Growth of distance enrollments continued to slow, settling at 3.7%.

#gradelevel
G R A D E
L E V E L ,
2 0 1 4
Tr a ck i n g O n l i n e Ed u c a t i o n i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s
I. Elaine Allen & Jeff Seaman,
Babson Survey Research Group
This twelfth annual survey by the Babson Survey Research Group (BSRG) is the leading barometer of online
learning in the United States.
Based on data from the National Center for Education Statistics' Integrated Postsecondary Education Data
System (IPEDS), the College Board, and BSRG responses from over 2,800 Chief Academic Officers (CAOs),
the complete survey report, “Grade Level” is available at http://onlinelearningconsortium.org/2014Survey.
Infographi c by Pea r s o n
DISTANCE EDUCATION ENROLLMENTS
Growth of distance enrollments continued to slow, settling at 3.7%.
Institutions saw growth in both public and private not-for-profit sectors.
TOTAL STUDENTS ENROLLED IN A DISTANCE EDUCATION COURSE
INSTITUTION
+166000
PUBLIC
PRIVATE
NOT-FOR-PROFIT
+86189
PRIVATE
FOR-PROFIT
-63002
Public
Private not-for-profit
Private for-profit
Total
2013
2012
CHANGE % CHANGE
3,750,745
770,219
736,415
5,257,279
3,584,745
684,030
799,417
5,068,192
166,000
86,189
-63,002
189,187
4.6%
12.6%
-7.9%
3.7%
F ’12
F ’13
ONLINE EDUCATION IS CRITICAL
AGREE
NEUTRAL
DISAGREE
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
F ’02
F ’03
F ’04
F ’05
F ’06
70.8
F ’07
%
F ’09
F ’10
F ’11
F ’14
of CAOs agree
that online education is critical for
their institution's long-term strategy,
an all-time high.
DISTANCE EDUCATION OFFERINGS
Due to different definitions
of what counts as a
distance offering, Babson
Survey Research Group
(BSRG) shows many of the
smaller institutions offering
distance education.
INSTITUTION HAS DISTANCE STUDENTS BY OVERALL ENROLLMENT (IPEDS & BSRG) - 2013
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
BSRG
IPEDS
50%
40%
DEFINITIONS: WHAT
COUNTS?
30%
20%
BSRG: Any distance course
IPEDS: A distance course as
part of a degree program
10%
0
Under 1,000
1,000 - 4,999
5,000 - 9,999
STUDENT RETENTION
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
More academic leaders rate learning outcomes in online
education as the same as those in face-to-face environments.
50%
27.2%
2004
20,000+
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Belief that it is harder to retain students in online courses
has grown to 44.6%.
0%
10,000 - 19,999
100%
90%
80%
70%
28.4
2009
60%
%
50%
40%
2013
40.6 %
30%
20%
10%
44.6 %
2014
2003 2004
2006
2009
SUPERIOR
SOMEWHAT
SUPERIOR
2010
2011
2012
2013 2014
SOMEWHAT
INFERIOR
SAME
INFERIOR
BARRIERS TO ADOPTION OF ONLINE EDUCATION
The majority of all institutions report the additional
effort required to deliver an online course as an
important barrier to adoption of online education.
34.5%
36.9%
80%
60%
70%
50%
40%
30%
60%
42.2%
43.5
%
P
ir v
e
t
a
r
fo
50%
41.0%
40%
20%
22.1%
30%
10%
20%
0%
10%
Important
t
ro
fi
34.1
%
t
fi
o
r
P
rP
90%
2014
-fo
100%
ot
Very Important
80%
70%
2014
N
2012
iv a
te
90%
2008
Pr
100%
Academic leaders at for-profit institutions are more
concerned about the level of acceptance of online
degrees by potential employers.
25.1
%
10.6%
26.8%
Pu
ic
l
b
9.7%
Very
Important
23.2%
Important
0%
OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
ACADEMIC LEADER AWARENESS - 2014
FACULTY AWARENESS - 2014
15.2
%
13.8%
65.9
%
5.1%
Academic leaders have
far greater awareness
of Open Educational
Resources than do
their faculty.
NOT
AWARE
SOMEWHAT
AWARE
AWARE
23.9
%
30.0
20.1
%
%
26.0
%
VERY
AWARE
FACTORS IMPACTING THE FUTURE OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Academic leaders think that cost and gainful employment issues will be the primary factors driving the future of
higher education.
2014
15.1%
22.9%
22.1%
MOST IMPORTANT
SECOND MOST IMPORTANT
THIRD MOST IMPORTANT
38.8%
21.8%
15.9%
18.5%
13.0 %
20.4%
18.2%
12.8%
14.6%
13.8%
16.0 %
10.5%
11.6%
5.1% 4.1%
COST/STUDENT INDEBTEDNESS
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT/GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT
ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES
COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION
IMPROVED STUDENT RETENTION
SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING
This report remains independent through the support of Pearson, Tyton Partners and the Online Learning Consortium. Copyright © 2015 by Babson Survey Research Group, Pearson, and Quahog Research Group, LLC.
Permission is hereby granted for all non-commercial use of this infographic, provided notification is given to bsrg@babson.edu and proper attribution is included. Commercial use is typically granted. Inquire at bsrg@babson.edu.