Online Degrees in Louisiana (LA)

According to information from CareerBuilder.com, a national source for job-related information, online degree programs are perfect solutions for adult learners as these programs are often "topical, challenging and highly relevant." Many programs are crafted with working professionals in mind and are dedicated to providing formal training that can be immediately applicable in the workplace. The flexibility of an online program allows a student to work simultaneously on garnering education and experience, both important factors in launching a new career or furthering an existing one.

Additionally, online degrees in Louisiana and across the country are changing the way today's students consider their own educational journeys. During the last 10 years, experts indicate, the non-traditional learning environment offered by online degree programs has grown due to student need and economic necessity. This growth is making online degree programs in Louisiana among the most flexible learning options for today's students.

Information from the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance, which maintains information about statewide post-secondary institutions, indicates that nearly all of the state's 20 public universities offer online courses. The state's 10 private universities are also likely to offer similar options.

In addition to university course offerings, those seeking other online degrees in Louisiana are likely to find ample online choices for:

• GED or high school equivalency degrees
• Vocational or professional certification courses
• Two-year associate degrees
• Bachelor's degrees
• Master's degrees
• Doctoral degree programs

No matter what level of degree or training a student is considering, he or she is likely to find a suitable program online in Louisiana.

Earning a Louisiana online degree can pay off for residents, literally. Numbers published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May of 2011 show that workers' highest level of educational attainment can significantly impact their take-home pay. While average weekly income for all working Americans was $782, those with more advanced education earned more:

• Workers who earned bachelor's degrees had median weekly earnings of $1,038
• Workers who earned master's degrees took in median weekly wages of $1,272
• Workers who earned doctoral degrees had median weekly earnings of $1,550
• Workers who earned other professional degrees brought home median weekly incomes of $1,610

This wage information seems even more optimistic when compared with Louisiana's relatively low costs of living. Information from the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center pinpoints the Pelican State as the 21st most affordable of the 50 states, with a cost of living index of 96.2 percent of the national average. Lower costs of living might mean that a comfortable lifestyle is easily within reach in Louisiana.

Between natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina and man-made messes like last year's Gulf oil spill, Louisiana and its residents have shown incredible resilience.

Rebecca Mowbray, a reporter for the New Orleans-based Times-Picayune, noted in recent economic coverage that the city and its surrounding areas are on the verge of becoming the "Silicon Valley" of "sustainable industries," which will parlay "the region's expertise in flood control, coastal restoration and wastewater treatment into new businesses that can provide services around the world."

The success of the above venture likely depends on the quality of the state's workforce. Online degrees in Louisiana might make education more accessible, which could strengthen the state's workforce and contribute to further economic recovery.

Even though more economic growth is on the horizon here, information from the Louisiana Department of Administration shows that current leading industries here include offshore oil production and refining, tourism, health care and agriculture and fishing. As a result, hot courses of study for those seeking online degrees in Louisiana might include the following:

• Hospitality
• Health care informatics
• Health administration
• Information technology
• Horticulture
• Agricultural economics

Online degrees in Louisiana make education accessible to learners from diverse backgrounds, and in the process open the door to financial advancement and improved quality of life.