Dive Summary:

• Survey finds that the average online student is white, female, and working full-time, most likely seeking a degree in business.
• The results also show a demand for increased offerings for non-degree credentials like certificates and licenses via online pathways, with more than 25 percent of respondents expressing interest in certificate or licensure programs.
• A majority of survey respondents also preferred to live within close physical proximity to the institution offering the online courses, with about 80 percent of respondents living within 100 miles of their preferred online program's physical campus.

From the article:

The average student pursuing a postsecondary credential completely online is a white, 33-year-old woman with a full-time job that pays around $65,000 per year, according to a new survey sponsored by two companies involved in online consulting. This woman is likely to be studying business -- the chosen field of 34 percent of students who are, recently were, or soon plan to be enrolled in fully online programs, according to the survey. Business administration and management, a popular avenue for students across all of academe, is far and away the most popular degree among the survey responde...