George Washington University Online Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

George Washington's online master's is a strong pick if you want live classes, a name-brand engineering school and a published price. The total is $37,500 for 30 credits, with eBooks included, and GRE scores are optional. It's not the cheapest master's on our list, and you'll need an engineering, computer science, math or similar bachelor's to get in.

George Washington University is a private nonprofit research university in Washington, DC. This master's comes from its School of Engineering and Applied Science and is delivered 100% live online.

The degree is 10 courses, or 30 total credit hours. Five start terms per year mean you can begin without waiting long. Our federal data puts the university's graduation rate at 84%, and its admit rate at 47%.

The format is mixed. Class is a live weekly Zoom evening session, with an option to watch recordings asynchronously. That gives you real-time interaction with instructors and classmates, plus a safety net for a missed week.

Five start terms per year helps with timing. Ask for a typical timeline for a student working full time. With 10 courses, your pace will depend on how many you take per term.

Who It Fits

• You have a bachelor's in engineering, computer science, information technology, mathematics, physics or a closely related field.
• You like live class discussion and want a weekly evening class, with the option to watch recordings if you miss one.
• You want a single published price, $37,500 with eBooks included, so you can plan your budget.
• You'd rather skip the GRE. The school lists scores as optional.

Who Should Skip It

• You're coming from an unrelated field such as the humanities. The admissions page asks for a technical bachelor's.
• You want the lowest sticker price. Other online AI master's programs on our list cost less in total.
• You need fully self-paced classes. This program is mixed, with a live weekly evening session as the core.

The page names four courses: Foundations of AI, Natural Language Processing with Deep Learning, Introduction to Computer Vision and Autonomous Systems & Robotics. That's a broad mix. Natural language processing is the technology behind chatbots and text analysis, computer vision covers image and video, and the robotics course points toward systems that act in the physical world.

If you want to specialize, ask how many of the 10 courses are electives and how often each one runs.

Courses the School Names

• Foundations of AI
• Natural Language Processing with Deep Learning
• Introduction to Computer Vision
• Autonomous Systems & Robotics

Standout Features

• GW Engineering co-leads the NSF Institute for Trustworthy AI in Law & Society (TRAILS)
• Live evening classes with recordings available within 2 hours for asynchronous participation
• Online graduate engineering programs ranked #5 by U.S. News & World Report
• Six-course graduate certificate in Artificial Intelligence Engineering offered alongside the master's
• STEM-designated online master's

The school prints a total tuition of $37,500, with eBooks included. Divided across 30 credits, that's a real number you can budget around, and it's one of the clearer prices on our list.

The page doesn't spell out application fees, technology fees or other charges outside tuition, so ask what else appears on a bill. Also ask whether employer tuition benefits or any aid applies. Compare the $37,500 with the printed prices at other programs before you decide.

GW participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which contributes up to $17,500 per graduate student per year, matched by the VA, on top of the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Veterans in STEM-designated programs may also qualify for the STEM Scholarship Extension, so ask the veterans office how those benefits apply.

The program asks for a bachelor's degree in engineering, computer science, information technology, mathematics, physics or a closely related field. GRE scores are optional. That's a clear, technical bar, and it means your classmates will have a similar background.

The credential is a Master of Science from a private research university, which is the main value: a recognizable name on a technical degree.

Where this degree can lead: Data Scientist Jobs, Jobs You Can Get With an AI Degree.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• The $37,500 total is higher than several online AI master's programs on our list.
• A technical bachelor's degree is expected, which shuts out career changers from other fields.
• Live weekly evening classes are less flexible than fully asynchronous programs.

• How long does a typical working student take to finish the 10 courses?
• What fees come on top of the $37,500 tuition?
• Can I take the recorded option every week, or is live attendance expected for some courses?
• How do you evaluate applicants whose bachelor's is in a related but different field?
• Which courses are electives, and how often are they offered?
• Does my employer's tuition benefit apply to this program?

Private research university in Washington, DC. The online master's is offered by the School of Engineering and Applied Science.

• Best Online AI Degrees Rank 23 of 49, master's
• Best Online Master's Programs Rank 23 of 49, master's
• Best Machine Learning Degrees Rank 6 of 11, master's
• 100% Online Programs Rank 23 of 46, master's
• Multiple Start Dates Rank 2 of 6, master's

• University of Illinois Chicago

  Online Master of Engineering with a Concentration in AI and Machine Learning

  Illinois $896 per credit Score 69.3

• University of Washington-Seattle Campus

  Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Engineering

  Washington Score 69.3

• Maryville University of Saint Louis

  Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence

  Missouri $875 per credit Score 68.7

• University of Colorado Boulder

  Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (Coursera)

  Colorado Score 68.7