21 Exciting Elearning Statistics [Lessons for 2024]

Forget about the old blackboard and chalk, or even the whiteboard and marker! It’s 2020, and most lessons happen in the global classroom – online. 

And that’s not all:

Distant learning is becoming a huge trend, as more and more teachers are using the power of the internet and going digital, elearning statistics tell us. 

As a result:

Finding a proper online course has never been easier! So, maybe it’s high time you grasped the opportunity to get on board with online learning with the help of the latest online education statistics.

The thing is:

The demand for online learning is skyrocketing, which is why at Mark in Style we decided to look into the matter.

So, without further ado, let’s dive right in. 

Intriguing Stats on Online Education (Editor’s Choice)

  • The global e learning market is expected to reach $325 billion by 2025 and perhaps as much as $370 billion by 2026.
  • 72% of organisations claimed that elearning gave them the competitive advantage they needed in 2017.
  • Up to 40% of Fortune 500 companies use elearning.
  • IBM saved around $200 million once they introduced elearning.
  • According to a study conducted by Britain’s Open University, online courses will reduce energy consumption by up to 90% and produce 85% fewer CO2 emissions compared to face-to-face education.
  • 81% of students say online learning has helped them improve their grades.
  • Around 65% of universities support and encourage additional online learning.
  • Employers that spend around $1,500 per employee on online training achieve around a 24% improvement in profit margins.
  • E-learning statistics UK show that people between 16 and 24 are most likely to use online learning materials.

E learning Market Size & E learning Growth in Recent Years

Since 1998, when elearning began, the online education market has experienced exponential growth. In order to depict the situation throughout the years, we are going to share with you some of the vital statistics for 2018, 2019, and 2020 and further predictions.

1. The E-learning market size 2018 was valued at $160 billion.

(Global Market Insights)

In 2018, the integration of elearning within the academic and corporate sectors was used as a powerful tool for employee training and student education. In fact, the growth of online education statistics in 2018 shows an evident rise within every industry. 

Here’s why:

Online assessment and computer-based training have helped companies keep their focus on their core activities. At the same time, their employees would get quality training with fewer resources. 

As part of the digitalization within every industry, online courses were also adequately implemented.

2. According to elearning statistics for 2019, the US government bought elearning products worth $2.59 billion

(E Learning Industry)

We can clearly see that the US government never ceases to get what’s best for its administrative employees. 

What’s more: 

The federal government keeps investing in the latest products and tools, as the growth of online education statistics in 2019 suggests. This is an affordable and flexible option for improving staff knowledge. 

3. The elearning market will be worth $370 billion by 2026.

(Statista, Forbes)

In 2015, distance learning statistics showed that the elearning market was worth $107 billion. Research carried out in 2018 indicated that the market would be worth $325 billion by 2025. However, the latest estimates suggest an even more impressive figure – an eye-watering $370 billion by 2026.

The booming numbers of the industry are due to the following reasons: 

  • Online learning is more convenient than learning face-to-face in a classroom.
  • The opportunity to educate a larger group of people at a low cost.
  • The need to provide a constant upgrade of knowledge through online tools.

Online Education Statistics for Students and Academic Learners

Students and academics alike have embraced online courses in recent years. Also, around 65% of US universities support the use of open educational resources.

But that’s not the case all over the world: 

4. About 73% of students don’t know about Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) globally.

(Statista)

The MOOC movement stands for courses that are of world-class quality but very low cost. Global e learning is the final goal.

Now: 

Even though the entrepreneurs who came up with the idea believed in the mass application of their courses to students, things didn’t quite go exactly to plan. 

Why not?

The reason behind the lack of student awareness is the lack of sufficient marketing of the Massive Open Online Courses. 

5. 43% of students use online learning platforms as helping tools while they’re doing their homework.

(Kommando Tech)

Online learning facts show that students use online learning platforms as a helpful source for doing their homework. 

In fact:

As higher education statistics reveal, some of the top universities have made their lessons available online. So, students can use online courses as a useful resource while studying and preparing for exams. A great example of such an elearning institute is the University of Florida.

6. Elearning helps students retain five times more knowledge for every hour of learning.

(E Learning Industry)

Did you know that the average attention span of Millennials is 12 seconds, while Generation Z has a time span of just 8 seconds

Whoah!

Since this is the actual situation, the learning retention rates according to the statistics on online education are quite promising. 

Key takeaway:

[bctt tweet=”Elearning is a great way to tackle the issue of youngsters’ ever-shorter attention span. ” via=”no”]

And that’s not all:

Nowadays, many students prefer online learning rather than the traditional style. Studies reveal they retain more knowledge through online courses because the knowledge is presented in more digestible, smaller chunks. 

In addition, students can create a connection between the concepts and memorize them easier.

So far, so good! 

Woman studying elearning statistics

7. About 49% of students have taken an online course in the last 12 months, elearning statistics confirm.

(E Learning Industry)

Nearly half of students have taken an online course in the last year. The interest is due to the fact that online courses are a great addition to classroom lessons. Sometimes, online courses actually take a vital role in the overall learning opportunities, especially with programs like e 20 20 for students

And that’s not all:

A recent report by Unruly Splats argues convincingly that, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, ‘K-12 schools should look to implement hybrid learning capabilities now’. This approach combines in-person classroom instruction with online activities, which is one of the trends in educational technology that will define education in the years to come.

Elearning Trends and Elearning Platforms

Due to the great interest in elearning, there are some elearning companies that have seen the need and offer courses of any kind. Some of the most popular elearning platforms are Udemy, Coursera, Future Learn, WizIQ, and Skill Share, among others. And with homeschooling and blended learning two of the main features of education in 2020 and 2021, we’re confident even more will crop up in the foreseeable future.

To give you a better idea of the latest trends, we’re going to share with you some of the most interesting stats and facts concerning these platforms.  

Let’s crack on:

8. Udemy statistics show it has over 295 million course enrollments.

(Udemy)

Distant learning demographics indicate that this online learning platform is aimed at adults and students. It launched in 2010, and ever since then, Udemy has seen significant growth. 

Picture this:

In 2020, Udemy has about 57,000 active instructors and teachers that offer courses in 65 different languages! So, once you become a Udemy member, the world is your oyster. Just get the course you need and select your language of choice, and you can start right away! It’s as simple as that.

Now: 

Depending on the instructor, this platform offers you free and paid courses. All those instructors who offer paid courses have been earning a high income from Udemy. In 2015, some of them have made more than $17 million in revenue. 

Sounds like a good way to earn money, doesn’t it? 

9. Coursera statistics show its courses are used by 49 million people and 2,300 businesses around the world.

(Coursera Blog)

Coursera offers you both free and paid courses. By enrolling in a paid course, you can earn your degree and get a world-recognized certificate. This online learning platform is a great option for individuals and businesses as well. For instance, if you’re into finding out more about elearning statistics, you can learn stats online because Coursera offers courses on statistics. 

Why not try a course and see how it goes?

Elearning for Companies

Did you know that in 2017, around 77% of US companies used online learning? 

That’s huge!

Nowadays, companies understand the importance of implementing elearning in order to stay competitive. This practice doesn’t just keep businesses a step ahead of their competitors. It also helps companies save resources and get the most out of the digital courses. 

And we have the stats to prove it:

10. 72% of businesses believe elearning is responsible for keeping them ahead of their competitors.

(E Learning Industry)

The flexibility that elearning provides is essential to companies. In fact, most of them have used online education to gain the much needed competitive advantage. Online learning companies highlight the importance of the constant upgrading of employee knowledge to remain at the top. 

It gets better:

Corporate e learning is also an effective method to encourage employee engagement and increase employee productivity. Companies that have incorporated elearning technology have seen a whopping 18% boost in employee engagement

11. 42% of companies say elearning has led to an increase in their revenue.

(Shift E Learning)

In addition to the fact that companies have seen an increase in total revenue, we’d like to share the numbers and percentages of revenue generated by an employee.

Check this out:

Companies that offer elearning opportunities to their employees have 26% higher revenue generated by an employee. In fact, this is exactly how IBM saved $200 million when it switched to elearning.

12. Companies gain $30 in employee productivity for every dollar they invest in elearning courses, elearning stats confirm.

(Kommando Tech)

With great elearning comes great ROI. The more opportunities companies offer to their employees, the more productive their employees will be. Online learning will not only upgrade the knowledge of the employees, but it will inspire and motivate them to perform better. So, the gain is double. 

13. Elearning is the second most important training method for companies, online learning statistics reveal.

(Shift Elearning)

Elearning has revolutionized employee training. So, companies that used to hold on to the classic training methods are seeing the benefits of elearning and are easily shifting their focus online. 

The reason behind this is: 

Online learning provides a more convenient, affordable, and flexible way of training. Companies are dropping in-house mentors for online courses. This way, employees get no obstructions within their workflow, while the newbie is fully onboarded through the course.

Elearning Companies in the USA

There are plenty of companies that focus on online learning in America. We chose the top two and will share some of the useful information concerning their expertise below. If you’re seeking a US learning company, feel free to pick one of these top two.

14. 70, 000 + organisations have chosen Talent LMS for employee training.

(TalentLMS)

TalentLMS is a US online learning company offering ‘the fastest path to better training’. This platform is focused on organisations that would like to provide online training to their employees. Talent LMS provides online courses to many industries: healthcare, aviation, franchise, call centres, education, and so on.

15. In 2019, Paradiso Solutions was recognised as a rising star with premium usability, being the no.1 customer choice, learning stats online confirm.

(Paradiso Solutions)

Paradiso Solutions offers you AI solutions to build skills within your organisation through online learning. This platform enables you to get a trial and demo version to see whether this type of elearning will be the right solution for your organisation. 

Some of the LMS solutions that Paradiso Solutions offers are aimed at:

  • Corporations
  • Partner Training
  • Customer Training
  • Training Companies
  • Education

COVID-19 Elearning Statistics

16. Up to 1.2 billion children in 186 countries were affected by the school closure in the pandemic and forced to shift to online learning.

(We forum)

With the sudden shift to online learning, many experts think that elearning will continue even once the pandemic is over. Even before the pandemic, there were major investments into the online teaching market. 

Here’s the deal:

The global investments in the elearning market had reached $18.66 billion in 2019. In 2020, language apps, online learning software, video conferencing and similar tools were thoroughly used. 

17. The search volume of the keyword ‘free online learning’ grew by 367.53% in the UK due to the pandemic.

(Statista)

Some other keywords that saw significant growth in 2020 are the following: 

  • teaching online’ 328.19%
  • ‘security training courses’ 253.42%
  • ‘online learning courses’ 253.42%
  • ‘online learning resources’ 240.34%
  • ‘online learning’ 173.68%

18. Only 35% of the population in the developing countries have access to the internet and can proceed with elearning, online learning statistics confirm. 

(EHS Unu)

While 80% of the population in advanced countries have access to the internet, the situation isn’t as good in developing countries. In fact, the lack of internet connection makes it very difficult for children to access or follow online education. 

Some developing countries in Africa have found it quite difficult to achieve full connectivity. This is the reason why developing countries have combined elearning tools with different modes of delivery, often embracing blended learning.

19. Around 49.23% of UK residents said they expected to learn more in the following three months after the first lockdown in March 2020.

(Find Courses)

According to the results of a study, the COVID lockdown has made it possible for UK residents to focus more on learning. In addition, there were many free courses online where they could upgrade their knowledge and grow. 

Now:

It was very satisfying that most of the respondents who expected to learn more stated the reason was that they had more free time for it. Also, up to 32% of survey respondents said they would try out elearning in order to keep their minds off the pandemic. 

20. According to elearning statistics, up to 69% of survey respondents say the main advantages of elearning are the ability to stay at home and having access to online materials.

(Research Square)

Some of the other benefits that come along with elearning are learning at your own pace (64%) and being in comfortable surroundings (54%). However, elearning is less effective when it comes to increasing skills and social competences. 

What’s more: 

The study showed that students were less active in online classes than in traditional classes. Nevertheless, up to 73% of respondents rate elearning as an enjoyable experience.

21. Students absorb 25-60% more material when learning online, elearning statistics reveal.

(We Forum)

Elearning is proven to be more effective than traditional learning. This is mostly because students are able to learn at their own pace. So, they can skip some concepts and go back to read them later. However, the effectiveness of elearning can vary among age groups. For children, especially younger ones, it’s difficult because kids are easily distracted.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to online learning and online teaching jobs, we can clearly see the growing trend: 

Young people use online resources extensively, mostly throughout their formal education or for training. However, elearning isn’t only limited to young individuals. 

The thing is:

The older generations can also learn anything they’re interested in online! And when it comes to organisations, elearning statistics are clear: 

[bctt tweet=”The more companies embrace elearning, the better their overall outcomes, results, and profits.  ” via=”no”]

So, maybe now is the right time to implement online training within your company. Or to start an online course and pursue a new career? Why don’t you make the most of what this brave new online education world is offering you? 

You’ll be amazed by the endless opportunities!

FAQ

How much is the elearning industry worth?

According to the latest statistics, the elearning industry is predicted to reach $50 billion by 2026. The estimated annual growth from 2020 to 2026 is 15%, the corporate market being one of the biggest drivers. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the popularity and use of elearning have skyrocketed.

How big is the eLearning market?

In 2018, the size of the elearning market reached $160 billion. It’s expected to reach a mind-blowing $370 billion by 2026. Some of the most notable trends contributing to this meteoric growth are mobile learning, social learning, and microlearning.

Do students prefer online learning statistics?

According to the latest online learning statistics, postgraduate students are more satisfied with online learning experiences than with face-to-face instructions. In fact, 42% of students prefer this way of learning, compared to 30% who like the face-to-face learning style. 

How effective is online learning?

Online learning is a better option for both students and the environment, with 90% less energy and 85% less CO2 emissions per student. Additionally, many students choose elearning because it’s a cheaper option. Actually, there are several reasons why online learning is more effective than the traditional approach:

  • Students learn five times more material in online courses than in traditional face-to-face courses. 
  • The retention rate of online students goes up by anywhere from 25% to 60%.
  • The time invested in online learning is less than in traditional learning.

Is E Learning profitable?

Elearning is profitable, and online courses have made billions of dollars in recent years. In fact, elearning results in a 26% increase in profits, elearning statistics reveal. That’s because it’s scalable, cost-effective, customisable, and has a day-to-day impact. 

Sources:


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