Distance Education Enrollment Surges Nationwide
Joshua Bay
January 15, 2026
From Mississippi to South Dakota, states are seeing increased enrollment in courses that rely on at least one form of technology as colleges expand online and hybrid options.
Mississippi led the nation in distance education enrollment growth, according to a recent analysis of the latest data, reflecting a broader shift toward online and hybrid learning models as colleges expand access and flexibility.
The state saw a 5.53 percent increase, with distance education enrollment rising from 56.1 percent in 2022 to 59.2 percent in 2023, the most recent year for which data is available. The findings are based on an analysis by eLearning Industry, an online learning platform, using National Center for Education Statistics postsecondary data tracking changes in distance education enrollment across U.S. states.
Distance education enrollment nationwide stood at 53.2 percent in 2023, relatively stable compared with 53.3 percent in 2022, according to data from 5,677 institutions. By comparison, enrollment stood at 36.3 percent in 2019, reflecting the surge in online learning that followed the pandemic.
