In the world of higher education, where the average cost of a master's degree can exceed $30,000, Saylor Academy is taking a radically different approach. The Fort Lauderdale-based nonprofit is offering fully licensed graduate degrees for what amounts to pocket change—with students able to earn a master's degree for as little as $55 total.
Founded by entrepreneur and Miami Beach resident Michael Saylor, Saylor Academy has secured full licensing from the Florida Department of Education's Commission for Independent Education to grant four graduate degrees: an MBA, and master's degrees in Marketing, Management, and Entrepreneurship. But it's the institution's pricing model that sets it apart from traditional universities.
How It Works
Students don't pay tuition. Instead, they're charged a $5 proctoring fee for each final exam to verify their identity. For the master's in Marketing program, which includes one prerequisite admissions course and ten core courses, a student who passes all eleven exams would pay exactly $55—what Saylor Academy calculates as a 99% price reduction compared to most licensed graduate programs.
The model is designed specifically for working adults and people with family obligations who need flexibility. Students progress through self-paced graduate programs on their own schedule, without the pressure of semester deadlines or synchronous class meetings.
The catch, if you can call it that, is that students must put in the time to learn the materials and pass the courses. The courses are built by credentialed professors who also have industry experience providing an important real world integration into the programs via a case study approach.
No Standardized Tests Required
Saylor Academy has also eliminated another common barrier to graduate education: standardized testing. There's no GMAT or GRE requirement. Instead, the institution uses what it calls an "earned admissions" approach. Prospective students complete one or two prerequisite courses, and passing those courses grants them admission to their chosen program.
This combination of flexibility, affordability, and accessibility positions the academy as an alternative for the estimated millions of working adults who want to advance their careers but face financial or time constraints that make traditional graduate degree programs impractical.
Plans for Expansion
The nonprofit isn't stopping with its current offerings. Saylor Academy has announced plans to introduce three tuition-free bachelor's degrees and a graduate program in Artificial Intelligence by the end of 2026, suggesting an expansion that could reach even more students looking for affordable pathways to credentials.
Whether this model can scale while maintaining quality and licensing remains to be seen, but for now, Saylor Academy represents a test case in whether higher education can be delivered at a fraction of traditional costs. Based on its ten year track record of providing free college level and professional development courses, they are off to a strong start. For working adults priced out of conventional graduate programs, these tuition-free master's degrees offer an opportunity that would otherwise be out of reach.
