Finish Fast. Lead Sooner.
Graduate in two years through a focused, customizable curriculum and dedicated faculty mentorship.
Build Your Career Momentum
Align your final project with your goals. Choose between a dissertation or capstone that equips you for real-world impact.
Low Tuition. Uncompromising Standards.
Earn a rigorous doctorate from a nationally recognized institution at a lower cost than similar EdD programs.
100% Online. Zero Travel.
Balance education, work, and family life through asynchronous coursework — with no residencies required.
Become a Change Leader in Higher Education
Shape the future of colleges and universities with an online Ed.D. in Higher Education that equips you to champion student success, guide policy, and foster an inclusive, student-centered campus community.
This online doctoral program in higher education administration prepares you to tackle the unique challenges facing colleges today—from managing institutions to designing policies that promote access and equity. You’ll be ready to lead with confidence as a trusted administrator, advisor, or faculty leader dedicated to helping students thrive.
New England Commission of Higher Education
Top National College
U.S. News & World Report
A+ in Diversity from Niche
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Students will have the credentials to qualify for leadership or university faculty roles, and develop their expertise in areas such as:
- Student development
- Leadership
- Managing higher education
- Supporting student success
- Educational policies and systems
Additionally, AIC’s Online EdD Higher Education specialization provides dissertation writing courses woven throughout the program. This allows students to stay connected to their research while refining their skills and studying theories of student development, leadership, managing higher education, supporting student success, and educational policies and systems.
- Graduate in just two years (six terms) while studying full-time
- Study 100% online
- Learn from doctorally-prepared faculty who are educators themselves
- Benefit from a cohort-style learning model, allowing you to build key connections with peers within and outside of your role
- Receive dedicated student advisor support from application to graduation
AIC has a long-standing history of making education more accessible for people of all backgrounds, with a legacy centered around diversity, access, and inclusion. Founded in July 1885, AIC still stands more than 125 years later as a leader in education and continues to foster community more effectively than any other time in its history.
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Students will have the credentials to qualify for leadership or university faculty roles, and develop their expertise in areas such as:
- Student development
- Leadership
- Managing higher education
- Supporting student success
- Educational policies and systems
Additionally, AIC’s Online EdD Higher Education specialization provides dissertation writing courses woven throughout the program. This allows students to stay connected to their research while refining their skills and studying theories of student development, leadership, managing higher education, supporting student success, and educational policies and systems.
- Graduate in just two years (six terms) while studying full-time
- Study 100% online
- Learn from doctorally-prepared faculty who are educators themselves
- Benefit from a cohort-style learning model, allowing you to build key connections with peers within and outside of your role
- Receive dedicated student advisor support from application to graduation
AIC has a long-standing history of making education more accessible for people of all backgrounds, with a legacy centered around diversity, access, and inclusion. Founded in July 1885, AIC still stands more than 125 years later as a leader in education and continues to foster community more effectively than any other time in its history.
Why Choose AIC?
| Compare EdD Programs | American International College | University of New England | Northeastern University | Bay Path University |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Massachusetts | Maine | Massachusetts | Massachusetts |
| Ranked by U.S. News & World Report | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Asynchronous/ Fully Online | ✓ | ✓ | × | × |
| Cost | $38,400 | ~ $43,860 | ~ $65,400 | ~ $59,700 |
| Months to Complete | 24 Months | 36-48 Months | 36-48 Months | 36-48 Months |
| Residency/ Immersions | NO | NO | YES | YES |
| Dissertation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Capstone | ✓ | × | × | × |
This course explores the foundational theories and frameworks that shape our understanding of how students grow, develop, and learn in the higher education environment. Through a multidisciplinary approach, students will examine psychological, sociological, and cognitive theories that inform student development and the factors influencing their experiences. This course provides a solid theoretical foundation for professionals working in student affairs, counseling, and higher education administration.
This course delves into the multifaceted strategies and best practices for promoting holistic student development and achievement within higher education institutions. Through a comprehensive exploration of student support services, interventions, and effective engagement strategies, students will gain a profound understanding of how to create inclusive and empowering learning environments that enhance student success.
This course focuses on strategies for managing and leading organizational change in complex institutions. Students examine theories of organizational development, systems thinking, and change management, with attention to both planned and adaptive approaches. Emphasis is placed on the leader’s role in guiding organizations through transformation, addressing resistance, and sustaining innovation. Through applied assignments, students analyze contemporary issues such as restructuring, financial pressures, technological change, and shifts in stakeholder expectations within higher education and other organizational contexts.
Choose Your Path
Dissertation vs. Capstone
Finish your EdD with a project that fits your goals. Choose between a dissertation or a culminating experience (commonly known as a capstone project), that addresses challenges in your school district, or organization. Integrated writing courses and ongoing faculty guidance throughout the program ensure you stay focused and supported every step of the way.
Dissertation
- Contribute original research to the field of education
- Build deep academic expertise
- Prepare for research, policy, or higher education careers
- Research writing courses are built into the program
Culminating Experience (Capstone)
- Solve real-world problems in your school district, organization or community
- Apply research in a hands-on, practice-based way
- Improve programs, policies, or systems
- Ideal for professionals seeking practical, actionable outcomes
Online Ed.D. in Higher Education Graduates may earn:
$80,000–$140,000+
With opportunities for higher salaries in senior leadership or multi-campus roles
Potential roles include:
~6%
Projected growth by 2033
Online Ed.D. in Higher Education Graduates may earn:
$80,000–$140,000+
With opportunities for higher salaries in senior leadership or multi-campus roles
Potential roles include:
Postsecondary Administrator
Student Affairs Director
Academic Advisor
Faculty Leader
*Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
FAST FACTS
3 intakes per year
Full-time
Classes are 100% online
Career Salary Trends
| Education Administrators (Kindergarten through secondary) | $101,320 |
|---|---|
| Education Administrators (Postsecondary) | $99,940 |
| Post Secondary Teachers | $80,840 |
| Training and Development Managers | $120,000 |
| Chief Executives | $189,520 |
Is Higher Education right for you?
The Higher Education specialization prepares students for leadership or faculty roles in colleges and universities. Students develop expertise in higher education policy, administration, and student development, supporting advancement into roles such as program director, dean, or provost.
Consider this EdD track if you want to focus on:
- Pursuing leadership positions in colleges or universities
- Developing expertise in policy, administration, and student development
- Serving as a change agent in higher education
Achieve Your Vision, Faster
Higher Education Focus
Foster student development and equity, improve success outcomes, and advance policy and leadership in higher education.
Diversity, Access, & Inclusion
Become part of AIC’s 140-year legacy, advancing accessible, high-quality education for learners from all backgrounds.
Impact-Driven ROI
Make an immediate impact with a program designed for your career — pursue academic insight or practical application.
Flexible, with Built-in Support
Learn on your schedule as you continue working, with structured support and an accelerated path to completion.
This track prepares you for leadership or faculty roles in colleges and universities, building your expertise in student development, institutional management, and higher education policy to strengthen your impact on postsecondary education.
American International College is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).
The online EdD degree program costs $960 per credit hour for a total investment of $38,400. Financial aid may be available to our online students.
This program can be completed in two years (six semesters).
AIC’s online EdD is fast, affordable, and customizable. With four concentrations and two final project options, students can align their degree with their career goals, maximize their impact, and complete their education in just two years — without ever traveling to campus.
Additionally, AIC is a nationally recognized institution, ranked by U.S. News & World Report, with a long-standing legacy of academic rigor and dedicated faculty and staff.
The online EdD offers four in-demand concentrations:
- Educational Leadership
- Higher Education
- Teaching and Learning
- Organizational Leadership and Development
Yes, every student completes a final project with the option to choose between a dissertation or a culminating experience (capstone). Both pathways let students produce actionable results that they can bring to their workplace and apply to future roles.
The dissertation path is ideal for students who want to contribute original research to the field of education. It’s a traditional academic route that builds deep expertise and prepares graduates for roles in research, policy, or higher education.
The culminating experience (capstone) project is designed for professionals who want to solve real-world problems in their own organizations or communities. It’s a hands-on, practice-based approach that applies research to improve programs, policies, or systems.
Typically, dissertation research and composition fall at the end of a degree program and can take years to complete. Our process is different. Interwoven throughout the EdD program are dissertation writing courses, where the daunting aspects of a dissertation project are broken down into clear, manageable tasks. This structure allows students to start their dissertations early, stay connected to their research, and complete their degrees in a timely manner.
In this program, you will study under engaged, doctorally-prepared, prolific scholars, practitioners, and leaders who are committed to your success from day one.
Students from a number of states are welcome to apply to AIC's online EdD Please see our State Authorization page for more information.
While all the courses are fully online, there are plenty of opportunities to connect with classmates and faculty. Under a cohort-based model, you will complete your courses alongside the same group of students throughout the program. This model will help you develop those critical relationships and further build a professional network.
Students also experience a mix of asynchronous online courses (meaning there are no mandated log-in times for classes), as well as optional live classes on a week-by-week basis. Students can join live Zoom sessions which provide the opportunity to connect with peers and faculty in real time.
Additionally, students are supported by other EdD students—or accountability partners—during the program. Accountability partners are fellow doctoral students who commit to supporting each other’s academic progress through regular check-ins, goal-setting, and reflective dialogue. Unlike advisors or committee members, accountability partners are peers, not evaluators
Accountability partners pair up and help each other by:
- Maintaining momentum on IRB, and dissertation writing
- Staying engaged and persistent, particularly during independent research phases
- Reducing isolation by fostering scholarly community and shared problem-solving
- Strengthening reflective practice, a core expectation of doctoral-level work
Nicole Esposito
MS ’09, EdD ’12
"My professors at AIC changed how I viewed myself, my abilities, and what I could offer my community."
