| The United States Department of Labor has | | | | |
| found that people who hold a master's degree | | | | Testing for online master's degree programs |
| actually earn eighteen percent more per week | | | | is frequently done through proctors right in |
| than people who do not have one. The annual | | | | the student's neighborhood. To help finance |
| report regarding the state of online | | | | their education, students can pursue federal |
| education in the United States, In Growing by | | | | and state financial aid, loans, scholarships |
| Degrees: Online Education in the United | | | | and employer tuition reimbursement programs. |
| States, 2005, it was reported that 44 percent | | | | Students traditionally attend thirty to sixty |
| of schools that offer master's degree | | | | semester hours to complete a master's degree, |
| programs in person also offer online master's | | | | which can be done online in fifteen to |
| degree programs. The convenience of distance | | | | thirty-six months. |
| learning master's degree programs makes it | | | | |
| easier for working professionals to pursue | | | | Master's degrees are differentiated by |
| higher education without compromising their | | | | post-nominal letters that show the level of |
| current position. | | | | academic achievement a student has earned. |
| | | | The most common areas of master's degree |
| The United States Department of Education | | | | education are Master of Education (MEd, MAT, |
| found that over 75 accredited colleges offer | | | | MSEd), Master of Science (MS), Master of Arts |
| MBA education online. Virtual classrooms | | | | (MA) and Master of Business Administration |
| provide literally hundred of options for | | | | (MBA). MBA education online programs allow |
| graduate students to select from in areas | | | | busy business executives to conveniently fit |
| such as science, arts, fine arts, accounting, | | | | advanced learning into their schedules. |
| real estate, education, finance, business | | | | Further, one in five students studying to |
| administration and more. | | | | earn a master's degree pursues an MBA, |
| | | | proving that MBA education online affords |
| Distance learning master's degree programs | | | | more people the chance to achieve higher |
| require students to hold a bachelor's degree | | | | learning. |
| and dedicate the greater portion of their | | | | |
| time to studying independently. The possible | | | | According to the United States Bureau of |
| curriculum of online master's degree programs | | | | Labor Statistics, those people who hold a |
| may be delivered through email, virtual | | | | master's degree enjoy salaries that are $200 |
| lectures, reading assignments, online chats | | | | higher than those people who hold a |
| and writing assignments. Some online graduate | | | | bachelor's degree. Distance learning master's |
| education programs may require students to | | | | degree programs enable more people to pursue |
| physically attend a certain number of courses | | | | the dream of higher education without |
| or workshops to earn residency hours. | | | | compromising their current circumstances. |