Online Degrees Win Over Employers After Pandemic

Getting hired with an online degree just got a whole lot easier, thanks to an unexpected silver lining from the pandemic years.

New research from Virginia Commonwealth University shows that COVID-19 dramatically transformed how businesses view online education. Hiring managers are now almost 10 times more likely to hire someone with an online degree compared to pre-pandemic attitudes, and top executives show even stronger support at 13 times more likely.

"All of the research I found prior to the pandemic consistently showed a clear preference for traditional-degree job candidates," said Dr. Heather Millar, who led the study published in the American Journal of Distance Education. Her survey-based research with co-author Dr. Elsie Harper-Anderson revealed just how much attitudes shifted after millions experienced remote learning firsthand.

Before 2020, online degrees carried unfair baggage. Many assumed the flexibility meant easier coursework and lower standards. Early for-profit programs with predatory practices created lasting stigma, and employers simply had limited exposure to reputable online options.

Then the pandemic changed everything. When students, professors, and workers suddenly went virtual, online education became mainstream overnight. Millions discovered that high-quality instruction could absolutely happen outside traditional classrooms.

The Bright Side

This shift arrives alongside a broader workplace transformation. Employers increasingly value demonstrated skills over formal credentials alone, dropping bachelor's degree requirements for many middle-skill and even higher-skill positions.

The change reverses years of degree inflation in job postings that began after the Great Recession. Now companies recognize that competence matters more than where someone learned their skills.

Online programs and alternative credentials like micro-courses have gained legitimacy as hiring professionals see real-world results. The forced experiment of pandemic learning proved what online education advocates knew all along: rigorous, engaging instruction works in virtual formats.

Traditional universities now face fresh questions about their role, but Dr. Millar sees room for multiple approaches. "Society still needs research, critical inquiry and broad education, especially in an increasingly technological-driven world," she noted.

The findings matter for anyone considering education options or career changes, opening doors that stayed closed just a few years ago.