Verdict
Is Saint Louis University Worth It?
Saint Louis University's online M.S. in Applied AI and Decision Analytics is a 30-credit degree at $810 per credit, which puts tuition at $24,300 before additional charges. It's built for working adults and career changers, since no prior STEM degree is required and the courses run in eight-week terms.
This degree comes from Saint Louis University's School for Professional Studies. SLU is a private Catholic, Jesuit university in Saint Louis, Missouri, and the school says the program is 100% online.
The focus is applying AI to decisions at work. The course list includes Foundations of Applied Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, AI and Analytics Product Design, AI Integration Strategy and Implementation, and Ethical, Evidence-Based Decision Making. You finish with a master's research project, AA 5960. There's no thesis.
SLU also offers other AI programs, so make sure you're looking at this one. The School of Medicine runs a separate M.S. in Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, and a nine-credit certificate in this same field is covered on its own page.
Score
Why It Ranks Among the Top Three
Each factor is scored 0 to 10 against other online master's programs. The weights are the same for every program, and the overall score is relative to the top online master's program, which scores 100.
Online Program Score 86.1 / 100
Darker bars mean stronger factor scores. Every bar also shows its number.
The full rubric is on the methodology page.
Cost
How Much It Costs at $810 a Credit
SLU's online graduate rate is $810 per credit. Across 30 credits, tuition is $24,300. SLU adds that additional charges may apply, so the real bill will run higher than that figure.
If you'd rather start smaller, the post-baccalaureate certificate in the same field uses the same $810 rate for 9 credits. SLU says you can often earn a complementary certificate without extra credits, which means a certificate can be a lower-cost first step or a bonus along the way. Ask the admissions office how the credits would be counted.
30 credits at $810 a credit comes to $24,300 in tuition, before fees.
- Cost per Credit
- $810 per credit
- Credits Required
- 30 credits
- Estimated Tuition
- $24,300
- Military Benefits
- Veterans, active military and first responders may be eligible for online tuition discounts; participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program.
- Fees and Notes
- Online graduate degree rate; additional charges may apply.
Sources: slu.edu (cost and aid), slu.edu (cost and aid), verified October 1, 2026
Fit
Who Should Apply, and Who Should Not
Who It Fits
- You're changing careers and don't have a technical degree. SLU says no prior STEM degree is required and teaches the foundational technical skills inside the curriculum.
- You work full time. The program runs in eight-week terms, and you can begin in the fall or spring.
- You want a certificate on the way. SLU says you can earn a graduate certificate that complements the master's, often without additional credits.
- You're more interested in AI strategy and decisions than in building models from scratch.
Who Should Skip It
- You want a research-heavy degree. This master's ends with a research project, not a thesis, and the course titles lean toward product design, integration and decision-making.
- You work in healthcare and want AI built around clinical problems. Look at SLU's separate M.S. in Artificial Intelligence in Medicine instead.
- You want a program built around named research labs or industry partners.
Curriculum
What You Will Study
The four courses we can name show the shape of the degree. Foundations of Applied Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning gives you the technical base. AI and Analytics Product Design and AI Integration Strategy and Implementation turn that base into work you'd do inside an organization. Ethical, Evidence-Based Decision Making covers how you justify what a model recommends.
The 30 credits end with AA 5960, the Masters Research Project. SLU lists no thesis option. Ask which courses are electives and how the project is supervised.
Courses the School Names
- Foundations of Applied Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning
- AI and Analytics Product Design
- AI Integration Strategy and Implementation
- Ethical, Evidence-Based Decision Making
Standout Features
- Can earn a graduate certificate that complements the master's, often without additional credits
- Capstone deploys and validates a real-world AI application, producing a portfolio-ready demonstration
- No prior STEM degree required; foundational technical skills are taught in the curriculum
- Capstone
- Master's research project (AA 5960)
- Thesis
- No
Source: slu.edu (curriculum and experience), verified October 1, 2026
Online
8-Week Terms and Start Dates
Courses run in eight-week terms, and you can start in fall or spring. Eight-week terms mean you take fewer classes at once than in a 15-week semester, which suits people with a job and a family, though each term moves fast.
Ask whether classes meet at set times. Also ask how many terms you'll need if you take one class at a time.
- Terms
- Eight-week terms, fall or spring start.
- Start Dates
- 2 starts a year
Source: slu.edu (format and schedule), verified October 1, 2026
Admissions
Admission Requirements
- Admission Requirements
- Completed application, undergraduate degree (most successful applicants have a 3.0 GPA or better), official transcript, resume or CV; recommendations encouraged but not required. No prior STEM degree required.
Source: slu.edu (admissions and transfer), verified October 1, 2026
Credentials
Accreditation and Where It Leads
You earn an M.S. from Saint Louis University. Its Catholic, Jesuit identity is part of the school's description, and the ethics course fits that setting.
Admissions asks for an application, an undergraduate degree (most successful applicants have a 3.0 GPA or better), an official transcript, and a resume or CV. Recommendations are encouraged but not required.
Where this degree can lead: Data Scientist Jobs, Jobs You Can Get With an AI Degree.
Trade-Offs
Drawbacks to Weigh
- Additional charges may apply on top of $24,300 in tuition.
- Eight-week terms move quickly, so a heavy work month can crowd out a course.
- There's no thesis option, so research-minded students may want something else.
- Starts are limited to fall and spring.
Before You Apply
Questions to Ask Saint Louis University Before You Apply
- What additional charges apply beyond the $810 per credit?
- Which graduate certificate complements this master's, and how do I earn it without extra credits?
- How much math and programming does the Foundations course assume if I have no STEM background?
- How are research projects in AA 5960 chosen and supervised?
- Do classes meet at set times, or can I work on my own schedule?
- What do graduates of this program do next, and can SLU share current numbers?
School
About Saint Louis University
Saint Louis University is a private Catholic, Jesuit university in Saint Louis, Missouri. Its School for Professional Studies and School of Medicine offer AI master's degrees online.
- Degree
- M.S., Master's
- School
- Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO
- Institution Type
- Private nonprofit
- Religious Affiliation
- Catholic
- Delivery
- Fully Online
Source: slu.edu (program and school), verified October 1, 2026
- Graduation Rate
- 80%
- Admit Rate
- 75%
- Total Enrollment
- 17,059
- Master's Completions a Year in This Field
- 157
- Campus Setting
- City
Source: nces.ed.gov (school data from ipeds), verified September 30, 2026
Rankings
Rankings This Program Appears In
Rank is the program's position among the online programs on that list at its degree level.
- Best Online AI Degrees Rank 2 of 49, master's
- Best Online Master's Programs Rank 2 of 49, master's
- Best AI Engineering Degrees Rank 1 of 16, master's
- AI for Business and Management Rank 1 of 12, master's
- Best Applied AI Degrees Rank 1 of 9, master's
- Cheapest Online Programs Rank 7 of 15, master's
- Accelerated Online Programs Rank 13 of 14, master's
- Best for Working Adults Rank 1 of 16, master's
- Best for Career Changers Rank 1 of 8, master's
- Best for Military Students Rank 1 of 14, master's
- 100% Online Programs Rank 2 of 46, master's
Same School
Other Online Programs at Saint Louis University
-
Artificial Intelligence in Medicine
M.S., Master's
-
Applied AI and Decision Analytics, Post-Baccalaureate Certificate
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate, Graduate Certificate
-
Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Post-Baccalaureate Certificate
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate, Graduate Certificate
Also at Saint Louis University, but not counted here because they are not fully online: Artificial Intelligence (master's, on campus).
Compare
Online Master's Programs With Similar Scores
Other online master's programs with the closest scores.
-
Master of Science in Engineering in Artificial Intelligence (MSE-AI Online)
-
Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (Online)
-
Master of Science in Applied Artificial Intelligence (Online)
-
Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Artificial Intelligence
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Saint Louis University's Online Applied AI and Decision Analytics a Good Program?
It ranks #2 of 49 online master's programs in our 2026 rankings, because it is fully online with 8-week terms and it charges $810 per credit (lower than 18 of 24 other online master's programs we rank).
It also places #1 among master's programs on the Best AI Engineering Degrees list; #1 among master's programs on the AI for Business and Management list; and #1 among master's programs on the Best Applied AI Degrees list.
Do I Need a STEM Degree for SLU's Online AI Master's?
How Much Does the Degree Cost?
How Long Are the Terms?
Sources
- Saint Louis University's Applied AI and Decision Analytics page
- Standout feature: No prior STEM degree required; foundational technical skills are taught in...; Admissions: Completed application, undergraduate degree (most successful applicants have...
- Delivery: fully-online; Term format: Eight-week terms, fall or spring start; Starts per year: 2
- Cost per credit: $810; Cost notes: Online graduate degree rate; additional charges may apply.
- Credits: 30; Standout feature: Can earn a graduate certificate that complements the master's, often without...
- Thesis: no; Capstone: Master's research project (AA 5960)
- Notable courses: Foundations of Applied Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning; AI and...
- Standout feature: Capstone deploys and validates a real-world AI application, producing a...
- Military benefits: Veterans, active military and first responders may be eligible for online...
- IPEDS Data Center