The national trend toward a knowledge-based economy is transforming the career landscape in Tennessee, fueling demand for college-educated workers. By 2022, almost 40 percent of all new jobs in Tennessee are anticipated to require a postsecondary education, according to the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Tennessee online schools can help by providing high school graduates and others with the skills to compete in the changing job market.
Living and Working in Tennessee
Traditionally an agricultural and manufacturing stronghold, Tennessee is joining the national ranks and developing a more global, technology-driven knowledge economy. In September 2016, Launch Tennessee announced that it was named as a recipient of the U.S. Small Business Administration's annual Growth Accelerator Fund Competition - a clear sign that the state is working hard to create favorable prospects for business and technology careers.
Tennessee's cost of living has yet to catch up with the emerging professional economy, creating an attractive environment for college graduates. It has the seventh-lowest cost of living in the country, according to second quarter 2016 data from the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center.
Earning a Tennessee Online Degree
Earning a college degree can help boost your earnings potential. The Center for Business & Economic Research (CBER) at the University of Tennessee Knoxville shows a positive correlation between educational attainment and per capita income. Although educational attainment levels are rising in Tennessee, the state ranks among the lowest (42th) in the nation for college degree completion according to a 2014 report from the Lumina Foundation. Census Bureau data from 2015 indicates less than a quarter of state residents over age 25 has a bachelor's degree or higher.
In an effort to develop a more skilled workforce and attract business, the State of Tennessee Higher Education Commission offers programs to boost college degree attainment. This includes the Complete College Tennessee Act of 2010 strives to connect higher education with economic demand through comprehensive reforms to the state's academic, administrative and fiscal policies.
Tennessee online schools offer a flexible way for students to pursue their post-secondary education. The online format means students have the ability to work toward their degree while still holding down a job. Tennessee residents in remote rural locations can also gain skills through online learning opportunities as long as they have a computer and Internet access.
Career Prospects for Graduates of Tennessee Online Schools
Business services, education, health care and hospitality offer some of the best career prospects for college-educated workers, according to Projections Central. The following job roles are among the fastest-growing career fields in Tennessee:
- Network systems and data communications analysts
- 18.9 percent projected annual growth rate over the 2014-2024 period
- 2015 mean annual wage, $75,790
- Degree required: Bachelor's degree in computer science or management information system
- Dental hygienists
- 23.4 percent projected growth between 2014 and 2024
- 2015 mean annual wage: $72,720
- Degree required: Associate degree
- Personal financial advisors
- 23.9 percent projected growth between 2014 and 2024
- 2015 mean annual wage: $118,050
- Degree preferred: Bachelor's or master's degree in finance, accounting or business
Attending a Tennessee online degree program can provide you with an entry point into the state's professional economy. Tennessee online schools can help you to achieve your educational goals whether you want to continue working in your current career or to broaden your options through a web-based learning program.
Sources:
- TN ranks 42nd in college degrees, report finds, Joey Garrison, The Tennessean, April 22, 2014, http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/education/2014/04/22/tn-ranks-nd-college-degrees-new-report-finds/8023367/
- Tennessee State and County QuickFacts, U.S. Census Bureau, www.census.gov/quickfacts/
- Dental Hygienists, Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2015, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes292021.htm
- Personal Financial Advisors, Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2015, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes132052.htm
- Personal Financial Advisors, Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2015, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes132052.htm
- Long Term Occupational Projections, Projections Central, http://www.projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm
- Second Quarter 2016 Cost of Living, Missouri Economic Research and Information Center, https://www.missourieconomy.org/indicators/cost_of_living/index.stm
- About Adult Education, Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, https://www.tn.gov/workforce/article/about-ae
- LaunchTN Selected as Growth Accelerator Fund Recipient by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Launch Tennessee. http://launchtn.org/2016/09/launchtn-selected-growth-accelerator-fund-recipient/
- Tennessee Higher Education Commission, http://www.tennessee.gov/thec/