The 2010 Sloan Survey of Online Learning, released November 2010, reports that enrollment in online courses rose by almost one million from the year before. The survey covered more than 2,500 U.S. colleges and universities.

According to the survey, 5.6 million students were enrolled in at least one online course in the fall of 2009. Almost 30% of more than 19 million college and university students. The growth rate of online enrollments is at 21% versus the overall higher education growth rate of two percent. Some of the areas of study seeing a higher increase (30% or more) include business, education, computer and information sciences, and engineering.

Online learning gives students the ultimate flexibility in their study schedule and location. Students not living near a college or university now has more access to online colleges and online degrees. The growth in availability of and enrollment in online degrees is expected to continue at a very strong rate.