Adult learners account for a significant portion of the total degree-seeking students in postsecondary institutions in the U.S. According to National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) data, in the Fall of 2021, there were approximately 6.4 million students ages 25 and over who were enrolled in postsecondary institutions, roughly one-third of the total postsecondary enrollment of approximately 19 million students.
Obtaining a college degree is a wise investment for adult learners, who will likely earn more in their current jobs or have access to higher-paying positions after earning their degree. But since many of whom are working, have families and a wide variety of financial obligations, affordable pathways to degree completion and flexible class schedules that fit into their busy lives are critical. Online programs offer significant benefits to adult learners, since they can meet the demand for both affordability and flexibility.
The number and variety of online programs has proliferated over the past decade for adult learners. According to McKinsey & Company, from 2011 to 2021, the number of learners across age groups reached by massive open online courses increased from 300,000 to 220 million. But how successful are online programs in helping adult learners easily, quickly and affordably attaining their educational objectives?
Capella University released results of a new outcomes study on its FlexPath competency-based education program, based on data compiled over nearly a decade of implementation. Its new report on points to the success of its direct assessment model and subscription-style format and shows that adult students spend less money to obtain degrees, persist at higher rates and accumulate credits more quickly than in other programs.
According to the Capella report, Delivering on the Promise of Competency-Based Education, more than 20,000 graduates completed their program with FlexPath since 2013. FlexPath is the institution’s direct assessment competency-based education program that enables students to complete their degree requirements at their own speed and on their own schedule.
The FlexPath model requires learners to demonstrate proficiency in all competencies before they are able to complete their degree. Students work closely with faculty, graduate assistances and coaches throughout their courses.
Through the learning format, Capella University offers a flat-rate tuition plan, and students can take one or two courses during each 12-week billion session. The school says that under the FlexPath plan, students can complete a bachelor’s degree in 22 months for $20,000 or earn a master’s degree in 15 months for less than $18,000. Program length and final cost varies, depending on the degree program, number of transfer credits and how quickly each student completes courses.
The Capella University analysis found that the median learner in FlexPath finished a bachelor’s degree 50 percent faster and a master’s degree 36 percent faster than similar learners in equivalent Capella credit-hour programs These students borrowed 58 percent less in federal financial aid for a bachelor’s degree and 39 percent less for a master’s degree. The median tuition billed to a bachelor’s FlexPath learner was $11,550.