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Most Affordable Online EDD Programs in 2023
Find low-cost online EdD programs that have the affordability and convenience you need to take the next step in your career as an educator.
Written by
PhDs.me Staff
Last updated
Apr 24, 2023
If you are an experienced educator aiming to advance your career to a high-level administrative role in your school or district, pursuing a Doctor of Education (EdD) degree may be a logical next step. However, you may be concerned about the scheduling challenges and costs associated with obtaining your doctorate. Fortunately, many top universities now offer affordable online EdD programs that address both of these concerns, enabling you to earn your degree remotely and at a reasonable cost. To help you in your search, we have compiled a list of the most affordable online EdD programs for the current year in our college rankings. Keep reading to identify a flexible, high-quality online EdD program that aligns with your budget.
50 Most Affordable Online EDD Programs for 2023
The curriculum for the Doctor of Educational Leadership from the University of the Cumberlands combines core leadership and research coursework with courses in one of several specialty content areas that include education, criminal justice, English, health science, instructional technology, and seven others. Students complete their degrees by writing and defending original, research-based dissertations. The 60-credit hour program features 100% online coursework with most classes attended virtually at specific times, typically on weekday evenings. Students can attend some classes in person on UC’s campus in Williamsburg, Kentucky.
Admissions requirements include an education-related master’s degree or higher with a minimum 3.0 GPA from a DOE-recognized accredited institution. A limited number of spaces are available in each cohort with selection based on an assessment of all information provided by applicants.
Program Highlights:
Doctor of Educational Leadership
- Credits: 60
- Cost Per Credit: $375
- Est. Total Tuition: $22,500
- Length: Less than 3 years
- Format: Fully online
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) (school); Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) (program)
CounselingYes
PlacementNo
Institutional Aid97%
Online Doctoral and PhD Programs
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) (Varies by specialization)
- EdD in Higher Education (Fully-online coursework with two-week, in-person campus summer residencies)
- EdD in P-12 School Administration (Fully-online)
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid99%
Its low per-credit tuition rate and total of only 30 credit hours of required coursework for EdS degree holders makes the hybrid-formatted Doctor of Educational Leadership from Southwest Baptist University among the best deals for those wanting an affordable online EdD. The program uses a three-tiered “leveling options” model that allows students entering the program at different points along their academic paths to complete and pay for only the credits they need to earn their degrees. Students with Educational Administration MS degrees and building-level certifications, for example, complete a three-year, 51 credit program while students entering with a non-administration education master’s complete a 73-credit curriculum over four years. Some coursework is delivered online through a combination of synchronous lecture sessions and asynchronous assignments. Most coursework, however, is completed on SBU’s main campus in Bolivar, Missouri.
Program Highlights:
- Tuition: $445/credit
- Credits: 30-73 (varies by track)
Online Doctoral and PhD Programs
- EdD in Educational Leadership (Partially-online)
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid70%
Focusing on educational equity, social justice, and border issues, the EdD degree offered by NMSU through its Educational Leadership Doctoral Program prepares students for advanced leadership roles at education institutions serving underrepresented populations. The 63-credit hour EdD cohort-model program begins annually every fall and progresses through six semesters (fall, spring, summer) of coursework followed by the writing and defense of doctoral dissertations. Coursework is presented in a hybrid (80% face-to-face/20% online) format. In-person classes are on NMSU’s Las Cruces campus with online classes attended at specific times. Students complete other coursework online both synchronously and asynchronously. Students are also required to attend at least two program-approved, research-focused academic conferences during their degree studies.
Program Highlights:
EdD in Educational Leadership
- Credits: 63
- Cost Per Credit (tuition and fees): $329.20 (New Mexico residents); $398.20 (out-of-state residents)
- Est. Total Tuition: $20,739.60 (New Mexico residents); $25,086.60 (out-of-state residents)
- Length: Minimum 3 ½ years
- Format: Partially online
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC) (school); Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) (program)
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid65%
Arkansas State University offers two doctoral degrees with substantial online program options. Their Doctor of Educational Leadership prepares students for top-level administrative and leadership roles in schools and school districts on all education levels. All courses are online in a combination of synchronous classes and additional asynchronous coursework. Students also participate in three, day-long summer seminars on the ASU campus in Jonesboro at the beginning, middle, and end of their pre-dissertation coursework.
ASU’s two-year, full-time Doctor of Nursing Practice is a post-master’s program also featuring fully-online didactic coursework along with on-campus immersion experiences before the beginning of each semester. As part of the curriculum, DNP students complete three internship courses totaling 540 clock hours of practice in an approved clinical setting.
Program Highlights:
- Tuition: $333/credit (DNP); $440/credit (EdD)
- Credits: 41 (DNP); 60 (EdD)
Online Doctoral and PhD Programs
- Doctor on Nursing Practice (DNP) (Fully-online coursework with on-campus sessions each semester and in-person clinical practice internships)
- EdD in Educational Leadership (Fully-online coursework plus three, 3-day, on-campus seminars)
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid67%
Online Doctoral and PhD Programs
- EdD in Educational Leadership (Partially-online)
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid86%
Operated by the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Concordia University-St. Paul offers a Doctorate in Education program that carries its vision of “transforming communities through educational leadership” by developing student competencies in the areas of scholarship, leadership, community, and innovation. Students progress through the first three years as a cohort, completing all didactic coursework and three chapters of their five-chapter dissertations together. Most students then present and defend their dissertations in year four. The program allows students to complete their degrees while maintaining full-time employment. Except for week-long, on-campus residencies during the summers of the second and third years, all degree requirements are entirely online through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous coursework.
Program Highlights:
Doctorate in Education
- Credits: 64
- Cost Per Credit: $615
- Est. Total Tuition: $39,360
- Length: 3 to 4 years
- Format: Fully online coursework with 1-week, in-person, on-campus summer residencies.
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC) (school); Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) (program)
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid96%
The Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership, Curriculum & Instruction from Evangel University, a private Christian school affiliated with the Assemblies of God, prepares effective leaders in administrative and instructional leadership roles on the K-12 level. The program begins annually each fall. Students progress as a cohort through seven semesters (fall, spring, summer) before turning exclusively to dissertation preparation, writing, and defense in the spring of the program’s third year. The curriculum can be completed entirely online or through a combination of online coursework and in-person classes on EU’s Springfield, Missouri campus. This EdD degree requires 50 credit hours of coursework. However, students can transfer in up to 15 program-approved credit hours for previously completed coursework beyond the master’s degree level.
Program Highlights:
EdD in Educational Leadership, Curriculum & Instruction
- Credits: 50
- Cost Per Credit: $600
- Est. Total Tuition: $30,000
- Length: 3 years
- Format: Fully online or partially online with blended format
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC) (school)
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid100%
Online Doctoral and PhD Programs
- EdD in Leadership (Fully-online coursework plus one educational trip to Washington, DC)
- PhD in Counselor Education & Supervision (Fully-online coursework with two face-to-face residencies and in-person field experiences)
CounselingYes
PlacementNo
Institutional Aid97%
Online Doctoral and PhD Programs
- EdD in Educational Leadership (Fully-online)
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid54%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid99%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid100%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid89%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid73%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid49%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid50%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid71%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid100%
Online Doctoral and PhD Programs
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) (Fully-online coursework with minimal campus visits)
- EdD in Higher Education Leadership and Practice (Fully-online)
- PhD in Criminal Justice (Fully-online)
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid9%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid39%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid98%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid69%
Online Doctoral and PhD Programs
- EdD in Educational Administration (Fully-online)
- EdD in Higher Education (Fully-online)
- PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision (Partially-online)
- PhD in Educational Psychology (Partially-online)
- PhD in English (Partially-online)
CounselingYes
PlacementNo
Institutional Aid41%
CounselingYes
PlacementNo
Institutional Aid100%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid86%
CounselingYes
PlacementNo
Institutional Aid100%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid6%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid9%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid46%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid77%
CounselingYes
PlacementNo
Institutional Aid29%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid25%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid41%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid35%
CounselingYes
PlacementNo
Institutional Aid24%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid51%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid20%
CounselingYes
PlacementNo
Institutional Aid97%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid28%
Wilmington University in Delaware offers both fully-online and hybrid options with its Doctor of Business Administration degree program. Students choosing the hybrid option complete some of their coursework online while attending face-to-face classes in the evenings at either the university’s Wilson Graduate Center in New Castle or Brandywine site in Wilmington. Students can also choose the fully-online option that includes both online asynchronous coursework and weekly classes via Zoom along with online small group discussions and counseling sessions. All DBA students are required to attend a two-day on-campus residency at the end of their second year of studies. The DBA program is presented in a cohort format in which entering students progress through the entire course of study together. New cohorts begin in the spring, summer, and fall.
Program Highlights:
Doctor of Business Administration
- Credits: 54
- Cost Per Credit: $485
- Est. Total Tuition: $26,203
- Length: Three years
- Format: Fully-online courses with one required on-campus residency at the end of year two. Hybrid option available.
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) (school); IACBE (program)
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid16%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid60%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid47%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid57%
CounselingNo
PlacementNo
Institutional Aid0%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid66%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid100%
CounselingYes
PlacementNo
Institutional Aid0%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid64%
CounselingYes
PlacementNo
Institutional Aid100%
CounselingYes
PlacementYes
Institutional Aid98%
Rankings Methodology
PhD.me’s rankings are based on official government data from The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). To be eligible for our most affordable rankings, colleges were required to have the following characteristics:
- Annual graduate tuition and fees under $15,000.
- At least one EDD program offered partially online or fully online.
- Accreditation from an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Eligible colleges were then ranked based on their performance in the following categories:
- Cost: Relative cost of attendance compared to peer schools on the list. Based on tuition and fees per academic year. (Heaviest weighting)
- Institutional Aid: Percentage of students who receive financial aid from the school itself. (Second-heaviest weighting)
- Online Program Availability: Number of fully-online or partially-online EDD programs reported.
- Academic Counseling: Existence of this service on campus or online.
- Career Placement: Existence of this service on campus or online.
Accreditation Glossary
ABHE: Association for Biblical Higher Education, Commission on Accreditation
ATS: Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools
DEAC: Distance Education Accrediting Commission
HLC: Higher Learning Commission
MSCHE: Middle States Commission on Higher Education
NECHE: New England Commission of Higher Education
NWCCU: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
SACSCOC: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
TRACS: Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, Accreditation Commission