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College distance learning programs increased their revenues by a mean of 9.67% in 2003, according to a new survey published by Primary Research Group, “The Survey of Distance & Cyberlearning Programs in Higher Education, 2004 Edition" (ISBN# 1-57440-

PRWEB) February 8, 2004--College distance learning programs increased their revenues by a mean of 9.67% in 2003, according to a new survey published by Primary Research Group, “The Survey of Distance & Cyberlearning Programs in Higher Education, 2004 Edition" (ISBN# 1-57440-066-5). Growth was slightly faster among 4-year than 2-year colleges. Private colleges increased revenues by a mean of less than 6%.

The report presents the results of a survey of 71 college distance learning programs conducted from September 2003 to January 2004. The sample includes fifty 4-year colleges, and twenty community colleges. The mean equivalent full time attendance for the colleges in the sample was 10,270 for all programs, not just distance learning, with a median of 6,300. The largest college in the sample had more than 39,000 students while the smallest had 140.

Increasingly, distance learning programs are drawing traditional students who are already enrolled in the college’s 2 or 4 year traditional on-campus course programs. In the mid and late 1990’s, when distance learning truly began to establish itself in North American colleges, the catalyst for growth initially was hard-to-reach or hard-to-serve populations such as the disabled, single mothers, fully-employed adults, and individuals residing in remote areas or employed in professions that mandated frequent travel or remote quarters such as military personnel. However, state universities and junior colleges have integrated distance learning into traditional programs to help lower overall educational costs and increasing distance learning enrollment.

The mean growth rate of enrollment of the distance learning programs in the sample was a rocket-like 27.64%, although some of this growth has probably cannibalized enrollment in traditional classes. The mean rate of growth in courses offered by the distance learning programs in the sample was a shade more than 15% with little variation in this figure among different sizes and types of college distance learning programs,

North American programs are also reaching overseas for students. A full 13% of the distance learning programs in the sample offer at least some of their courses to students in other nations through colleges in foreign countries.

OTHER FINDINGS OF THE STUDY INCLUDE:

The two most commonly used course web authorship programs in use were Dreamweaver and Macromedia Authorware.

Nearly 87% of programs in the sample offer some form of virtual reference to their students.

More than 20% of survey participants provided courses to prisons, while more than 17% provided courses to particular healthcare organizations such as local hospitals or clinics.

The median increase in tuition for the distance learning classes in the sample was 6%, with a mean increase of 10%. Public colleges and colleges with higher FTE enrollments raised their tuition prices more than private colleges or those with smaller FTE enrollments.

The average cost per credit hour for the DL programs in the sample was $195, with a median cost of $166.50.

About 20% of the programs in the sample felt that they frequently competed for students with for-profit educational institutions such as the University of Phoenix, but most program directors felt that they did not really compete with such programs or that they competed with such programs only sometimes

The report is available directly from Primary Research Group or through major book distributors. The study has more than 100 pages and more than 300 tables of data and sells for $98.50.

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