The 15 Best Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership Programs of 2025

1New York University

• Online Ed.D. in Leadership and Innovation

Delivery: Online with 1 Immersive Residency
Credits: 42
Length: 2 Years
Minimum Program Cost: $94,602

NYU’s Organizational Leadership Ed.D. Overview

NYU Steinhardt has instant name recognition in the field of education—it achieves consistently high rankings, it’s well-known internationally, and it runs all kinds of research centers & institutes. If you’re a mid-level organizational leader looking for a distance program that’s led by great faculty, you’re in the right place.

NYU’s cohort-based Online Ed.D. in Leadership and Innovation is short & intense. Designed for working professionals with 7-10 years of experience, this executive doctorate can be completed in 2 years.

There are 17 required courses, including research credits. Topics include organizational theory, leveraging partnerships, management & data ethics, education policy, and more. You’ll also take part in a 3-day immersive experience on the NYU campus and get stuck into a unique Problem of Practice. This capstone project will be applied to your current work challenges.

All of this quality comes with a price—NYU is not cheap. View the tuition section and the FAQs to learn more about ways to offset costs.

2Vanderbilt University

• Online Ed.D. in Leadership and Learning in Organizations

Delivery: Online with 3 On-Campus Convenings
Credits: 54
Length: 3-4 Years
Minimum Program Cost: $125,496

Vanderbilt’s Organizational Leadership Ed.D. Overview

The Peabody College of Education and Human Development is a powerhouse in the South. Like NYU Steinhardt, it’s packed with quality markers, including outstanding national rankings, 18 research centers, experienced faculty, and a great track record of employment. Among professional students, 95%+ secure jobs within 4 months of graduation.

The Online Ed.D. in Leadership and Learning in Organizations is designed for mid-career professionals with 3+ years of leadership experience. This program covers three key competency areas needed for operational improvements in the workplace:

1. Leadership & Organizational Development
2. Data & Analytics
3. Learning & Design

Over the course of 3-4 years, you’ll take part in weekly online classes and 3 on-campus residencies. The distance doctorate culminates in a capstone project centered on a specific organizational challenge. Vanderbilt is expensive, so you may need to discuss funding options with your current employer.

3University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Online Ed.D. in Education, Policy, Organization and Leadership – International Education Administration & Leadership
• Online Ed.D. in Education, Policy, Organization and Leadership – Human Resource Development (HRD)

Delivery: 100% Online
Credit Hours: 64
Length: 3+ Years
Minimum Program Cost: $33,280

UIUC’s Organizational Leadership Ed.D. Overview

UIUC’s doctorate in education is our top pick for price—tuition rates for online programs at the College of Education are eminently affordable. It’s also 100% online, which means you won’t have to budget for any travel expenses.

• The Online Ed.D. in Education, Policy, Organization and Leadership: International Education Administration & Leadership is a fairly broad degree that examines global issues related to education. Course titles include Education & Globalization, Education and Human Rights, Globalizing Educational Policy, Organization Development, and more.
• The more focused Online Ed.D. in Education, Policy, Organization and Leadership: Human Resource Development (HRD) is aimed at professionals who are interested in improving workplace performance & individual learning in organizations. You’ll be able to dig into the design, implementation, and evaluation of HRD programs.

At UIUC, you’ll participate in live online classes/discussions that meet once per week. You’ll also be expected to conduct field research, take preliminary & qualifying exams, and complete a dissertation that addresses a problem of professional practice. See the COE Graduate Handbook and Online FAQs for answers to specific questions.

4University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

• Online Ed.D. in Educational Leadership – Organizational Learning and Leadership

Delivery: Online with Optional Annual Spring Immersion
Credits: 54
Length: 3 Years
Minimum Program Cost: $33,207 (In-State); $88,083 (Out-of-State)

UNC’s Organizational Leadership Ed.D. Overview

No master’s degree or GRE scores required! That’s one of the key selling points for this equity-focused doctorate. It’s backed by the CAEP-accredited UNC School of Education and membership in the CPED. You can improve your odds of success by reading up on the faculty bios and the School’s news on leadership & organizational change before applying.

It’s an excellent pick if you’re craving human interaction. The cohort-based Online Ed.D. in Educational Leadership – Organizational Learning and Leadership features synchronous weekly classes via Zoom and an optional in-person immersion each spring. During the immersion, you can take full advantage of networking opportunities, expert guest speakers, and campus events.

Course descriptions are listed on the program page. There’s a fair amount of focus on change leadership, equitable practices, design thinking, and implementation & equity. But that’s mixed with hard-knuckle topics in areas such as learning analytics and program evaluation. Everyone is expected to tackle a capstone project.

5Pennsylvania State University

• World Campus Online D.Ed. – Organization Development and Change Coursework

Delivery: Online with 1 Summer Summit
Credits: 37+
Length: 3-4 Years
Minimum Program Cost: $38,369

Penn State’s D.Ed. Overview

Penn State’s customizable doctorate comes to you courtesy of the Penn State World Campus and the Penn State College of Education. In the D.Ed. faculty profiles, we spotted Dr. Gerald LeTendre, Harry L. Batschelet Chair of Educational Administration (EDLDR), and Dr. Joseph Polizzi, Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of Education Policy Studies.

This World Campus Online D.Ed. is one of the most flexible doctorates in our rankings. You can create your own concentration by selecting 12 credits of electives from four departments: Curriculum and Instruction, Learning and Performance Systems; Education Policy Studies; and Educational Psychology, Counseling, and Special Education. Courses are 100% online. And you only have to visit the campus once for a summer summit.

We’ve featured it in our organizational leadership rankings because Penn State provides a sample specialization path for professionals working in organization development and change. Before you start your application, browse through the D.Ed. alumni profiles to get a sense of who’s been accepted and skim through the Student Handbook to learn more about your final capstone experience. We also recommend you chat to the D.Ed. program coordinator about which organizational electives would best suit your goals.

6University of Southern California

• Online Ed.D. in Organizational Change and Leadership (OCL)

Delivery: Online with 2 Immersion Weekends
Credits: 43-60 Units
Length: 3-4 Years
Minimum Program Cost: $107,351

USC’s Organizational Leadership Ed.D. Overview

The Rossier School of Education is a big player in the world of academia—you’ll often see it ranked in the top 15 of the Best Education Schools in the country. Faculty are involved in all kinds of intriguing research initiatives and graduate students are refreshingly diverse (e.g. 46% first generation). Thanks to its location in Los Angeles, urban education is a key focus.

The Online Ed.D. in Organizational Change and Leadership (OCL) is a good choice for early to mid-tier leaders—the versatile program can be applied to multiple career spheres. Anyone entering with a master’s or terminal degree will only need to take 43 units in order to complete the doctorate in ~3 years. But it will be 60 units and ~4 years for those with a bachelor’s degree.

As a USC Rossier student, you’ll participate in weekly live video classes, attend immersion weekends, and tackle a Dissertation in Practice (DiP). If the price point for this online doctorate is intimidating, check out the sections on scholarships and financial aid for ideas on funding. Online Ed.D. students are automatically considered for a scholarship of up to $7,500.

7Virginia Commonwealth University

• Online Ed.D. in Leadership – Organizational Leadership

Delivery: Online with 1 Summer Residency or Hybrid
Credit Hours: 48
Length: 3 Years
Minimum Program Cost: $31,552 (In-State); $65,424 (Out-of-State)

VCU’s Organizational Leadership Ed.D. Overview

Put VCU on your shortlist if you’re craving a collaborative, tech-savvy program. The School of Education (SOE) and Department of Educational Leadership have gone the extra mile to build interactivity into their doctorate. Since VCU has been an Experienced CPED member since 2014, you can also be assured that there will be an emphasis on action-oriented learning.

Organizational leaders in the public or private sector should apply for the Online Ed.D. in Leadership – Organizational Leadership. To foster connection, VCU groups students into relevant cohorts at the beginning of the doctorate. You’ll meet with fellow students each week in a synchronous session, collaborate with them on course projects, and encounter them at the summer residency.

The curriculum is laid out on the program page. Here you’ll discover a judicious mix of theory and practice (e.g. budgeting, legal perspectives, etc.) and a surprising number of courses on data & leadership. For your final project, you’ll work with a team to develop a capstone for a community-based partner organization.

8George Washington University

• Online/Hybrid Ed.D. in Human and Organizational Learning

Delivery: Online with 3 Long Weekend Residencies
Credit Hours: 60
Length: ~3 Years
Minimum Program Cost: $114,300

GW’s Organizational Leadership Ed.D. Overview

GW is our top pick for military and government leaders. The university enrolls more than 1,000 veterans, active duty service members, and dependents, and it’s located in the epicenter of federal activity. Within the Department of Human and Organizational Learning, you’ll discover faculty with interests in everything from women’s leadership and socialization to behavioral science work for the U.S. Army Research Institute.

The university bills its Ed.D. in Human and Organizational Learning as hybrid, but we’d classify it as online! You’ll only be required to visit D.C. for 3 long weekends—two at the VSTC campus and one at the Foggy Bottom campus. The rest of the doctorate will be a mix of synchronous online Saturday classes and asynchronous coursework & activities.

GW does a nice job of combining traditional organizational leadership courses with electives, seminars, a 6-credit practicum, and a dissertation. But quality does come with a price. If you need help with tuition, be sure to visit the section on Funding Your Graduate Education. Scholarships are available.

9University of Miami

• Online Ed.D. in Applied Learning Sciences

Delivery: 100% Online
Credits: 45
Length: 2.5 Years
Minimum Program Cost: $68,310 with Tuition Waiver

UMiami’s Organizational Leadership Ed.D. Overview

Looking for an Ed.D. that focuses on the science of workplace learning, design & assessment? Fascinated by ideas around professional development? UMiami’s unusual program may be ideal. You’ll find it housed within the Department of Teaching & Learning in the School of Education & Human Development. Department faculty have their hands on all kinds of research projects, including work in AR and AI.

You can get a better handle on the 100% Online Ed.D. in Applied Learning Sciences by examining the course descriptions. On top of credits in organizational learning and theory, the program features classes in the design of online learning environments and workplace training & professional development programs. Cultural practices will also be explored.

By your second summer, you’ll be working on designing a team-based capstone project that tackles a local problem or issue related to learning. In your third year, you’ll be implementing the intervention and assessing the results. All Ed.D. students are expected to submit a paper that outlines their unique contributions to the project.

10Baylor University

• Online Ed.D. in Learning and Organizational Change

Delivery: Online with 2 Campus Immersions
Credits: 54
Length: 3 Years or More
Minimum Program Cost: $97,290

Baylor’s Organizational Leadership Ed.D. Overview

Baylor’s School of Education may not be as well-known as Rossier or Steinhardt, but this Christian-focused institution punches above its weight. It’s deeply engaged in the Texas educational community. It produces a diverse assortment of doctoral alumni. And it’s an Experienced CPED member. In fact, this particular program won CPED’s Program of the Year Award in 2022!

The Online Ed.D. in Learning and Organizational Change is available in a 3-year format (e.g. 2 courses per term) or on a more flexible schedule. Ed.D. coursework covers topics such as organizational change, the psychology of learning, instructional design, community leadership & collaboration, and more. All students are required to take part in weekly online classes & group discussions, attend 2 in-person immersions, and complete a Problem of Practice (PoP) dissertation.

Check out the faculty profiles and course descriptions to get a feel for the program’s flavor. Keep in mind that Ed.D. candidates should share Baylor’s commitment to a tradition of faith-based service.

11University of La Verne

• Hybrid Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership

Delivery: Hybrid with 2 Campus Practicums Per Semester
Credits: 54
Length: 3 Years
Minimum Program Cost: $68,580

ULV’s Organizational Leadership Ed.D. Overview

ULV’s blended doctorate was just too good to ignore! It’s the brainchild of the LaFetra College of Education, a school with a sizeable PK-20 footprint in Southern California and a commitment to social equity. Classes are kept small. Over 80% of doctoral students advance in their jobs before graduation. And Ed.D. faculty have intriguing interests, including work in entrepreneurship.

Unlike other doctorates, ULV’s Hybrid Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership is both holistic and thematic. In the first year of the curriculum, you’ll focus on topics around personal/interpersonal development & leadership. In the second, you’ll concentrate on the leadership of teams & groups. And in your final year, you’ll explore organizational theory & practice and tackle a Change Initiative-Capstone Project.

The majority of coursework is delivered online, through elements like webinars and asynchronous study. But you will need to plan for visits to campus twice per semester for in-person practicums. To encourage collaboration and peer support, ULV will also place you in a virtual, faculty-led Learning Group (organized by geographic region). These online cohorts of 8-12 students meet regularly with their group leader each semester.

12University of Massachusetts Global

• Online Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership

Delivery: 100% Online
Credits: 57
Length: 2 Years or More
Minimum Program Cost: $61,560

UMass Global’s Organizational Leadership Ed.D. Overview

UMass Global wins on practicality. Although it doesn’t have the same academic standing as the University of Massachusetts and its brick & mortar campuses, it is a non-profit affiliate of the UMass system (read more about its history). Faculty come from a range of backgrounds. Admissions requirements are achievable (e.g. 2.75 GPA). And full-time or part-time study is available.

When you choose this no-nonsense Online Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership, you’ll complete core coursework in areas like strategic thinking, organizational theory, and team dynamics. Nitty gritty challenges such as assessment and resource management are also included. UMass Global’s program culminates in a traditional five-chapter dissertation.

Be prepared to roll up your sleeves! This 100% online doctorate features cohort meetings, immersion sessions, synchronous/real-time online seminars, and a unique Transformational Change Project (TCP). The TCP interweaves field-based assignments and embedded experiences with actual deliverables. At the end of your second year, you’ll present your findings & implications for practice at a Transformational Change Symposium.

13University of St. Francis

• Online Ed.D. in Educational Leadership – Leadership, Learning, and Stewardship

Delivery: 100% Online (Check with Program Coordinator)
Credits: 60
Length: 3.5 Years
Minimum Program Cost: $43,500

USF’s Organizational Leadership Ed.D. Overview

USF is a small Catholic university with roots in Franciscan learning. That means the College of Education leans hard on principles of community & service—note the emphasis on “Stewardship” in the program title. Classes are intimate. Reviews of its graduate programs are uniformly strong. And faculty are readily available.

Ignore the title—the cohort-based Online Ed.D. in Educational Leadership – Leadership, Learning, and Stewardship is truly an organizational degree. Standard coursework in research and dissertation prep is complimented by a whopping 36 credits in the concentration. Over 3.5 years, you’ll explore ideas around fiscal & ethical stewardship, law & ethics, accountability, and governance.

We especially love the inclusion of a 2-course Experiential Leadership Project. This will give you the opportunity to step back and take a 30,000-foot-view of leadership challenges under the supervision of a university faculty member and a practicing organizational leader.

14Concordia University Chicago

• Online Ed.D. in Leadership – Organizational Leadership

Delivery: 100% Online
Credits: 61
Length: 3-4 Years
Minimum Program Cost: $44,835

CUC’s Organizational Leadership Ed.D. Overview

CUC is a Lutheran university with a strong Christ-centered focus—the College of Education was founded as a Lutheran teacher preparation college. It appears in our rankings thanks to convenience and glowing reviews. Alumni of CUC’s graduate programs in educational leadership praise the rigorous coursework, supportive faculty, and real-world curricula.

Full details about the Online Ed.D. in Leadership – Organizational Leadership can be found in the Academic Catalog. We’re estimating that this 100% online doctorate can be finished in 3-4 years on a part-time basis, but we recommend you ask the Ed.D. program coordinator for a sample schedule. The curriculum is split into four parts:

• Doctoral Core: Fundamentals of Organizational Leadership
• Specialization Coursework
• Research
• Comprehensive Exam & Dissertation

Within the specialization, you’ll discover a lot of high-level thinking around knowledge management, developing human capital, change theories, and inclusive leadership. The aim is to prepare Ed.D. graduates for positions in corporations, not-for-profit organizations, governments, and more.

15Creighton University

• Online Ed.D. in Interdisciplinary Leadership

Delivery: Online with 1 Campus Residency & Optional Institutes
Credits: 51
Length: 3 Years
Minimum Program Cost: $58,980

Creighton’s Organizational Leadership Ed.D. Overview

Creighton is a private Jesuit university with a solid Graduate School and respectable rankings in online education programs. It’s not a big research powerhouse or an international player, but it’s put together a distance learning doctorate that really digs into practical leadership concerns.

In just under 3 years, you can complete a cohort-based Online Ed.D. in Interdisciplinary Leadership that’s structured for working professionals. Courses are 8 weeks in length and cover relevant organizational topics, including administration & policy, systems thinking, leadership & applied ethics, and more. You’ll also be able to select 6 credits of electives.

But wait, there’s more! This thoughtful doctorate includes a Dissertation in Practice (DiP) that can be submitted as an article for publication or a conference and multiple opportunities for networking. There’s a mandatory 3-day campus residency in the first semester, as well as optional on-campus learning institutes where you can meet with faculty and peers.