The online education specialist degree at Wayne State College is among the lowest priced in the nation. Online tuition is a flat rate, regardless of residency.
Education Specialist Degree (Ed.S.)
Advance your career with our online education specialist degree in school administration.
What is an Education Specialist Degree (Ed.S.)?
An education specialist degree (Ed.S.) is an advanced degree for teachers beyond the level of a master's degree, but requires less time and money than pursuing a doctoral degree in education (Ed.D.). After years of teaching, you might be thinking about taking that next step in your career. Perhaps you're interested in a leadership position, such as principal or superintendent. Or, perhaps you're looking for the higher salary that comes with career advancement. The Ed.S. degree offers exactly that - a chance become more proficient in a particular field, like school administration, while advancing your career and enhancing your credentials. The education specialist degree can also serve as a stepping stone toward getting your Ed.D. or Ph.D. in education, as some of the credits you earn in an online Ed.S. degree may be transferrable to your doctoral program.
Online Ed.S. degree from Wayne State
If you're looking to qualify for a leadership role in education, enhance your credentials and salary, or become specialized in the field of educational administraton, our online education specialist degree in school administration can help you achieve these goals. The convenience of our online Ed.S. degree allows you to continue working as a teacher while balancing the demands of your busy life, and at less time and cost than other institutions. While doctoral degrees in education can typically require 60-90 credits to completion, the online Ed.S. degree from Wayne State requires only 30 credits for completion, and it's at an affordable price. What's more, our online education degrees are consistently ranked near the top for their value, quality, and successful graduate outcomes.
*Wayne State College accepts up to 18 credit hours from other Nebraska state colleges or universities and nine hours from other accredited graduate institutions.
Online Ed.S. Degree Admission Criteria
You must have a master's degree or endorsement in school administration from an accredited institution. If you hold a graduate degree in another field and have at least two years of teaching experience, you may begin the online education specialist degree program while completing masters-level, school administration deficiency hours (usually 24 credit hours).
Education Specialist Certification
Completing the online Ed.S. degree in school administration from Wayne State College may certify you to work as a school administrator at any level in in a P-12 school system. Upon degree completion, you should contact the WSC Director of Education and Counseling Services, Brook Jech, at 402-375-7373 to process the administrative endorsement to your teaching certificate. The Nebraska Department of Education requires successful completion of the Praxis II School Superintendent Assessment. Our program of study is designed to prepare you for such a test, but your performance may depend on many issues beyond the control of our department, including prior educational knowledge, teaching and administrative experiences, test-taking skills, and your retention of course material.
Questions? Contact:
Michael Sieh
Assistant Professor of Education
Benthack Hall 205A
Phone: 402-375-7185
Email: [email protected]
Online Ed.S. Degree Fast Facts
- 30 Credit Hours
- $380 Per Credit Hour (2020-21 tuition)
- Fully online
- Up to 18 transferrable credits*
Get started today
- Next start date: Jan. 10, 2022
- Registration opens: Nov. , 2021
Apply NowHow to ApplyView the Courses
Accreditation: Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), Nebraska Department of Education
Licensing and Certification: Wayne State academic programs are designed to prepare students for licensure or certification in Nebraska. If you plan to pursue licensure or certification in a state other than Nebraska, please check that state's licensing board to determine their licensing requirements. Authorization may be required from them prior to beginning a clinical or field experience in that state. Learn more.
Top Educational Administration Degree Programs
Wayne State College is continually recognized for incredible value, successful graduates, and innovative learning.

No. 1 in Nebraska; No. 11 in the U.S.
Cheapest Online Colleges, 2022
Intelligent.com

Cheapest Online Colleges, 2022
No. 1 in Nebraska; No. 11 in the U.S.
Intelligent.com
Intelligent.com ranked Wayne State College as No. 11 in the U.S. in the category of cheapest online colleges and universities for 2022. For their 2022 online degree report, Intelligent.com reviewed over 250 institutions to determine which schools were the most affordable based on the cost-per-credit tuition rates. Tuition rates vary based on degree level, and not all schools offer all types of degrees. The list includes community colleges, which only offer associate degrees, as well as four-year institutions that grant bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees. Schools on the list also have regional accreditation, which assures a high standard of quality.
In addition to cost, they evaluated these colleges on the basis of reputation, faculty, flexibility, and course strength. They then calculated the Intelligent Score for each school on a scale from 0 to 100.
Learn more about our online degree programs.

No. 4 in the U.S.
Best Master's in Education Administration, 2022
Intelligent.com

Best Master's in Education Administration, 2022
No. 4 in the U.S.
Intelligent.com
Intelligent.com ranked Wayne State College as No. 4 in the U.S. for the best master's degree in education administration for 2022. For their 2022 online degree report, Intelligent.com researched over 2,900 colleges and universities, evaluating each program on the basis of flexibility, faculty, course strength, cost, and reputation. Schools on the list must also be accredited by national accreditors such as the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
Learn more about our online master's in school administration

No. 1 in Nebraska; No. 18 in the U.S.
Top Online Master's in Educational Administration, 2021
TopEducationDegrees.com

Top Online Master's in Educational Administration, 2021
No. 1 in Nebraska; No. 18 in the U.S.
TopEducationDegrees.com
Wayne State College's online master's degree in school administration was recently ranked No. 1 in Nebraska and No. 18 overall in the U.S. by Top Education Degrees. To come up with the ranking, they compiled a list every university offering a master’s degree in Educational Administration which can be completed entirely online. We then narrowed down our list to just the 20 best by focusing on the points-based ranking system. In the event of a tie in points, the program with the lower annual out-of-state tuition cost in the higher-ranking position.
The Top Education Degrees’ mission is to provide the facts students need to find the degree programs that best suit their personal career goals. Their goal is to educate prospective students about everything they need to know as they embark on their dream educational careers.

No. 5 in the U.S.
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Most Affordable Online Master's Degrees
No. 5 in the U.S.
Great Value Colleges
A master’s degree can mean as much as $400,000 in extra earnings over the course of a career compared to holders of bachelor’s degrees. Being able to earn that degree on a budget and at your own schedule while continuing to meet personal and professional responsibilities is a marvel of the modern era. These rankings were based on tuition, student-to-faculty ratio, and national recognition. View our online master's degrees.

No. 1 in the U.S.
Best College for Educational Leadership Degree Programs, 2018-19
Schools.com

Best College for Educational Leadership Degree Programs, 2018-19
No. 1 in the U.S.
Schools.com
Wayne State College has earned the distinction of having the best educational leadership degree programs in the U.S. for 2018-19. If you're passionate about education and feel that your strengths would be best used in the upper tiers of administration, educational leadership degree programs are your stepping stone to the next level. Training in educational leadership can give you the skills you need to provide the best experience possible for your students, staff and teachers. Criteria used in ranking the top educational administration programs included tuition and fees, graduation rate, accessibility, student-to-faculty ratio, size of the program, and more.

No. 15 in the U.S.
Best Online Master's in Educational Administration, 2019
OnlineMasters.com

Best Online Master's in Educational Administration, 2019
No. 15 in the U.S.
OnlineMasters.com
OnlineMasters.com, a trusted source for unbiased college rankings and higher education planning, has ranked Wayne State College’s online master’s in school administration at 15th in the U.S for 2019. The top-ranked programs were selected based on curriculum, program flexibility, affordability, and graduate outcomes. OnlineMasters.com analyzed graduate schools across the country with only the top 50 making it to the final 2019 list.
In addition to interviews and surveys from current students and alumni, they also leveraged insight gained from human resource professionals. The methodology incorporates the most recent data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and statistical data from the National Center for Education Statistics. Most importantly, only programs from accredited nonprofit institutions were eligible.

Take the Next Step!
Courses for the online education specialist degree are available throughout the summer, fall, and spring. Advance your career and get started today!