How Valuable is an Online Degree?

This article looks at the level of acceptance of online degrees by employers and how valuable online degrees really are.

There are a great many benefits to be gained from earning an online degree. Due to these benefits, the number of students enrolling in courses leading to online degrees has risen dramatically since the mid-1990s and due to the help of distance learning programs. The make-up of the student groups is diverse and varied.

Looking at traditional learning institutions, more than two-thirds of them now offer online degrees, at either bachelor or master's level. So, how do employers' view those individuals who have gained online degrees versus traditional on-campus degrees, whether at a graduate or a post-graduate level? And which type of an accredited degree program is best suited to provide your qualification?

Today, the fundamental response to these questions is actually rather simple: to ensure that prospective employers take online degrees seriously, those looking to enroll in an accredited online degree program need to carefully research their chosen field of study, and the institutions offering them before starting on the process of earning an online degree.

This preliminary step of researching an accredited university and other institutions offering online degrees needs to be done because, though some of them do offer a valuable accredited online degree programs, others merely provide a poor substitute for more traditional study programs. eLearningYellowPages.com directory of online schools and accredited universities have done much of this work for you, listing only top accredited colleges and universities in each subject level.

Studies have shown that as many as three-quarters of employers' today view online degrees gained from established, well-known universities as being more valuable than those from universities that cater only for online degrees.

The good news is that employers' recognition of accredited online degrees obtained from some of the newer learning institutions through distance learning programs are increasing as the profiles of these learning centers - and the online degrees they offer - rises.

Further evidence of this can be seen in the number of employers now offering their employees incentives for continuing education and to undertake post-graduate online degree programs. Often this takes the form of paying for employee's tuition fees and providing time-off for study, in much the same manner as has previously been provided for more traditional types of post-graduate programs.

The best news of all is that a recent survey shows that 85% of employers surveyed responded that they would be willing to employ someone with an online degree. With this high level of acceptance the way is clear to make an accredited online degree your next move.