Popular Online College Programs: 6 Frequently Asked Questions

According to a recent Forbes article, online education has grown over the past decade, with a notable spike in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The reasons for this growth are many, but a few are easy to pinpoint.

The first and perhaps most notable reason that online college programs are popular now has to do with the proliferation of the internet across the globe. While the internet has been around in some capacity for nearly 40 years, it wasn't until the ‘90s that people gained access to the internet in ways that we might recognize today.

Even then, early internet service provider speeds made using the internet a slow and tedious task. But with faster internet connections becoming the norm in many areas, the ability to access online education has expanded.

Beyond increased internet access, the popularity of online education has also been aided by younger, more digitally adept generations like Millennials and Gen Z. These generations are more likely to recognize the unique value of an online education, such as increased control and flexibility.

Their comfort level with technology combined with the desire to learn in ways that are convenient for them has made online college education a popular choice for younger generations.

How we define “popular” can be very subjective – and somewhat difficult to determine. What might interest one group or individual may not be the best choice for another.

A better way to evaluate potential programs would be to consider fields or topics that are trending in today’s business world or that you have a passion for. Here are a few examples you may be interested in:

When searching for an online college program to enroll in, you don't necessarily need to choose the most popular one. What may help you the most is finding the program that you feel most interested in and that will help you reach your goals, because that is the program that you'll be more likely to dedicate time and effort to. Ultimately, a good program should result in a more fulfilling and enriching education experience for you on an individual level.

Enrolling in an online college program can help you pursue your career goals. Whether you're looking for an undergraduate certificate, a bachelor's degree or even a master's degree, adding another credential to your resume is never a bad idea.

It depends on your interests. What’s best for someone else may not be the most interesting or lucrative for you. We recommend researching a variety of degree programs in order to find the one that lines up with your goals and aspirations.

The popularity of a program can be evaluated on many factors – and it’s important to note that not all criteria may be considered equal. What makes a program most appealing to you may be less appealing to someone else.

Here are a few questions you might ask when trying to determine which degree programs are the most popular and why:

If you’re looking to gauge overall interest in a career field, consider the potential for job growth. When an industry is growing, it can be a good sign that interest in the industry is also trending.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, these are some of the fields that are expected to see substantial job growth on a national level² from 2020-2030: