Education and Career Fast Facts

Education and Career Fast Facts

•  For the 2010–11 academic year, annual current dollar prices for undergraduate tuition, room, and board were estimated to be $13,600 at public institutions, $36,300 at private not-for-profit institutions, and $23,500 at private for-profit institutions.

U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2012). Digest of Education Statistics, 2011 (NCES 2012-001), Chapter 3.

•  Reputation and price continue to be important factors when online students select an institution. Reputation most often is based on accreditation, quality of faculty, and personal acquaintance with other attendees. Other important selection factors include freedom from specific class meeting times, liberal credit-transfer policies, and streamlined admission processes.

Online College Students 2013: Comprehensive Data on Demands and Preferences, p. 5

•  Approximately two-thirds of those surveyed “completely” agreed that their online program was a good financial investment while nearly three-quarters “completely” agreed that it was a good nvestment of their time.

Online College Students 2013: Comprehensive Data on Demands and Preferences, p. 6

•  There were a number of positive benefits for individuals who completed their online programs of study; 44% improved their employment standing by obtaining a first job, or a full-time or new job. Salary increases were received by 45% of those surveyed and 36% of respondents obtained promotions.

Online College Students 2013: Comprehensive Data on Demands and Preferences, p. 9

•  The largest proportion of undergraduate students enrolled in an online degree program overwhelmingly study business. Social sciences and the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics follow next, attracting one-third of the online learners. Health-related professions and the humanities or liberal arts together draw another one quarter of the online learners.

Online College Students 2013: Comprehensive Data on Demands and Preferences, p.11

•  When selecting an online program, nothing is more important than the overall reputation and accreditation of the institution offering the program. Having no set class meeting time and offering affordable tuition are also important, followed closely by the amount of transfer credits accepted and having a personal academic advisor.

Online College Students 2013: Comprehensive Data on Demands and Preferences, p.18

•  Of the 1,650,000 bachelor’s degrees conferred in 2009–10, the greatest numbers of degrees were conferred in the fields of business (358,000); social sciences and history (173,000); health professions and related programs (130,000); and education (101,000). At the master’s degree level, the greatest numbers of degrees were conferred in the fields of education (182,000) and business (178,000).

http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=37

•  As of July 2013, employment in professional and business services rose by 53,000 in June. Job gains occurred in management and technical consulting services (+8,000) and in computer systems design and related services (+7,000). Employment continued to trend up in temporary help services (+10,000). Over the past year, professional and business services has added 624,000 jobs.

http://bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf

•  In 2010, the median of earnings for young adults with a bachelor’s degree was $45,000, while the median was $21,000 for those without a high school diploma or its equivalent, $29,900 for those with a high school diploma or its equivalent, and $37,000 for those with an associate’s degree. In other words, young adults with a bachelor’s degree earned more than twice as much as those without a high school diploma or its equivalent in 2010 (i.e., 114 percent more), 50 percent more than young adult High school completers, and 22 percent more than young adults with an associate’s degree.

http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=77

•  In 2010, the median of earnings for young adults with a master’s degree or higher was $54,700, some 21 percent more than the median for young adults with a bachelor’s degree.

http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=77

•  The median time it took for 2008 bachelor’s degree recipients to earn their degree was 52 months. Forty-four percent of 2007–08 first-time bachelor’s degree recipients completed a bachelor’s degree within 48 months of their initial postsecondary enrollment, another 23 percent within 49–60 months, and an additional 9 percent within 61–72 months.

http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=569