Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

BestColleges.com Releases 2016 Online Education Trends Report

  • 03/23/16

HOUSTON, TX – In partnership with HigherEducation.com, BestColleges.com has released its 2016 Online Education Trends Report. The report draws from an extensive data pool to address relevant developments, patterns and concerns related to the field of virtual education.

"Traditional barriers to quality education are falling," notes General Manager Stephanie Snider. "This is in large part due to emerging technologies, including online learning. At no other time in history has higher education been so accessible to so many. This flexibility opens doors to those who otherwise might not have the opportunity to earn a degree."

Enrollment rates for online courses and degree programs have increased annually since the 1990s. According to the National Center of Education Statistics (NCES), one out of seven college students in 2014 was enrolled in a fully online academic program, a 6.6 percent increase over the previous two years. Furthermore, 58 percent of undergraduates and 79 percent of graduate students in 2013 enrolled in at least one online course.

The flexibility and accessibility of online programs have attracted a younger pool of students in recent years. Roughly one-third of undergraduates in online programs were 18-24 years old in 2015, a nearly 10 percent increase in that demographic over the last three years. Additionally, 61 percent of online students were enrolled full-time in 2015. And while online learning has historically appealed to students with full-time jobs, the report finds that more of today's e-learners are unemployed or working part-time.

The 2016 Online Education Trends Report offers a comprehensive look at the year ahead in online education. This guide is a useful, data-driven resource for students, teachers, administrators and other stakeholders in online academics. Readers can download a complete PDF of the 2016 Online Trends Report from the summary page on BestColleges.com.

Featured

  • Ohio State University Opens 26-Story Hospital

    The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center recently opened in Columbus, Ohio, standing 26 stories and covering 1.9 million square feet, according to a university news release. The project marks ten years of effort and is the university’s largest single-facility construction project ever.

  • University of Illinois Moves Forward with College Sports’ Largest Digital Scoreboard

    The University of Illinois in Champaign, Ill., recently announced a series of upgrades to Gies Memorial Stadium that will include the largest scoreboard in college sports, according to a news release.

  • Academy of Classical Education Breaks Ground in Louisiana

    Charter Schools USA (CSUSA) recently announced the groundbreaking of a new public charter school in Covington, La., according to a news release. The Academy of Classical Education at Covington will enroll students in grades K–8 and is scheduled for completion in August 2026, just in time for the new school year.

  • Houston-Area High School Breaks Ground on 117,000SF Multi-Use Facility

    North Shore Senior High School, part of Galena Park ISD in Houston, Texas, recently broke ground on a new multi-use facility for student extracurriculars, according to a news release. The North Shore Multi-Use Facility will include dedicated practice and training space for the school’s athletics and fine arts programs.