10 Most Affordable Online Doctorate in Educational Technology

10 Most Affordable Online Doctorate in Educational Technology

Staff picture
Staff
Updated August 16, 2023

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.

Discover a program that is right for you.

Pursuing an EdD in Educational Technology Online

Logging into affordable online EdD in Educational Technology programs could help computer-savvy teachers code advanced careers bringing 21st-century IT solutions into schools. Education technology doctorates online are the highest, most intensive STEM-centric degrees focused on maximizing learning outcomes through innovations like artificial intelligence and virtual reality. Devoting three to six years uto an online ed tech EdD may make consulting, executive, faculty, and research jobs click in today's information age. According to Education Week, United States' public school system now has an average student-computer ratio of 5:1 and expends $3 billion annually on Internet content. A PBS LearningMedia survey found that 74 percent of teachers embrace technology to reinforce content and accommodate varied learning styles. In fact, research has proven that iPads boost math test scores 20 percent higher than paper textbooks on CNN Tech. Those excited by academia's digital revolution should calculate expected costs before sending apps to education technology online EdD programs to minimize debt.

Educational PhDs for You

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.

Most Affordable Online Doctorate in Educational Technology

  • Boise State University
    Location

    Boise, ID

    Tuition

    $6232

    Gifting $149.5 million in annual financial aid to 23,886 Broncos, Boise State University is Idaho's third-oldest public, state-funded research hub that's grown from humble beginnings in 1932 to nurture "Splendor Without Diminishment" in 190+ academic programs at the 170-building Ada County campus and via the eCampus on Blackboard. The Social Mobility Index ranked BSU 289th nationally. Boise State stands as America's 57th best graduate education school on The U.S. News survey, 267th top public college on Niche, and second best distance learning institution on OnlineDegreeReviews.org. Led by Dr. Richard Osguthrope, the CAEP-accredited College of Education affordably delivers the Online EdD in Educational Technology within 40 months full-time. Adhering to Cisco certification standards, the 66-credit curriculum designed in Fall 2015 leads to academic technology leadership careers. Online courses like educational project management and dissertation research have zero on-campus requirements.

  • Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis
    Location

    Indianapolis, IN

    Tuition

    $8331

    Hosting 400+ clubs like Kappa Delta Pi and the Education Students Advisory Council, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis is a merged public, four-year regional branch founded in 1969 that's endowed for $852 million in the Horizon League to educate 30,105 Jaguars on its 509-acre "Circle City" campus and online via D2L. Six times, IUPUI has received the Insight into Diversity Higher Education Excellence Award. Indiana Purdue is also deemed America's 234th best research institution in Forbes, 20th most innovative school by The U.S. News and World Report, and 380th top teachers college on Niche. The Education Doctorate (Ed.D.) in Instructional Systems Technology Online is housed within the CAEP-accredited School of Education directed by Dr. Robin Hughes. Integrating the face-to-face IST Annual Conference each Spring, the 60-credit, post-master's curriculum emphasizes research for tech-driven learning performance improvement. Open for admission until December 1st annually, the online doctorate progresses through courses like workplace learning and educational inquiry until the thesis defense.

  • Morehead State University
    Location

    Morehead, KY

    Tuition

    $10422

    Established 130 years ago as the Morehead Normal School for teachers, Morehead State University is a public, civic-engaged doctoral OVC member that's endowed for $31.5 million to serve 10,584 Eagles from 27 nations atop its 700-acre Cumberland Plateau campus and online via Blackboard. The U.S. News & World Report ranked MSU the South's 61st best college and 22nd top public university. Nationally, Morehead has the 379th most liberal students on Niche, 195th most popular education school on College Factual, and 138th highest research expenditures in Washington Monthly. Launching the Kentucky 21st-Century Education Enterprise, the CAEP-accredited College of Education grants the Online EdD Specialization in Educational Technology Leadership. Chaired by Dr. Timothy Simpson, the 60-credit, post-master's major accepts $30 applications until April 1st annually from P-12 educators with three recommendations. Online courses like multimedia design and individualized learning systems culminate with a two-part doctoral capstone.

  • Oklahoma State University
    Location

    Stillwater, OK

    Tuition

    $5033

    Self-proclaimed "America's Brightest Orange," Oklahoma State University is a public, tech-oriented Truman Honor institution of the Big 12 that's endowed for $904 million to instruct 23,459 Cowboys with 1,857 faculty in Stillwater, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Okmulgee, and online via Desire2Learn. Granted the 2012 NASDAQ Center for Entrepreneurship Excellence Award, OSU is ranked the 45th best university for recruiters in The Wall Street Journal. Oklahoma State was also acclaimed for America's 42nd best online graduate programs by The U.S. News, 111th top teacher preparation on Niche, and 211th best alumni employment by the CWUR. The College of Education, Health and Aviation in Willard Hall offers the Online Educational Technology Option for the PhD in Education. Directed by Dr. Susan Stansberry, the 79-credit, post-master's curriculum mandates minimum MAT scores of 400 before erudite advancement into instructional media research. Scholar-practitioners should expect cognate courses like human-computer interaction, qualifying exams, and the dissertation.

  • Old Dominion University
    Location

    Norfolk, VA

    Tuition

    $8736

    Linked to 85,406 LinkedIn alumni, including Elizabeth Ashburn Duke and Jack Temple Kirby, Old Dominion University is a public, coeducational sea-grant RU/H institution of Conference USA that's endowed for $213 million to educate 25,000 Monarchs in Norfolk, at Maglev Technologies of Atlanta, and online via Blackboard. Forbes magazine declared ODU the 188th best public school and 185th top mid-size employer. Old Dominion is America's 174th most diverse university on Niche, 179th best college on the Social Mobility Index, and 136th top value on WalletHub. Led by Dr. M'hammed Abdous, the OLC's 2015 John R. Bourne Outstanding Online Education Research Award winner, the Center for Learning and Teaching houses a CAEP-accredited Online Instructional Design & Technology PhD. The 60-credit, post-master's program "Lives Where You Are" with 24/7 access to courses from instructional message design to technology assessment. Educators select from three concentrations in Design & Theory, Technology, or Human Performance Technology before using the Applied Research Center resources for dissertations.

  • Texas Tech University
    Location

    Lubbock, TX

    Tuition

    $5440

    Sitting atop the South Plains on the 1,839-acre, Spanish Renaissance-style Lubbock campus with 24/7 Worldwide Learning on Blackboard Collaborate, Texas Tech University is a flagship, public APLU member of the Big 12 that's endowed for $1.19 billion to employ 2,554 faculty and train 37,010 Red Raiders. Named an Insight into Diversity 2016 Champion, TTU is the 261st best value in Money magazine. Texas Tech is also America's 145th best research university in Forbes, 495th top university in Times Higher Education, and 150th best online graduate education school in The U.S. News and World Report. Boasting a 97 percent TExES pass rate, the CAEP-accredited College of Education offers the Educational and Instructional Technology Ed.D. with hybrid courses. Organized by Dr. Scott Ridley, the 63-93 credit customizable program embraces AECT standards for studying the utilization of learning technologies. Funding like the Helen DeVitt Jones Fellowship can support doctoral candidates through courses on instructional media, team projects, teaching practicum, and dissertation work.

  • University of Florida
    Location

    Gainesville, FL

    Tuition

    $10770

    Home to the $15 million Digital Worlds Institute since 2001, the University of Florida is a preeminent public, tech-driven SEC giant partnered with Zhejiang University in China that's employing 5,077 faculty and teaching 54,854 Gators on its 2,000-acre Alachua County campus and eLearning platform of Blackboard. Times Higher Education ranked UF the 134th best global university. Florida was also crowned America's 18th best value in Money magazine, 56th coolest school by Sierra Club, and 23rd top doctoral institution for foreigners by the Institute of International Education. Headed by Dr. Glenn Good, the CAEP-accredited College of Education in Norman Hall follows the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices for eight virtual degrees, including the Ed.D. in Educational Technology Online. Accepting up to 30 transfer credits, the 90-credit, cohort-based program selectively admits 30 percent of applicants interested in technological research applications. Eight-week online courses like educational statistics meld with three four-day Gainesville residencies and quantitative dissertation research.

  • University of Nevada-Las Vegas
    Location

    Paradise, NV

    Tuition

    $4968

    Known for its National Supercomputing Institute, the University of Nevada-Las Vegas is a public, doctoral-granting research college of the Mountain West Conference that's endowed for $230.8 million to bill our ranking's cheapest price for 29,702 Rebels on the 358-acre Paradise campus and online via Blackboard. The U.S. News & World Report ranked UNLV the 231st best university with the 224th top online graduate education. Las Vegas is also crowned America's 151st best value by WalletHub, 145th best PhD provider in Washington Monthly, and 119th top big college on Niche. Partnered with Clark County School District, the CAEP-accredited College of Education has a March 15th deadline for the PhD. Program in Learning & Technology. Coordinated by Dr. Michael Nussbaum, the 67-credit, post-master's plan prepares independent scholars for contributing to 21st-century learning sciences in a hybrid online format. Graduates with minimum 3.0 GPAs benefit from funding like the John Vergiels Scholarship while tackling the scholarly paper, preliminary exam, and dissertation review.

  • The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
    Location

    Edinburg, TX

    Tuition

    $5439

    The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), one of the largest Hispanic-Serving Institutions in the nation, was created by the Texas Legislature in 2013 as the first major public university of the 21st century in Texas. Its distributed campus across the Rio Grande Valley delivers a wide range of exceptional and innovative educational opportunities throughout the region. Forbes recognized UTRGV as the 221st top U.S. public college and 151st best Southern university. UTRGV also features America's 243rd best professors on Niche, fourth top degrees on OnlineCollegePlan, and 10th best master's education in Washington Monthly. Sponsored for $5.14 million, the College of Education and P-16 Integration has 91 percent retention in 32 programs, including the Ed.D. Specialization in Educational Technology Online. Coordinated by Dr. Laura Jewett from Brownsville, the 66-credit, post-master's program has an April 15th application deadline for certified cohorts with minimum 3.25 GPAs to further intellectual inquiry in tech-oriented instruction. Prescribed courses from online pedagogy to educational IT communication are delivered through synchronous online, and hybrid seminars culminating in one-on-one dissertation coaching.

  • The University of West Florida
    Location

    Pensacola, FL

    Tuition

    $7088

    Generating a $1 billion annual economic impact, the University of West Florida is a public, mid-sized doctoral RU/H institution opened in 1963 that's now enrolling 30 percent of its 12,979 Argonauts in 600+ online courses on Blackboard to extend beyond campuses in Pensacola, Santa Rosa Island, Fort Walton Beach, and Valparaiso. Washington Monthly applauded UWF for the 46th highest graduation rate and 157th best faculty. West Florida is also ranked America's 248th best teacher preparation value on College Factual, 228th top public school in Forbes, and 90th best college by WalletHub. The CAEP-accredited College of Education and Professional Studies created the Instructional Design and Technology Specialization for the Online Curriculum & Instruction Ed.D. Chaired by Dr. William Crawley, the 66-credit, 48-month program admits Master of Education grads with minimum 3.5 GPAs into the Distance Learning or Performance Technology tracks. Speedy, eight-week online courses sharpen multimedia teaching skills through courses like curriculum evaluation and IT dissertation research.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Career Advantages of Education Technology Online EdD Degrees?

Perfecting Web skills with an online ed tech EdD would bestow limitless career opportunities in senior-level occupations from early childhood to higher education. Doctorates certify graduates' in-depth computing prowess, especially when paired with state or national certifications. For instance, the New York State Education Department confers the Professional K-12 Educational Technology Specialist distinction for IT experts with at least a master's degree. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the Consortium for Social Networking in Washington, DC, has the Certified Educational Technology Leader (CETL) title for chief officers passing the two-part, $299 computer exam. Doctoral-trained educators might also distinguish themselves with technical credentials like Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), Cisco Certified Networking Professional (CCNP), or Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE). Here are six careers where education technology doctorate online graduates soar:

Technology Professor- Each of the U.S. News & World Report top technology schools, including Carnegie Mellon, Georgia Tech, Syracuse, and Rutgers, need faculty with doctorates like the EdD in Educational Technology online. Either on-campus or online, professors create course syllabi, teach programming languages like Python and JavaScript, supervise computer labs, advise on IT careers, supervise Epsilon Pi Tau chapters, and test competency.

Learning Software Developer- Ed tech investments rose by 30 percent from 2016 to 2017 for record-high $9.52 billion gains on Forbes, so demand for learning software is astronomical. Developers with education technology online EdD degrees would analyze student needs, design applications for programmers, test computer code efficiency, innovate tech upgrades, conduct security maintenance, and market software to vendors.

Chief Information Officer- Following in the footsteps of Chief Information Officers like Seton Hall's Stephen Landry and Michigan State's Joanna Young could be easier with an educational technology doctorate online. In PreK-16 education, CIOs are administrator cabinet officials who provide strategic IT direction, coordinate enterprise technologies, allocate budget capital, negotiate tech contracts, warehouse student data, and plan distance learning.

School Media Specialist- Adding an EdD educational technology online to one's library science background might improve Praxis 5311 exam scores for facilitating effective school information access. Media specialists acquire learning technologies, collect digital resources like eBooks, maintain computer labs, teach tech literacy courses, support teachers' electronic lessons, advise coding clubs, and communicate program results to principals.

University IT Administrator- Recognized for CNN Money's 22nd best job, IT administrators are operations managers hired by colleges of all sizes to keep campus technology systems running superbly. Although not required, an educational technology EdD online might help oversee virtual courses, supervise support personnel, contract with vendors, maintain school websites, troubleshoot glitches, and implement initiatives like laptop programs.

Corporate Training Director- According to eLearning Industry, 78 percent of businesses utilize online platforms like Docebo and Mindflash for a corporate training market that's skyrocketed by 900 percent since 2000 to $182 billion. An online ed tech EdD prepares directors for setting training policies, designing webinars, analyzing learning software, recruiting instructors, researching innovations, and meeting professional development needs.

Which Jobs Pay the Most with an Online EdD in Education Technology?

Frustration with the 17 percent teacher pay penalty documented by the Economic Policy Institute could be one motivation for earning a cheap online ed tech EdD. Educational technology is often a more lucrative academic avenue to leave behind the flat-lined average teacher pay of $56,383. The U.S. Department of Labor calculated a higher mean annual wage of $82,860 for tech-related careers. Information scientists score average income of $111,840. Educational software development pays median salaries of $102,280. Postsecondary tech professors make $107,490 on average. On Salary.com, IT systems administrators glean median profits of $96,075. Other six-figure yearly averages include $167,022 for tech security managers, $140,082 for corporate training directors, $186,714 for learning executives, and $262,802 for Chief Information Officers. Income potential is unlimited since the top-paid technology CEO, Oracle's Mark Hurd, made $41.1 million in 2016 according to Entrepreneur.

How Does the Market Fare for EdD Educational Technology Online Grads?

Unemployment lines after online ed tech EdD training are extremely short because the IT market is exploding with growth. Fast Company reported that technology is America's #1 most in-demand skill requested by employers. Overall tech employment will jump by 12 percent, in comparison to 6.5 percent in other industries, for 488,500 new jobs by 2024. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 24 percent uptick in software development hiring for total employment of 1.55 million. The 10-year hiring outlook will augment by 19 percent for information scientists, 28 percent for IT security experts, 15 percent for college professors, six percent for network administrators, and 10 percent for instructional technologists. Top executive jobs like Chief Information Officer will see fiercer competition with a 5.55 percent annual increase according to Recruiter. Typing an online EdD in Education Technology onto your resume can improve hirability for meaningful jobs harnessing IT innovations for classroom success.

Still Looking for the Right Fit? Discover Similar Programs.

Additional Resources

See All Posts

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.

Discover a program that is right for you.

Explore different options for you based on your degree interests.