How many postsecondary institutions offer distance learning programs?

Distance education is defined as a formal education process in which the students and instructor are not in the same place. Thus, instruction may be synchronous or asynchronous¹, and it may involve communication through the use of video, audio, or computer technologies, or by correspondence (including written correspondence and the use of technology such as CD-ROM). Distance education includes courses and programs that were formally designated as online, hybrid/blended online (combination of online and in-class instruction with reduced in-class seat time for students), and other distance education courses and 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

¹ Synchronous Internet-based technologies refer to simultaneous or “real-time” computer-based instruction, while asynchronous Internet-based technologies are used for courses that are not based on simultaneous computer-based instruction.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2008). Distance Education at Degree-Granting Postsecondary Institutions: 2006-07
Related Tables and Figures:  (Listed by Release Date)

• 2006, Condition of Education 2006, Distance Education by Postsecondary Faculty
• 2004, Condition of Education 2004, Distance Education at Postsecondary Institutions