Online Degrees in Tennessee (TN)

Education is front and center among Tennessee's legislative priorities. Under the stewardship of Governor Haslam, the state boosted education spending in 2011 to about a third of the state budget--34 percent of total spending, or $9 billion. The influx of funds targets K-12 education. In fact, higher education will likely see a $20 million cut to funding, resulting in higher tuition for college students. Boosting college education levels, however, is the ultimate goal of the increased K-12 spending. The state is ninth lowest in educational attainment; according to the 2008 U.S. Census, fewer than a quarter of Tennessee's population holds a bachelor's degree. Intervention at the secondary school level and targeted college access programs could improve the state's higher education record.

Tennessee's education policy can lay the foundation for college graduation and an educated workforce, says Governor Haslam: "In order to prepare Tennesseeans for a competitive 21st-century economy, we must create a seamless path between high school, postsecondary education or training and the workforce." As Senate Education Chairman Dolores Gresham puts it, "We must increase the number of post-secondary graduates in order to meet the challenges of a competitive new era."

Initiatives to promote higher education in Tennessee range from financial aid to employer partnerships. The state recently instituted degree-completion scholarships for higher education students as part of a series of reforms designed to boost the state's college graduation rate. The state goal is to improve the graduation rate by 3.9 percent every year. Governor Haslam, meanwhile, is making it a priority to "tighten the link" between colleges and private sector employers in an effort to encourage job growth: "We have the resources to connect our high schools, technical centers, community colleges and our four-year colleges with businesses across the state."

Tennessee's quest for a well-educated workforce received a significant boost in 2010 when the state won federal education stimulus funding through the Race to the Top program. The U.S. Department of Education is directing $501 million to Tennessee, at least $20 million of which is set aside to fund key higher education initiatives such as STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education; the Tennessee Consortium on Research, Evaluation, and Development (TNCRED); and the College Access and Success program, which helps students plan for college.

Online degrees in Tennessee play an important role in workforce development, offering an affordable and convenient way for students to build technical and applied job skills. Digital learning is central to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission's effort "to elevate the overall educational attainment of citizens in the state through increased accessibility" of higher education programs.

Tennessee online degrees help connect the state's citizens with the training they need to succeed in the workforce. Programs target non-traditional students who require a flexible schedule and a classroom accessible from any Internet-linked computer. Students who pursue Tennessee online degrees include:

• Military personnel. The Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) network is committed to expanding and improving post-secondary education. Nine public schools in Tennessee have earned a "military-friendly distinction" due to their accessible online programming and military support programs. As the Tennessee Board of Regents puts it, "Online education is essential when you are dealing with reassignments and deployments."
• Rural residents. An estimated one in three Tennessee residents live in rural communities; the 2000 U.S. Census estimated 36.4 percent rural population, while the USDA Economic Research Service posted a 27 percent estimate in 2010. Online education supports this population's off-campus access to the college classroom.
• Working professionals. Students juggling a full- or part-time job can benefit from higher education to advance their skills or train for a new career. For example, the Regents support programs for working teachers seeking their education master's degree.

Tennessee Board of Regents, the state's higher education supervisory board, is at the vanguard of digital college training with the Regents Online Campus Collaborative. The cooperative Regents Online degree program serves more than 14,000 students--or about 7 percent of the total student population--at six Tennessee universities, 13 community colleges and 27 technology centers. In addition, students can pursue online degrees in Tennessee at a number of private colleges and technical institutes.

Tennessee's economy is in the midst of a resurgence following the recession of 2008 and 2009. Since the fourth quarter of 2010, the state's economic output and employment have been on the rebound. Furthermore, the forecast for 2011 calls for a 1.3 percent growth in non-agricultural employment, bringing the rate down to 9.1 percent in 2011 and 8.8 percent in 2012. Meanwhile, personal income should increase 4.5 percent in 2011.

According to the state of Tennessee's Annual Workforce Report 2010, job growth should be concentrated in service industries rather than goods-producing industries such as manufacturing. Education and health services jobs are expected to drive the state's employment, along with opportunities in professional and financial services. Education and health services employ 65 percent of all associate degree holders in Tennessee along with a little over a third of the state's bachelor's degree graduates and half of all master's degree graduates. Business services employ about 15 percent of the state's college graduates.

Education is the key to seizing opportunity in Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development reports: "Occupations with strong growth rates for the short term will require college degrees at the MA, BA and AA levels." The Tennessee Department of Labor lists "hot jobs" in the state by educational background, from 2008 to 2018. Top jobs for associate degree holders, along with 2009 median salaries, include:

• Veterinary technologists and technicians, $24,630
• Dental hygienists, $59,890

Bachelor's degree graduates can find strong opportunity as:

• Special education teachers, $45,180
• Physical therapists, $75,230
• Network systems and data communications analysts, $65,800

Many of these career paths offer single-salary incomes well above Tennessee's median household income of $41,715. Tennessee online degrees offer an entry point into the state's fastest-growing careers, allowing graduates to establish a firm foundation for professional development and future earnings.