Online Schools in Delaware

A college degree can pay off anywhere, but for Delaware residents, earning a degree can mean better job prospects as well. The Delaware Department of Labor projects that 43 percent of new jobs created between 2008 and 2018 are expected to require a college degree or formal vocational training, and more than 75 percent of the jobs that fall in the top two wage categories require post-secondary education or work experience in a related field.

A college degree can pay off anywhere, but for Delaware residents, earning a degree can mean better job prospects as well. The Delaware Department of Labor projects that 43 percent of new jobs created between 2008 and 2018 are expected to require a college degree or formal vocational training, and more than 75 percent of the jobs that fall in the top two wage categories require post-secondary education or work experience in a related field.

Nationwide, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that high school graduates earned a median weekly income of $626 and experienced an unemployment rate of 10.3 percent in 2010, while those with a bachelor's degree earned a median weekly income of $1,038 and experienced an unemployment rate of 5.4 percent.

Higher education in Delaware

Delaware is recovering from the recent recession better than many states. The BLS reports that the unemployment rate as of March 2011 was 8.4 percent, slightly below the national unemployment rate of 8.8 percent, and Delaware's higher education system has so far avoided significant budget cuts from the state government.

The National Conference of State Legislatures reports that in the fiscal year 2009, Delaware was one of the few states that didn't reduce its contributions to higher education at all, and in 2010, the state's higher education appropriations were reduced by only 0.5 percent.

But despite consistent support from the state, the Delaware Department of Education reported a $9,830 affordability gap in Delaware in 2009, the largest gap between the cost of education and the means of students among the 16 states that make up the Southern Regional Education Board.

The cost of paying for an education means that for many students, it is essential to work while going to college. A 2006 study by the American Council on Education found that 78 percent of college undergraduates were working while in school, averaging about 30 hours a week at their jobs--statistics that have changed little since the government began tracking that data in the 1990s.

For working students in Delaware, online degree programs allow a flexible schedule that can be easier to coordinate with a job and other commitments. Whether you choose to study at Delaware online schools or attend a national online school, there are a variety of degree programs you can choose from. Delaware online degrees are available at all degree levels, from certificate to doctorate, and in fields ranging from health care to business management to marketing.

Top jobs for Delaware college graduates

According to the BLS, the largest industries in Delaware as of March 2011 were education and health services, government, and professional and business services. The U.S. Department of Labor reported that hospitals and health care networks as well as bioscience giants Dupont and AstraZeneca are among the 25 largest employers in Delaware.

According to the Delaware Department of Labor, the industries predicted to grow the most between 2008 and 2018 include health care and social assistance, administrative and waste services, and professional and technical services. The following careers in Delaware are predicted to have the most annual openings from 2008 to 2018 (jobs are listed along with average 2008 salaries and education requirements):

• Registered nurses: $68,910. Associate degree.
• Accountants and auditors. $67,288. Bachelor's degree.
• Elementary school teachers, except special education: $50,866. Bachelor's degree.
• Network systems and data communications analysts: $80,475. Bachelor's degree.
• Personal financial advisors: $86,299. Bachelor's degree.

As post-secondary education becomes more important to building a great career in Delaware, students who want to succeed in the workplace may benefit from the accessibility of Delaware online schools.