How Employers View Online Education

Traditional colleges and universities have simply been around much longer, so some employers may not be as familiar with online degree and online certification programs. However, awareness is growing, and hiring managers, recruiters and small business owners increasingly realize that traditional schools offer online programming in addition to on-campus classes. The institution’s name, accreditation status and reputation for quality are often important factors when considering a potential employee’s degree or certification. Many recruiters see no difference between degrees earned online and those earned in traditional classroom settings – as long as the institution is appropriately accredited and reputable. Professional certifications earned online or on-campus are typically viewed equally. With some employers, an on-campus degree might carry more weight if all other qualifications are equal. Recruiters and employers don’t typically know if a candidate’s degree was earned through an online or traditional program, unless it’s from an online-only institution. It’s clear that the quality of a job candidate’s education is of greater concern to employers than the method of delivery. So how does online education stack up to traditional classroom instruction?