Masters Options (skills, degrees, cost, best)

[CitizenPain]

I currently have a BS in Computer Engineering and have been working for the Department of the Navy for a handful of years now (2-3). My job requires a lot of technical skill but lately has been requiring lot more project level skills such as cost estimates, contract related tasks, and system management. Now I am not concerned about my current job w/o an advanced degree, but figured I would use this time to at least look at the options. I had considered myself done with college but my serious girlfriend has a billet outside the country for the next two years and this gap may well be my last chance to grab an advanced degree before all my free time is taken over by life. What degrees would be best for me to look into? My work offers competitive degrees in either Engineering Management or Systems Engineering, but I fear taking those options would surrender control of my life to a narrow path. Main point for masters would not be quick advancement or pay increase but flexibility in my current command and freedom to do something new after I put my 20-30 years in.

MBA from what I see would be expensive and would be best for later when I've accumulated more work experience. Or is this me just finding excuses?

I'm hesitant to consider any masters in the tech side of engineering as I want to be able to live a life.

Masters in Finance worth anything? MEM? Other ideas?

I have 20-30k that could go toward a degree w/o taking on any debt. Would this get me a reputable degree or would I just be buying a piece of paper? From experience, is working full time and pursuing a Masters overwhelming? Are business degrees overly focused on industry/investment making it difficult to apply to a government setting?

Feel free to just answer one question I don't mean to ask so many.