When disaster strikes you want to be sure that you have a successful plan in place to help the community recover. Emergency management helps to create a plan, identify weaknesses, and enact a fast response time when a disaster arrives in a community. Enrolling in an emergency management degree option can help you earn a government job working at the local, state, or federal level. Additionally, an emergency management degree can help with non-profit organizations designed to help with disaster relief and recovery.
What is an Online Emergency Management Degree?
An online emergency management degree is intended to allow working professionals who require a flexible schedule to still earn a rewarding degree in a fast-paced environment. The online emergency management degree can be offered as a certificate, bachelor’s degree, or master’s degree option allowing plenty of versatility for students of all education levels. This degree often focuses on all aspects of an emergency beginning with policy-making and planning, evolving to emergency response, and concluding with ongoing emergency disaster relief and recovery for communities. Students will learn how to communicate, think critically, and act appropriately and quickly to evolving situations.
What Are the Benefits?
Earning an online emergency management degree has several benefits that can help set students up with a rewarding career. This degree often teaches students how to logically work through problems and effectively communicate. This degree often makes graduates valuable employees entering the workforce at the management level. Plus, emergency management requires critical thinking and policymaking which can be applied to careers in both the private and public sectors. Emergency management is fast-paced, yet thoughtful, allowing students to help others in their neighborhoods and communities.
What is the Outlook and Salary?
Because there are many levels of an emergency management degree available, there are also several different jobs and positions associated with this degree. In turn, students earning a certificate in emergency management can expect to earn much less than those with a Master’s degree in emergency management. Students go on to have rewarding careers in several positions including working with fundraisers or charities or working as operations managers, emergency management directors, and community health workers. Salaries can range from $45,000 per year as a human services assistant to upwards of $124,000 per year as a general manager or operations specialist.
We understand that you have a lot on your mind when it comes to choosing the right online emergency management degree for your needs. You need something flexible to work with your current schedule, but also want to pursue the field that will lead you to an exciting and rewarding career. To help you navigate the process, we have put together a list of the top schools to earn an online emergency management degree.
The 11 Best Online Emergency Management Degree
1. Crown College – St. Bonifacius, Minnesota (20 Points)
Crown College offers a completely comprehensive online program to earn a degree in emergency management. This school is based in the Christian faith and structures its courses around the teachings and beliefs found in Christianity. The program offered will help to prepare students for a career working in emergency management or disaster management at the local, state, or federal level. This program is also set up to help students find a career working in Christian charities and organizations established to help with disaster relief.
This program can also be combined with several other available online degrees offered through Crown College. Students often couple this degree with a business, criminal justice, ministry, or psychology degree to create a specialized field to work within.
- Tuition: $395 per credit
- Application Requirements: Application, Minimum 2.0 GPA, High School Transcripts, SAT or ACT Test Scores
1. Everglades University – Boca Raton, Florida (20 Points)
The Crisis and Disaster Management degree offered at Everglades University is a great option for students who need a flexible schedule to accommodate their coursework. This online degree can help students earn a bachelor’s degree in a competitive and fast-paced field. This degree focuses on the management aspect of the field, teaching students how to manage a crisis and make quick, logical, and accurate decisions.
Students have the option of creating a specialized degree by pairing their studies with various concentrations including terrorism, threat and emergency preparedness, and crisis management. The degree takes approximately 41 months to complete and students must have 123 qualifying credits in emergency management courses to graduate with a bachelor’s degree.
- Tuition: $730 per credit
- Application Requirements: Application, Application Fee, High School Transcripts, SAT or ACT Test Scores
2. Franklin University – Columbus, Ohio (19 Points)
The emergency management and homeland security degree offered by Franklin University allows students to learn how to help people in a time of crisis. This program not only focuses on the immediate emergency response to a crisis but also teaches students the correct way to develop and implement an emergency policy and plan to protect others in the event of an emergency.
The degree offered from Franklin University gives students the chance to not only learn how to manage a crisis but also create a specialized concentration for their studies. Students can take courses in ethics, intelligence, terrorism, safety, and more. This can give students a specialized and competitive advantage when applying for emergency management careers.
- Tuition: $398 per credit
- Application Requirements: Application
2. Western Carolina University – Cullowhee, North Carolina (19 Points)
Consistently ranked in the top 10 universities, Western Carolina University was one of the first colleges to offer a course in emergency management. This school helps students learn about public safety and security through both theoretical practices in the classroom as well as through hands-on experience. Students will have several interesting and applicable classes to choose from including risk management, political and policy, and vulnerability assessments.
Students who graduate with a bachelor’s degree in emergency management often go on to work with various government agencies including Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, or the Department of Health and Human Services. This degree program also sets students up for success in higher education degrees in risk management and homeland security.
- Tuition: $344 per credit
- Application Requirements: Application, Minimum High School Course Requirements, High School Transcripts, SAT or ACT Test Scores
3. National University – Online Campus (16 Points)
The B.S. in Homeland Security and Emergency Management from National University will help to set students up for a rewarding career in local, state, federal government jobs, or non-profit disaster management careers. The program is entirely online which is an attractive feature for working professionals seeking to earn their bachelor’s degree. This program focuses on not only how to operate and manage a crisis as it is happening, but also how to establish and build a policy to help mitigate the crisis in the event of an emergency.
The degree offered by National University helps to teach students a variety of different policies and management scenarios ranging from airport security to border control, to crisis response planning. Many students will enter straight into management positions upon graduation making this a lucrative and rewarding career path. They also have an M.S. in Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
- Tuition: $555 per credit
- Application Requirements: Application, Application Fee, High School Transcripts with Minimum 2.0 GPA
4. Pacific Union College – Angwin, California (14 Points)
Focusing more on the medical and nursing aspects of emergency management services, this degree offered from Pacific Union College helps to set students up for success working in emergencies. The courses required for graduation are heavily weighted toward administering emergency care and EMT work to help keep patients stable and comfortable in the time of crisis.
This degree is can often lead to a rewarding career as a nurse, EMT, emergency responder, or homeland security officer. Gain the knowledge and experience necessary to help people when they are in a time of need. Available completely online, this degree is perfect for working professionals who require a flexible course schedule.
- Tuition: $1,283 per credit
- Application Requirements: Application, High School Transcripts, SAT or ACT Test Scores
5. Georgetown University – Washington, D.C. (10 Points)
Offering a Master’s degree in emergency management Georgetown University is a competitive and highly rewarding school for students to attend. This course curriculum not only helps to prepare students for managing an emergency, but also teaches students about contemporary communication, technical skills, and critical thinking skills. Unlike other degree programs, the emergency management degree offered from Georgetown focuses on the entire life cycle of an emergency, from policy and planning to implementation, to clean up and recovery.
This program is for students who wish to earn a higher-level degree. The curriculum features 33 credits offered at both full-time or part-time status. Students usually take about 2 years to complete this degree. In addition to classroom study, this degree mandates about 6-9 hours a week of work outside of the classroom.
- Tuition: $2,335 per credit
- Application Requirements: Application, Application Fee, Transcripts, GRE Test Scores, Letters of Recommendation, Resume, Statement of Purpose, Writing or Work Samples
5. University of Florida – Gainesville, Florida (10 Points)
Offered entirely online, the University of Florida’s Emergency Management degree is offered for students who want to earn their bachelor’s degree in this competitive and exciting field. Students will learn how to be first responders to any emergency or crisis. This is a great path for students interested in emergency and fire services as well. The degree focuses on EMS training and fire services.
Students who graduate with their bachelor’s degree in emergency management services usually go on to hold government positions at the local, state, or federal level. It is important to note that this degree does not certify students to become a firefighter. Additional training and certification must be obtained outside of the classroom.
- Tuition: $120 per credit hour; $300 per credit hour for the B.S. in Fire and Emergency Services
- Application Requirements: Application, Application Fee, High School Transcripts, SAT or ACT Scores, Short Answer, Essay, Relevant Residency Information
6. University of Maryland – College Park, Maryland (8 Points)
The University of Maryland offers an online Master’s degree option for students who want to earn an advanced degree in emergency management. This degree consists of 36 credits and can be completed entirely online, making it a wonderful option for students who are working and require a flexible class schedule. This program will accept up to 6 credits transferred from another university or college.
The curriculum helps students to establish and learn about the 5 mission areas for disaster control including prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery. Not only will students learn about the planning and policy required when an emergency strikes, but they will also be well educated in the emergency response and ongoing recovery effort.
- Tuition: $1,537 per credit
- Application Requirements: Application, Application Fee, Transcripts, Statement of Purpose
6. University of Central Florida – Orlando, Florida (8 Points)
The fully online emergency management program offered at the University of Central Florida is a wonderful option for working professionals who need a flexible work schedule. This degree focuses on mitigation techniques, emergency response, and ongoing crisis recovery. Following the full life-cycle of an emergency, students are well prepared to tackle emergencies and emergency planning at the local, state, or federal level.
This Master’s degree program features 36 online credits for completion. Students will have the opportunity to work in fields outside of the classroom to gain hands-on experience. This degree also has several elective courses that can be paired with the core courses to create a specialized concentration in emergency management.
- Florida Resident Tuition: $370 per credit hour
- Nonresidential Tuition: $1,194 per credit hour
- Application Requirements: Application, Application Fee, Transcripts, Statement of Goals and Purpose, Three Letters of Recommendation, Resume
7. University of Wisconsin – Green Bay, Wisconsin (6 Points)
Offered through the Green Bay campus for the University of Wisconsin, the emergency management degree is offered as either a certificate or a Bachelor’s degree. This program is offered fully online making it a flexible option for working professionals. The Bachelor’s degree option for this degree is offered through the Organizational Leadership program, with an emphasis and concentration on emergency management.
Students who enroll in the certificate portion of this degree will focus on the administrative planning aspects of an emergency management degree. This is a 15 credit curriculum that is perfect for people who already have their Bachelor’s degree, or who simply want to add a certificate to augment their career.
- Tuition: $1,574 per credit
- Application Requirements: Application, High School Transcripts, ACT or SAT Test Scores
7. Arizona State University – Tempe, Arizona (6 Points)
This fully online Master’s degree option for students interested in working in emergency management can enjoy flexible class schedules at Arizona State University. This program usually meets about 7.5 times per week and takes a total of 33 credits to graduate. Students enrolled in this program can expect to learn about disaster management and organization, as well as the various aspects that help make homeland security safe.
Students will have the ability to focus their studies in emergency management on one of several concentrations including biosecurity and threat management, homeland security, emergency management, community resilience, or cybersecurity, policy, and management.
- Tuition: $1,226 per credit
- Application Requirements: Application, Application Fee, Transcripts, Minimum 3.0 GPA during Undergraduate Studies, Letters of Recommendation
Methodology
To put together our list of the best schools to earn your online emergency management degree we used two metrics in our scoring system. The first metric was the cost of tuition per credit, and the second metric was the overall enrollment size of the school. Tuition was broken down to a per-credit figure, and we always use the out of state tuition rate. If schools listed their tuition as a yearly expense, the total was first divided in half, assuming two semesters, and further divided by 12 assuming 12 credits per semester. The school with the lowest tuition cost per credit was given the most amount of points.
Secondly, we examined the overall enrollment total for the listed schools. If a school had a lower enrollment rate it was assumed that students could enjoy more personalized instruction. Therefore, schools with a smaller enrollment were given a higher point value, and thus more favorable ranking. The points accumulated from the tuition score and enrollment score were added together, giving one final cumulative score. The school that earned the most amount of points was given the best ranking.
If your school is featured on our list we would love to hear from you. As much as we try to keep our information up to date and relevant, we know that course requirements and curriculums are constantly changing. If you notice information is out of date, just let us know and we will be happy to update our website.
