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"If students need or want to earn a masters degree online in the MPA career area, they have a lot of choices," said psychologist and educator Vicky Phillips, founder of Essex Junction, Vt.-based GetEducated.com.

Vicky Phillips

Her organization is a consumer group that publishes online college rankings and online university ratings based on the academic institution's affordability and credibility.

Phillips' online degree rankings reveal that the average cost for an online MPA from a regionally accredited college is just over $19,000.

There is a wide range in price tags for online MPA programs, said Phillips. "Our least expensive online MPA, the Number One Best Buy in our affordability rankings of online MPAs, comes from the University of North Carolina-Pembroke. A distance MPA from that school costs $4,401, but only if you are a North Carolina resident. Those out of state will pay much more — more than $22,000.

The most expensive online MPA option in GetEducated.com's affordability rankings is the distance masters program at DeVry University Online at a cost of more than $33,000.

Prospective students searching for a good value in online master's degrees should consider public institutions, said Phillips. "Public universities that offer online degrees charge significantly less than the average for their online degrees. These institutions are heavily tax-dollar subsidized. Check your local state university for an online learning option. Some states even offer their MPA degrees online at a low cost to out-of-state residents."

Phillips cited Troy University, a state institution in Alabama, as a leader on GetEducated.com's Best Buy list for online MPA programs. "Troy, the residential campus, is one of the top 10 schools in terms of number of MPA degrees awarded each year, according to the U.S. Department of Education. The Troy University distance MPA master's program ranks as the Number 5 Best Buy on our online degree rankings at a low cost of about $13,400 for online students nationwide."

View GetEducated.com's ranking of accredited online MPA degree programs.

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