• The worldwide e-learning market is projected to be worth $325 Billion in 2025.
• In 2017, approximately 77% of US corporations used online learning, but 98% planned to incorporate it in their program by 2020.
• In 2017, 67% of US companies offered learning opportunities via smartphones.
• e-learning increases retention rates by 25% to 60%.
• e-learning for companies grew by a stunning 900% between 2001 and 2017.
• e-learning has lead to an increase in income for 42% of US organizations.
• A survey of 2,500 companies found that those with “comprehensive training programs” have 218% higher revenue per employee and 24% higher profit margins.
• IBM saved approximately $200 million after switching to e-learning.

These are some impressive online education statistics, which show the industry is booming. And with good reason. Let’s explore them in greater depth.

Fascinating e-learning Statistics

Have you ever taken an online course? They’re insanely popular – and can be a lot of fun. Check out these online learning statistics.

1. The worldwide e-learning market is projected to be worth $325 Billion in 2025.

(Source: Forbes) The corresponding figure for 2014 was $165.36 billion, according to eLearning stats. This means the market will have nearly doubled in a decade. There’s a lot of demand for online learning. It’s cost-effective and quite beneficial to a company’s bottom line…

2. In 2017, approximately 77% of US corporations used online learning. However, 98% planned to incorporate it in their program by 2020.

(Source: eLearning Industry, Small Business Trends) For comparison, stats on online education show this number was only 4% in 1995. Companies have been quick to acknowledge the benefits of e-learning and have embraced it wholeheartedly.

3. In 2017, 67% of US companies offered learning opportunities via smartphones.

(Source: eLogic Learning) Pretty much everyone has a smartphone these days. And there are plenty of apps which facilitate learning on the go, as statistics on online education reveal.

4. e-learning increases learning retention rates by between 25% and 60%.  

(Source: SH!FT) In contrast, retention rates of face-to-face training are much lower: 8% to 10%. With e-learning, students have more control over the learning process. What’s more, if they happen to forget something, they can revisit the material whenever they need to. And – they can retake that online quiz if they failed it the first time around. This takes a lot of the pressure off and allows them to focus on actually learning.

5. Corporate e-learning developed by a stunning 900% between 2001 and 2017.

(Source: eLearning Industry) An educated workforce is efficient and highly productive, as plenty of business owners have realized. Distance learning statistics also support this.

6. e-learning has prompted an expansion in income for 42% of US organizations.

(Source: eLearning Industry) This is huge. Nearly half of US corporations are reaping the benefits of e-learning, according to e-learning statistics for 2019.

7. An “American Society for Training and Development” survey of 2,500 companies discovered that those with “comprehensive training programs” have 218% higher revenue per employee and 24% higher profit margins.

(Source: darlo digital) This stat demonstrates beyond doubt that it pays to invest in your employees’ education.

8. IBM saved approximately $200 million after switching to e-learning.

(Source: SH!FT) When utilizing online learning, companies can reduce instructor costs. This way, they also minimize expenses related to travel, hotel rentals, and equipment. This is especially important when your employees live in different cities, countries, or even continents!

e-learning Trends in and out of Academia

It should come as no surprise that secondary and tertiary education institutions have embraced e-learning. ?he US is at the forefront of this trend.

9. 43% of US college students found digital study technologies extremely helpful for doing homework.

(Source: Statista) Back in the day, you had to go to the college library to do your homework. That’s not the case anymore for a growing number of college students, as statistics in 2020 speak volumes about the growth of online education. When the library buys an ebook, any given number of students can read it simultaneously. Whether they actually will is a different matter.

10. 56% of US college students stated they used laptops in the classroom during a typical week.

(Source: Statista) It’s a lot easier to take notes on your laptop – especially if your lecturer speaks quickly! As an added bonus, you can also post viral cat videos on social media. Tablets came second in this study with a 51% weekly usage rate.

11. 81% of US college students agreed that digital learning technology was helping them improve their grades.

(Source: Statista) Even though instructors are expected to offer extended student support outside of class, they’re not available 24/7. At least not in person. In fact: Many students now prefer to contact their instructors via email instead of during office hours. And this flurry of emails has a massive effect on the total number of emails sent per day. e-learning statistics are quite clear: Digital learning technology is there to help students – whenever they happen to need it.

12. 41% of US teachers stated the lack of training was the biggest barrier to increasing the use of educational tech in their classrooms.

(Source: Statista) This is especially true for older teachers, whose training predates the widespread use of educational technologies.

13. 49% of students worldwide stated they had taken an online course in the preceding 12 months.

(Source: Statista) Online education statistics reveal the figure was up from 46% in 2013. Would you like to learn German? Or perhaps coding? With online courses, the sky’s the limit!

14. As of April 2015, 9% of students worldwide had participated in a MOOC in the past year.

(Source: Statista) MOOCs – or massive online open courses – have become incredibly popular with students of all ages, as udemy statistics clearly show. What’s more, 11% of students worldwide have earned a competency-based digital badge. 19% of the latter said they’d put their badge on their resume.

15. A study by the Open University found that producing and providing e-learning courses consumes 90% less energy and produces 85% fewer CO2 emissions per person than face-to-face training.

(Source: SH!FT) This is huge: E-learning statics show online education can help us address the pressing concerns of global climate change. And universities are leading the way. The Open University is Britain’s largest online university. In the US, the University of Phoenix-Arizona was ranked first in 2016, with 128,410 students taking only distance learning courses.

16. In 2019, Canvas had the largest LMS (learner management system) market share in the US, with 31.9% of institutions using it.

(Source: Edutechnica) BlackBoard claimed the second place with 29.5%. Moodle, which, unlike BlackBoard, is open source, had the third largest market share of institutions (17.1%). Now: LMSs, also known as virtual learning environments, allow instructors to upload lecture notes, PowerPoint presentations, writing assignments, and even taped lectures! Students have easy access to course materials, while instructors can now spend their time more effectively. No wonder pretty much any higher education institution in Europe and North America uses one.

Eye-Catchy Stats and Facts

E-learning has become a hallmark of the US educational model at all levels.

The self-paced online learning market in the US is estimated to be worth $15.86 billion in 2021.

(Source: Statista) That’s a huge figure. But: It marks a considerable decrease from the all-time high of $20.85 billion in revenues in 2016.

In 2019, the US Federal Government generated about $2.2 billion in revenues through self-paced e-learning products.

(Source: Statista) The figure is expected to decrease to $2.035 billion in 2021. Still: The Federal Government spends a lot of money facilitating its employees’ professional development while driving up e-learning market size.

In 2018, 82% of respondents stated that their online education programs were aimed at adult students returning to school after an absence.

(Source: Statista) How about these distance learning demographics? Online education allows for a flexible learning environment. You can enroll in an online program at any point, which makes it popular with adults. What’s more, you can study whenever you find the time, including in the evening and on weekends.

In 2018, 65% of US millennials said they chose their jobs because of personal and professional development opportunities.

(Source: E-learning infographics) Most millenials are digital natives. They’ve embraced e-learning wholeheartedly.

Wrapping up

E-learning is the future. It’s a booming industry, as these mind-blowing e-learning statistics clearly show. And with data visualization, task management, and time management apps, e-learning is more convinient than ever. It also has the potential to revolutionize the way we think about knowledge transfer. Educators are no longer confined to the ivory tower: They’re but a mouse click away. Just imagine the possibilities.