What is a Master of Education in Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics, and Assessment?
Explore this advanced research degree's skills, career paths, and real-world impact.
What is a Master of Education in Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics, and Assessment?
Professionals who want to lead in education, healthcare, research, or policy are turning to programs that offer more than just data literacy. They want deep, transferable skills in quantitative and qualitative research. The Master of Education in Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics, and Assessment (MESA) from the University of Illinois Chicago offers precisely that.
This 100% online program prepares students to make data-informed decisions and evaluate complex systems. Designed for professionals from diverse sectors, the MESA degree equips graduates with the expertise to improve programs, guide policy, and contribute to evidence-based solutions.
Why Earn a Master of Education in Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics, and Assessment?
This interdisciplinary program opens the door to careers that require critical thinking, analytical precision, and research design expertise. With demand for skilled data professionals on the rise, jobs for statisticians and data scientists are projected to grow 35 percent from 2022 to 2032.
Graduates work in K-12 and higher education, government agencies, research hospitals, nonprofits, and private sector companies. Dr. Everett Smith, Program Director for the online MESA programs at UIC, says the career versatility is one of the program’s biggest strengths: “If you’re unhappy applying methodological skills in one setting or industry, you can easily hop over to another.” He adds, “The program’s goal is to train quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method researchers for careers in education, social sciences, healthcare, and other applied fields.”
What You’ll Learn in UIC’s Online MESA Program
UIC’s Online MESA program students develop strong technical and theoretical skills across measurement, statistics, and research methodologies. The curriculum prepares them to collect, analyze, and interpret both quantitative and qualitative data, and most importantly, use it to make an impact.
Here are the key skills you’ll build:
- Measurement and psychometrics – Learn to create psychometric tests, evaluate their reliability and validity, and analyze data quality using measure theory.
- Advanced statistical techniques – Master everything from descriptive statistics to multilevel and longitudinal analysis.
- Qualitative and mixed methods research – Gain a well-rounded understanding of collecting and interpreting narrative and non-numeric data.
- Software proficiency – Use the tools standard in research and industry, including programs for statistics and data analysis, and qualitative coding.
What Can You Do with a Master of Education in MESA?
“MESA graduates go wherever methodological skills are needed,” says Dr. Smith. “Our graduates are employed by federal and state agencies, universities, testing companies, research hospitals, and large corporations like eBay, Salesforce, and Microsoft.” Many earn salaries ranging from $70,000 to $130,000.*
Common job titles include:
- Evaluation Specialist – $70,000
- Psychometrician – $80,000
- Director of Assessment and Accreditation – $83,000
- Data Analyst – $84,000
- Test Developer – $90,000
- Certification Manager – $103,300
- Institutional Research Officer – $107,000
- Educational Assessment Consultant – $108,000
- Institutional Researcher – $113,000
- Quantitative Analyst – $134,000
UIC’s Online MESA Degree: Program Structure and Tuition
UIC’s online Master of Education in Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics, and Assessment was the first fully online asynchronous graduate program of its kind when it launched in 2009. The program is built for working professionals who want a flexible format without sacrificing academic rigor.
- 100% online and asynchronous
- Complete in as few as 12 months full-time, or 24 months part-time
- Blend of theory and practical application across nine courses
- Focused coursework in research methods
- 100% online and asynchronous
- Complete in 6–9 months
- Choose any three MESA courses that best align with your career goals
Whether you’re looking for a full degree or a shorter credential, both options give you the skills to advance in your career. Connect with an enrollment specialist to learn more about the program, admissions process, and how to take the next step.
*Salary data from PayScale, Salary.com, and industry-specific sources.