Go Farther with an Online Degree in Higher Education

Higher education, also called postsecondary education, pertains to anything after high school. Many times this means college, but not always. Trade schools and online education programs, for example, qualify as higher education as well.
A higher education degree program may put you in a privileged position when pursuing these types of lucrative and challenging teaching and administrative careers. Certainly if you can combine a higher education program degree with significant work experience in the field, you are a prime candidate.

Higher Education Career Options

People who teach higher education are not always full-time teachers. In fact, colleges and other postsecondary schools frequently seek to hire teachers who are accomplished in another field. For example, a chemist could teach chemistry, and an entrepreneur might teach a business development course.
In light of the reality that these people are often working other day jobs, earning a degree in higher education through online education is a popular method for entering this field.
Opportunities to teach part-time are also practical.

Employment Outlook in Higher Education

Postsecondary teachers held about 1.7 million jobs in 2006. Here are the top five specialities in terms of number of people employed:

• Health specialties teachers: 145,000
• Graduate teaching assistants: 144,000
• Vocational education teachers: 119,000
• Art, drama, and music teachers: 88,000
• Business teachers: 82,000

Higher education teachers are in high demand. Job growth is projected at 23 percent annually until 2016, among the fastest of all professions. The best job prospects for higher education teachers are frequently in career-centric fields such as business and nursing.
Online education and other forms of distance learning are also no doubt contributing to this rapid growth, as an increasing number of students see value in an online degree.
Sources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Chronicle of Higher Education

Andrew Freiburghouse is a writer and businessman. As a partner at Los Angeles tax preparation firm Pronto Income Tax of California, Inc., Andrew learned the fine art of growing a small business into a not-so-small business. Currently, Andrew lives in Brooklyn, NY.