Woman's employer pays for online education

Woman's employer pays for online education

Workers interested in enhancing their skills may inquire with their employers about reimbursement for online courses or degrees, which are becoming increasingly popular among adult learners.

That is what Janice Barnwell did when she decided to enroll in an online masters degree in business, and she says that as a working mother, the convenience and the low cost of online education were the most decisive factors in her decision, according to Reuters.

"At first I was very intimidated (by taking classes remotely). It's something I've never done," she said, quoted by the news source.

"But it quickly changed for me because the interaction I had online with my classmates and professors felt real," she added.

Online education is becoming rapidly popular among working professionals as studies have shown that salaries of those with college degrees consistently surpass the earnings of those without higher education.

For example, estimates from the Census Bureau for 2007 show the average earnings for men with high school education were $42,466, while those with bachelors degrees (or more) earned $88,843, which is more than twice as much.