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NC-SARA Releases 9th Annual Data Report

Updated by on Wed, 10/09/2024 - 19:49
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                          CONTACT
October 2, 2024                                                                                  media@nc-sara.org

               New Report: Steady Out-of-State Online Enrollment Reflects                                             Continued High Demand for Online Learning

               NC-SARA Releases 9th Annual Data Report on Exclusively Distance                                 Education Enrollment & Out-of-State Learning Placements

BOULDER, CO. (OCTOBER 2, 2024) - The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA)—a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to education and promoting more efficient, consistent regulation of distance education—today released its ninth annual data report, which provides insights into trends in student enrollment in distance education across more than 2,400 participating institutions.

“Institutions of every type are now using distance learning to expand access, increase affordability and reach new student demographics,” said Marianne Boeke, president of NC-SARA. “This research is just the latest benchmark to affirm the critical importance distance education continues to have in our system of higher education as we work to meet the complex needs and aspirations of today’s learners, including those who balance multiple work, family and educational responsibilities.”

The report, titled "Technical Report for Fall 2023 Exclusively Distance Education Enrollment & 2023 Out-of-State Learning Placements," reveals a slight year-over-year increase in the number of students enrolling in out-of-state institutions exclusively via distance education. Despite the overall increase in distance education participation stabilizing after pandemic peaks, the data still shows distance education remains a key component of higher education access.

Key Highlights from the Report:

  • Sector Breakdown: Public institutions represented 48.4% of the reporting institutions, followed by private nonprofit institutions at 44% and private for-profit institutions at 7.3%. 
  • Exclusively Distance Education Enrollments: A total of 1,612,617 students from SARA member states attended out-of-state SARA-participating institutions through exclusively distance education in Fall 2023, a slight increase from 2022, highlighting continued interest in online education post-pandemic.
  • Out-of-State Learning Placements (OOSLP): The report also emphasizes an uptick in out-of-state learning placements, with 431,635 students participating in OOSLP in 2023—an increase of 16% from 2022. These placements include internships, clinical rotations, and other hands-on experiences critical for professional development and degree completion.
  • OOSLP Fields: Healthcare-related programs accounted for 61.5% of out-of-state placements, followed by education (6.9%) and business (4.6%), reflecting the strong demand for professional skills in these fields.

NC-SARA’s data reporting is central to understanding the evolving trends in distance education and out-of-state learning placements. Read an executive summary of the data report and access full interactive data dashboards on NC-SARA's website. 

To learn more about the process for annual data reporting, colleges and universities can reference the NC-SARA Data Reporting Handbook for Institutions and other resources for data reporting on the NC-SARA website.

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About SARA: The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA) provide a voluntary, reciprocal system of state oversight for postsecondary distance education. SARA streamlines regulations and approvals for institutions offering interstate distance education, reducing the regulatory burden and improving student access. To date, more than 2,400 institutions from 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands participate in SARA. Learn more at www.nc-sara.org.

About NC-SARA: The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) is a private nonprofit organization [501(c)(3)] that, in partnership with the four regional education compacts, coordinates the implementation of SARA nationally. NC-SARA supports, facilitates, and serves the regional compacts, the regional steering committees, the State Portal Entities, and SARA-participating institutions. 

Website: www.nc-sara.org
Twitter: @NC_SARA

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