10 Most Affordable EdD in Curriculum & Instruction Online

10 Most Affordable EdD in Curriculum & Instruction Online

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Updated August 7, 2023

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According to the United States Department of Labor – Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job growth for instructional coordinators is expected to increase by 10 percent between now and 2026. This is approximately 3-4 percent faster than all occupations. As states and school districts push for student achievement, schools will turn to curriculum and instruction experts for answers on how to improve teacher effectiveness in the classroom.

Earning an online EdD in curriculum & instruction will prepare you for a wide range of leadership positions in education. The best online EdD curriculum & instruction online programs are not always the most affordable. We compiled a list of the 10 most affordable curriculum & instruction doctorate online degree programs from accredited colleges or universities. This ranking was created to help you find quality online curriculum & instruction EdD programs that won't significantly impact your budget.

Explore these promoted online degree programs.

These top, accredited schools offer a variety of online graduate degree programs. Figuring out where to apply? Consider one of these online Master’s or PhD programs.

Affordable Online Curriculum & Instruction EdD Programs

  • Carson-Newman University
    Location

    Jefferson City, TN

    Tuition

    $8780

    Carson-Newman University offers an online Doctor of Education degree with a concentration in curriculum and instruction leadership. This program is designed for adult learners who hold a master's degree in education from an accredited institution. Classes are delivered online and include a series of core and concentration courses. Some of these courses include curriculum and instruction strategies, diversity and exceptionality practice and theory, evaluation for continuous improvement, foundations of leadership, and organizational leadership – effecting continuous growth in a culture of change. The university is accredited and ranked with major publications like U.S. News and World Report. In fact, the most recent edition of Best Colleges ranks the institution #66 among the best regional universities and #26 among best value schools. Carson-Newman offers one of the most affordable online doctorate degrees in curriculum and instruction on our list.

  • Columbus State University
    Location

    Columbus, GA

    Tuition

    $7556

    Columbus State University's Doctor of Education program is designed to develop educators with the skills to meet curriculum and leadership demands. Classes and coursework are intended for classroom educators, school administrators, and district employees seeking professional expertise and leadership skills in curriculum and instruction. The program is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and is approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. Admission to the program is competitive and requires a master's degree from an accredited college or university with a GPA of at least 3.5 on all graduate course work and satisfactory scores on the GRE. Columbus is ranked by major publications like U.S. News and World Report as a top regional university in the South and the 45th top public school in the country. Also, the online graduate education programs rank #136 out of more than 1,200 surveyed programs.

  • Liberty University
    Location

    Lynchburg, VA

    Tuition

    $8430

    Liberty University offers a Doctor of Education degree program accredited under the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). This online education doctorate degree requires 60 credits that can be earned online, although some intensives may be required on campus. Students are required to choose one cognate, such as curriculum and instruction, to help tailor their degree toward an area of focus. Courses required for the cognate include curriculum theory, investigations in curriculum change, issues and trends in exceptionality, and issues and trends in teaching and learning. Within the curriculum and instruction concentration, there are additional focus areas like C&I in elementary education, middle grade education, and secondary education. As indicated, Liberty is accredited. Also, the school has received national recognition from major publications like U.S. News and World Report as a top national university.

  • New Mexico State University
    Location

    Las Cruces, NM

    Tuition

    $4941

    New Mexico State University offers a cheap online curriculum & instruction EdD program designed for working educators who want to advance their careers and expertise. Courses are delivered online and include studies in critical issues in literacy education, current research in educational practice, curriculum for a diverse society, evaluation of quantitative research in education, and social justice issues in education. While the program is considered online, a summer session is required. New Mexico State is an accredited public institution and is ranked by major publications like U.S. News and World Report. In fact, the most recent edition of Best Colleges ranks the school as the 198th best national university and the 106th top public school. The online graduate education programs are also ranked. New Mexico State offers the most affordable online doctorate degree in curriculum and instruction on our list.

  • Southeastern University
    Location

    Lakeland, FL

    Tuition

    $12719

    Southeastern University's Doctor of Education is a faith-based program that takes three to four years to complete. Students can choose one of two concentrations, including curriculum and instruction, designed to provide additional experience in a specialized field of education. The curriculum and instruction concentration requires an additional 18 credits and includes courses like curriculum theory, concepts, and design; instructional design and development for technology-mediated delivery; and research and evaluation of curriculum. While most courses are delivered online, two week-long face-to-face intensive classes on campus are required during the summer term. Students must also defend their dissertation on campus. Southeastern is ranked and accredited. Major publications like U.S. News and World Report rank the school as a top regional university. Also, the online graduate education programs have received recognition from U.S. News. Southeastern offers one of the most affordable curriculum & instruction EdD online programs on our list.

  • Texas A & M University
    Location

    College Station, TX

    Tuition

    $8904

    The online Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program at Texas A&M University is designed to prepare leaders in P-12 public and private education to provide direction and expertise in curriculum and instruction. The completion time for the program is four years with classes presented through a web-based delivery system in a cohort structure. These courses include century integration of theory in educational settings, history of the American education system, problem-based research frameworks, and student assessment in the content domains. Texas A&M's reputation includes accreditation and rankings with major publications like U.S. News and World Report as a top national institution and best value school. Also, the online graduate education programs rank #72 out of more than 1,200 surveyed programs.

  • Texas Tech University
    Location

    Lubbock, TX

    Tuition

    $7525

    Texas Tech University offers a 66-credit hour program with a specialization in curriculum and instruction. The hybrid program is comprised of online courses and face-to-face summer intensive sessions that help prepare educators to become scholars in the field of curriculum and instruction. Admission criteria include an earned master's degree from an accredited institution and acceptable GRE scores. Some of the online courses include constructivist inquiry methods, effective policy advocacy, fundamentals of eLearning in curriculum and instruction, and quantitative methods in curriculum and instruction. Texas Tech is accredited and ranked with major publications like U.S. News and World Report. In fact, U.S. News ranks the school as the 176th best national university and 95th top public school in the country. Also, the online graduate education programs rank #109 out of more than 1,200 surveyed programs. Texas Tech offers one of the cheapest online curriculum & instruction EdD programs on our list.

  • The University of West Florida
    Location

    Pensacola, FL

    Tuition

    $9062

    The University of West Florida offers a 100% online Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction designed for working educators. All coursework for the online EdD in curriculum & instruction is delivered online and courses run on eight-week terms (excluding the dissertation). The program consists of 66 credits, including 24 hours of core courses, 24 hours of specialization courses, and 18 hours of dissertation courses. To be admitted to the program, students must present a strong undergraduate GPA of 3.5 or qualifying test scores on a nationally standardized graduate admission test. The average completion time for the online degree is just 48 months. University of West Florida is ranked by major publications like U.S. News and World Report as a top national university.

  • University of Florida
    Location

    Gainesville, FL

    Tuition

    $12737

    University of Florida offers one of the most affordable online EdD in curriculum & instruction. This program is designed specifically for practicing educators who seek actively to improve school initiatives and enhance the quality of professional development in their institution. Courses are scheduled so that students can complete the program in a timely manner, with an average completion time of four years. The majority of classes are offered online and run sixteen weeks in length, although students are required to attend a week-long on-campus summer residency during the first three summers of enrollment. Admission is selective and contingent on acceptable GRE scores and an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0. University of Florida is an accredited public institution. Also, major publications like U.S. News and World Report rank the school as a top national university and best value school. Their online graduate education programs rank #1 in the country.

  • University of Louisiana
    Location

    Monroe, LA

    Tuition

    $8662

    University of Louisiana offers a sixty-credit online Doctor of Education degree with a concentration in curriculum and instruction. This fully online program is designed for working educators looking to advance their career trajectory. The degree features rigorous academic coursework and research experience, which prepares future scholars and practitioners to meet the needs of the education system. Admission to the program requires an earned master's in education or related field, an undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or better, and satisfactory GRE scores. Three recommendation letters and a scholarly writing sample are also required. The institution is ranked by U.S. News and World Report as a top national university and has received regional accreditation.

Our Methodology, Explained

Grad School Hub compiles rankings based on public data released from educational, commercial, and government databases. Sources such as the National Center for Education Statistics and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics play a significant role in how we source our educational data. After collecting insight for each institution, we organize information into five weighted categories.
Metric Data Used Percentage
Academic Quality Full-time faculty percentage, student-to-faculty ratio, student retention and graduation rates 30%
Affordability Tuition rates, median student debt, and financial aid 10%
Reputation Admission and enrollment rates 30%
Program Offerings Number of program options 20%
Online Enrollment Score Portion of learners taking at least one online course 10%
A more comprehensive evaluation of how each category is determined and scored is accessible on our Ranking Methodology page.

The schools on our list were collected from looking at 20 curriculum & instruction doctorate online programs. We selected schools that had received regional or national accreditation and at least one ranking from a major publication like U.S. News and World Report. We collected the in-state graduate tuition from the most recent data published by the National Center for Education Statistics (College Navigator) and ranked the schools on our list according to raw affordability.

Other sources used for information collection, data compilation, or verification purposes included:

The National Center for Education Statistics – College Navigator, for tuition information.

The Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the United States Department of Labor – Bureau of Labor Statistics, for earnings potential and projected job outlook.

U.S. News and World Report for school and/or program rankings.

The most affordable curriculum & instruction EdD online programs (or closely related degree programs) are listed below:

Other Online Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction Offerings

Andrews University

Online PhD in Curriculum and Instruction

Graduate Tuition/Fees: $25,818

For more information: Andrews University

Northcentral University

Online PhD in Education

Graduate Tuition/Fees: $17,781

Argosy University

Online EdD in Curriculum and Instruction

Graduate Tuition/Fees: $17,569

For more information: Argosy University

University of Hawaii

Online PhD in Education

Graduate Tuition/Fees: $16,168

For more information: University of Hawaii

Capella University

Online PhD in Education

Graduate Tuition/Fees: $15,003

For more information: Capella University

Concordia University

Online EdD/PhD in Leadership

Graduate Tuition/Fees: $14,688

For more information: Concordia University

Walden University

Online PhD in Education

Graduate Tuition/Fees: $13,555

For more information: Walden University

University at Buffalo

Online PhD in Curriculum, Instruction and the Science of Learning

Graduate Tuition/Fees: $13,347

For more information: University at Buffalo

University of South Carolina

Online EdD in Curriculum and Instruction

Graduate Tuition/Fees: $12,798

For more information: University of South Carolina

Can I work while completing an online EdD in curriculum & instruction?

One of the most common questions for individuals interested in earning an online curriculum & instruction EdD degree is if they are able to work while completing the program. Most curriculum & instruction online EdD programs are specifically designed for working students. Online courses and limited on-campus requirements are suitable for educators who want to continue meeting their work obligations while going back to school. Teachers may continue to gain teaching experience, and administrators may continue in their leadership role, all while earning an online EdD in curriculum & instruction. With the significant number of doctoral options, there is no need to give up your daytime obligations while earning a degree online.

What do curriculum & instruction experts earn?

Pay varies for curriculum & instruction EdD online program graduates. According to the latest figures published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, instructional coordinators (experts in the field of curriculum and instruction) earned an average of $62,460 in May 2016. Some of the highest paid positions were in government while the lowest paid positions were in colleges, universities, and professional schools. High paying positions earned approximately $73,060 per year. Also, the highest paid 10 percent of all curriculum and instruction positions earned more than $100,000 per year. In most cases, higher earnings came from years of experience and education. Those with a curriculum & instruction EdD online degree or PhD in education – curriculum and instruction earned more than their master's degree level colleagues.

Instructional coordinators with a curriculum & instruction online EdD degree typically work full time and year round. Unlike educator positions, instructional coordinators do not have summer breaks.

What is the job outlook for curriculum and instruction personnel?

It is important to understand the job outlook and anticipated employment growth before embarking on a PhD or EdD curriculum & instruction online degree program that takes several years to complete. Having a grasp on job prospects and expected growth can help improve job security. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of instructional coordinators is expected to grow 10 percent between the years of 2016 and 2026. This means instructional coordinator positions are growing faster than the average of all occupations.

The BLS also reports that instructional coordinators with solid teaching experience or a strong leadership background will have the best opportunities for job prospects. This is another reason why online curriculum & instruction EdD programs are beneficial. Students can continue to work and gain valuable experience while attending school.

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Why accreditation matters

Some of the best curriculum & instruction EdD online degree programs are accredited. Accreditation is important because employers value regionally or nationally accredited programs and schools. Imagine if your school or curriculum & instruction doctorate online program did not have a process for resolving student grievances or offer curriculum that upheld state standards. Accrediting organizations authorized by the U.S. Department of Education enforce standards that must be met by the school and program.

Even if you are attending a cheap online curriculum & instruction EdD program, accreditation means you will have an easier time navigating the job market than those who attend an EdD curriculum & instruction online program that is not accredited. In fact, some employers require that applicants have graduated from accredited programs.

Accreditation for curriculum & instruction online EdD programs generally comes from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). This governing body ensures that even cheap online curriculum & instruction EdD programs meet goals of continuous improvement and quality assurance. The CAEP uses evidence-based practices to ensure programs for curriculum and instruction educators meet a wide range of academic standards necessary for the field of education.

This concludes our ranking of the top 10 most affordable doctorate in curriculum & instruction online degree programs.

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GradSchoolHub.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

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