Strong Profits, Enrollment Make Online Education a Great Resource

By Joe Cooper
Career Colleges Columnist

Over the past several years, online education has shown itself to be a successful education option, providing many students the means they need to earn a degree. Its numbers prove it. Here's how the success of online colleges and schools translates to higher quality education for students.

A Successful Industry Based on Good Education

Universities must be profitable, and this profit is made by creating accredited degree programs that attract students who want to build careers. A good degree program will offer students the opportunity to gain real job skills that help them place in the industry of their choice. Online education generated $2.5 billion in 2004. Now it is a $10 billion industry, proving it's a viable, profitable educational resource.

Enrollment is Strong, and Rising

Another sign of viability is the rise in enrollment in online education in recent years. Enrollment in online degree or diploma programs amounted to less than half a million students in 2002. Now, enrollment in online education is predicted to reach 1.7 million students by the end of 2007, around 10% of all enrollment in post-high school education.

So what drives this profitability and increasing enrollment in online education? We’re glad you asked.

Why Online Education Works

Consider a business degree program. In an on-campus university, a business degree program might be available in a limited number of specialties. With online education, students can find nearly every specialty available at a variety of online universities. This variety is one reason why online education is so popular.

Flexibility is another reason. You can earn a business degree through an online degree program whenever or wherever it works best for you. Especially for students with full-time jobs and/or families to support, this flexibility can make or break their potential for earning a degree. These reasons and more make online education a great resource for many students.

Source
Indy Star

About the Author
Joe Cooper is a freelance education and technology writer and edits medical literature. He holds a bachelor's in American Literature from UCLA.

Email this article

All information on the Career Colleges website is copyrighted and intended for informational use only including the Career Assessment and Most Popular Career Colleges section. The school programs offered by the technical schools and trade schools represented in the online college directory are up-to-date.