Distance Learning Statistics

How many
postsecondary institutions offer distance learning
programs?

In the 2006–07 academic year,
66 percent of the 4,160 2-year and 4-year Title IV
degree-granting postsecondary institutions in the nation
offered college-level distance education courses. The overall
percentage includes 97 percent of public 2-year institutions,
18 percent of private for-profit 2-year institutions, 89
percent of public 4-year institutions, 53 percent of private
not-for-profit institutions, and 70 percent of private
for-profit 4-year institutions.

Sixty-five percent of the
institutions reported college-level credit-granting distance
education courses, and 23 percent reported noncredit distance
education courses. There was a total of an estimated 12.2
million enrollments (or registrations) in college-level
credit-granting distance education courses in 2006–07. Of these
enrollments, 77 percent were reported in online courses, 12
percent were reported in hybrid/blended online courses, and 10
percent were reported in other types of distance education
courses.

In 2006–07, there were
approximately 11,200 college-level programs that were designed
to be completed totally through distance education; 66 percent
of these programs were reported as degree programs and the
remaining 34 percent were reported as certificate
programs.

Total number of 2-year and -year Title IV degree-granting postsecondary institutions, and percent that offered distance education courses, by course type and institutional type: 2006-07
Institution type	Total number of institutions	Percent offered any distance education courses	Percent offered college-level credit-granting distance education courses	Percent offered noncredit distance education courses
All institutions	4,200	66	65	23
Institution type
Public 2-year	1,000	97	97	50
Private for-profit 2-year	500	18	16	‡
Public 4-year	600	89	88	42
Private not-for-profit 4-year	1,500	53	53	10
Private for-profit 4-year	300	70	70	2

‡ Reporting standards not met.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for
Education Statistics (2008). Distance Education at
Degree-Granting Postsecondary Institutions: 2006–07 (NCES
2009-044), Table 1