More than ever, it has become possible to apply significant fiscal and organizational skills to a career dedicated to serving the underserved. Thus, though this may seem counterintuitive, nonprofits have grown into a highly viable job sector. And so we offer the increasingly necessary online master’s degrees in nonprofit management. As a likely applicant, you are probably already intensely busy; these programs are designed for students to complete things quickly, intensely, and profitably.
To get into most of the following programs, you will be expected to have a year or two of full-time work experience. Once in, you will have an intense and collaborative schedule. Typical of such degrees is a span of time committed to a capstone project during which you will produce an exhibition of your combined work.
Likely positions include those of executive-level officers, directors, and upper-level managers in fundraising oversight. An added benefit of the degree is that graduates will not necessarily find themselves stuck in any particular industry: you can take your skills to private firms or start up your own business via the training and connections and focus of the programs below. Of course, government specialists may be a special avenue well-suited to the non-profit MA’s.
Each school in this list of online master’s degrees in nonprofit management is ranked according to tuition rate, accreditation, student to faculty ratio, and Payscale.com salary ranking. Also considered is the balance of expense and flexibility.
Hourly Tuition Rate:
- $400 and under – 5 points
- $600 and under – 4 points
- $800 and under – 3 points
- $1,000 and under – 2 points
- $1,200 and under – 1 point
Regional Accreditation: 5 points
Student to Faculty Ratio:
- 12 and below – 5 points
- 15 and below – 4 points
- 19 and below – 3 points
- 24 and below – 2 points
- 30 and below – 1 point
Payscale.com ROI Ranking:
- Top 100 – 5 points
- Top 300 – 4 points
- Top 500 – 3 points
- Top 800 – 2 points
- Top 900 – 1 point
#1 – Texas A&M University
College Station, Texas
Online Executive Master of Public Service and Administration, Nonprofit Management Track
Faculty to Student Ratio: 21 to 1
Payscale Salary Ranking: 87th
Regional Accreditation: Yes
Points: 16
Website
The Texas A&M University Online executive master of public service and administration, nonprofit management track takes 39 units of instruction to complete, including a crowning capstone project in the industry prior to graduation. Two one-week residencies are required on campus. Up to 12 credits can be transferred into the Texas A&M University Online Executive Master of Public Service and Administration, Nonprofit Management Track which charges $500 per credit, for in state and out of state online students.
#2 – University of Maryland University College
Adelphi, Maryland
MS in Management with a Specialization in Nonprofit and Association Management Online
Faculty to Student Ratio: 19 to 1
Payscale Salary Ranking: 76th
Regional Accreditation: Yes
Points: 16
Website
The University of Maryland University College master of science in management with a specialization in nonprofit and association management online is a 36 credit program which can be used to help students prepare for the Certified Associate Executive exam. Students are given five calendar years to complete this degree. The going rate is $659 per credit hour for the University of Maryland University College’s online MS in management with a specialization in nonprofit and association management.
#3 – University of Denver
Denver, Colorado
Online MS in Nonprofit Leadership
Faculty to Student Ratio: 11 to 1
Payscale Salary Ranking: 219th
Regional Accreditation: Yes
Points: 16
Website
The University of Denver online master of science in nonprofit leadership consists of 36 units of instruction and offers two tracks: philanthropy and resource development; and social enterprise, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The degree is broken up into 10 week terms with no GRE or GMAT required for admission. The degree can be completed in as little as 18 months. $950.67 per credit hour is the going tuition rate for the University of Denver online MS in nonprofit leadership.
#4 – Arkansas State University
Jonesboro, Arkansas
MPA in Nonprofit Management Online
Faculty to Student Ratio: 17 to 1
Payscale Salary Ranking: 732nd
Regional Accreditation: Yes
Points: 15
Website
Arkansas State University features a master of public administration in nonprofit management online that can be completed in 36 credit hours. Nine graduate hours of pre-existing credit are eligible to be transferred into this program. The Arkansas State University MPA in nonprofit management online charges an online graduate tuition rate of $306.25 hourly. A 2-3 page statement of purpose, three letters of recommendation and a $30 non refundable application fee are to be included with the admissions packet.
#5 – Indiana Wesleyan University
Marion, Indiana
MPA, Nonprofit Leadership Specialization Online
Faculty to Student Ratio: 14 to 1
Payscale Salary Ranking: 750th
Regional Accreditation: Yes
Points: 15
Website
Indiana Wesleyan University has an online master of public administration, nonprofit leadership specialization that takes 36 units of credit (24 core and 12 specialization) to complete. Offered in a 6 week course structure, the program features multiple start dates per year. Probationary admission is available for students with an undergraduate GPA of less than 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. Indiana Wesleyan University’s MPA with a nonprofit leadership specialization online charges just $559 per unit of instruction.
#6 – Arizona State University
Tempe, Arizona
Online Master of Nonprofit Leadership and Management
Faculty to Student Ratio: 20 to 1
Payscale Salary Ranking: 285th
Regional Accreditation: Yes
Points: 14
Website
With 7.5 week terms, the Arizona State University online master of nonprofit leadership and management degree spans 33 credit hours at a tuition rate of $709 per credit hour for out of state students. This degree is intended as a way for those working in the nonprofit sector to move up the career path, not as an entry point into the industry for those without a nonprofit background. Arizona State University’s online master of nonprofit leadership and management is comprised of 18 hours of core curriculum, 15 hours of electives, and a capstone course prior to graduation.
#7 – University of Central Florida
Orlando, Florida
Master of Nonprofit Management Online
Faculty to Student Ratio: 30 to 1
Payscale Salary Ranking: 392nd
Regional Accreditation: Yes
Points: 13
Website
The University of Central Florida features a master of nonprofit management offered fully online that is 36 credit hours in length. Students without 300 hours of documented nonprofit experience are eligible to also obtain the 6 credit hour National Nonprofit Leadership Alliance Certification. This certificate requires one course and three credit hours of an internship. The University of Central Florida master of nonprofit management online comes in at just $440.62 per credit hour with reduced out of state fees for online study.
#8 – Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana
Online MPA with a Concentration in Nonprofit Management
Faculty to Student Ratio: 17 to 1
Payscale Salary Ranking: 160th
Regional Accreditation: Yes
Points: 13
Website
The Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis offers an online master of public affairs with a concentration in nonprofit management that can be completed in 39 credit hours. The program offers three options for admissions for students whose undergraduate GPA is less than 3.2 on a 4 point scale. These include a GRE, GMAT, or LSAT score that is less than five years old, two years of relevant work experience, or an already earned master’s degree from an accredited institution of higher learning. The out of state, per credit hour cost, is $1,138.50 for Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis’s online MPA with a concentration in nonprofit management.
#9 – Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, Michigan
MPA in Nonprofit Management Online
Faculty to Student Ratio: 20 to 1
Payscale Salary Ranking: 895th
Regional Accreditation: Yes
Points: 12
Website
Central Michigan University’s master of public administration in nonprofit management charges online students $637 per graduate credit hour, with no out of state fees for this 37 credit degree. Nine hours can be transferred in from another accredited program at the graduate level. No GRE score is part of the requirements for admission to the Central Michigan University MPA in Nonprofit Management Online. This is a cohort model program. Three letters of recommendation, personal statement, and a current professional resume are part of the requirements for admission.