According to the 2023 eLearning Index report analyzing the higher education market, institutions will likely see enrollment growth in business administration, health care, computer science and information systems programs. It said degrees in computer science and information systems were among the fastest-growing associate, bachelor's and master's programs, while business and health care dominated rankings in certificate-level programs. The report projects steady job growth in careers relating to STEM and health-care fields from 2021 to 2031, above-average median wages for employees with STEM degrees and certifications as a result of growing demand, and opportunities for higher ed institutions to grow their enrollment in certificate and microcredential programs across pre- and postgraduate levels.
Developed as a resource to help colleges and universities combat recent enrollment declines and refine programming, the report used data from the National Center for Education Statistics to analyze and score over 3,000 degree and certificate programs by comparing completion rates from 2017 to 2021 and examining whether those programs lead students to “high-employment growth areas.” The report noted that students earned nearly 40,000 bachelor's degrees in computer science programs in that time frame, and it ranked modeling/warehousing and database administration programs third in terms of highest growth opportunities for master's programs, among other findings.
"We seek to not only highlight current trends in online education but also provide a road map for institutions seeking to enhance their offerings and increase enrollment growth," EducationDynamics CEO Bruce Douglas said in a public statement. "We believe this is a great jumping-off point for schools developing strategic plans for program growth and investment of online programs."
According to a news release announcing the report, EducationDynamics also designed an eLearning Index web application to accompany the report for higher ed leaders to gain additional insights about employment and education trends across fields. More information about the app and the report’s findings are available on their website.
