioner, and a university-based supervisor.
Harvard University
Graduate School of Education
Cambridge, MA
Website
Online MEd in Education Leadership – PreK-12 (online)
Total Estimated Program Cost: $57,246
- Outstanding Graduate School of Education alumni network of 29,000+
- Features a fully online curriculum, with the exception of one, short, on-campus experience at the beginning of the program
- Superb opportunities for mentorship and coaching
- Also offers:
- MEd in Education Leadership – Higher Education
- EdD in Education Leadership
- MEd in Teaching and Teacher Leadership (Teaching Licensure, Teacher Leadership)
- MEd in Education Leadership Organizations and Entrepreneurship
Harvard University’s Online MEd in Education Leadership – PreK-12 prepares dynamic educators like you to become confident, trailblazing educational leaders and administrators in PreK-12 schools and districts! This program, which is new to Harvard, offers an exciting course of graduate study that’s expertly designed to meet the needs of today’s busy, working educators. It’s offered as a two-year, part-time cohort program for education professionals like you. It meets almost exclusively online, except for one short on-campus experience. Superb opportunities for mentorship and coaching, an esteemed faculty, and an intentionally designed career-enabled curriculum are just a few of the reasons why aspiring principals and superintendents choose Harvard.
Boston College
Carolyn A. and Peter S. Lynch School of Education and Human Development
Chestnut Hill, IL
Website
MEd in Educational Leadership and Policy – School Principal licensure (online, hybrid)
Total Estimated Program Cost: $48,000
- LSEHD faculty are world-renowned researchers and leading practitioners
- Superb LSEHD alumni network of 25,000+
- Ranked among the nation’s top graduate schools of education by U.S. News & World Report
- Ranked as the #1 Catholic school of education in the nation by U.S. News & World Report
- Flexible format features online and hybrid courses
- Also offers:
- MEd in Educational Leadership and Policy (Social Justice Leadership, Educational Policy Development)
- EdD in Educational Leadership
- MEd in Catholic Leadership
Boston College’s MED in Educational Leadership and Policy prepares educators like you for top leadership roles in PreK-12 schools and districts. This superb course of graduate study explores leadership challenges based on standards-based reform, technological advances, and evidence-based practices and provides you with the education theory and practical experiences you’ll need to earn Massachusetts’ School Principal license. Just some of the features of this program include online and hybrid courses; a faculty of committed teachers and scholars; and three start dates per year. It concludes with a reflection seminar where students examine their experiences.
Rivier University
Department of Education and Counseling
Nashua, NH
Website
MEd in Education Administration (on-campus)
Total Estimated Program Cost: $25,896
- Expansive alumni network of 24,000+
- Flexible, seven- and 14-week classes
- Features superb, practical learning through real-world assignments and hands-on experiences
- Also offers: EdD in Leadership and Learning
Rivier University’s MEd in Education Administration is where a new career in educational leadership and administration begins! This exciting course of graduate study prepares educators to become successful, competent principals who deftly manage school operations; oversee curriculum development, interact with students, parents, and the community; and produce school environments where academic success flourishes. Study topics such as curriculum development, school administration leadership, staff development, educational finance, law, and more as you prepare for certification as a school principal! We love the flexible, seven- and 14-week classes and the real-world assignments and hands-on experiences here that allow you to immediately begin putting theory into practice.