Online education, also called “distance learning,” in previous years has been scoffed at by many including employers, academia, and the general public. There are two main reasons for this, the first being a history of diploma mills, or unaccredited institutions which grant diplomas for a fee. While the government has cracked down on these fraudulent services, the damage to the reputation of distance education cannot easily be undone. The second reason lies in the false belief that online education is inferior to an on campus education. In years past, it was largely believed that it was highly unlikely that a student could receive a quality education outside of a traditional classroom environment. As the years go by however, online education is becoming more widely accepted.

Why is distance education finally appearing to be a feasible education solution? A number of reasons are contributing factors. Since 1996, the popularity of the internet has grown and it's been accepted as a trusted means of media delivery. While the popularity of the internet may seem rather obvious, one of the biggest factors is simply a higher demand for an educated workforce.

Consumer confidence is another factor for the public acceptance of distance education online. Today more than ever before, online colleges and universities are seeking and being granted accredited status by agencies trusted as authorities on education. Accredited status is means that the school met or exceeded the high standards of accrediting agencies. Accredited status is perhaps the most important factor in determining the legitimacy of any institution of higher education. The U.S. Department of Education offers additional information on College Accreditation in the United States.

As more online programs are accredited, employers are starting to accept their validity as a reliable source of education. This works out extremely well for workers wishing to continue their education.

Online program enrollments consist largely of one demographic: Working adults. According to the Sloan Consortium, 92 million American adults participated in some form of continuing education in 2001 and that number continues to grow. Many of these individuals' schedules are lacking the time to pursue a traditional education, often due to family and job obligations. Accredited distance education means those working adults that want to pursue higher education have a legitimate way of doing so online; working adults can now be confident that they are receiving a quality education online. After completion of their program, they can apply their education on the job.

Many employers provide workers with tuition assistance because they recognize the value of furthering one's education. Until recently, however, many employers would not fund an online education because they may not have believed that it was legitimate. As distance learning is more widely accepted, many employers now partner with online schools to provide on-the-job continuing education for employees, proving to be more practical and time efficient for everyone involved.

Additionally, statistics prove that the bias shown towards online degrees by employers are diminishing. According to the 2006 "Survey on Online Degrees" by Vault.com , 81% of employers surveyed now believe that online education is more acceptable now than five years ago. As employers face a growing number of job applicants with online degrees, they now have to take a close look at online degrees instead of shrugging it off.

Out of all 249 employer participants in the Vault.com survey, 43% say they receive applications from employees with online degrees. 41% give those applicants the same consideration as those with traditional degrees; 4% of employers actually favor online degrees. When asked if they would hire an applicant that matched all of their requirements but possessed an online degree, an overwhelming 89% of employers answered yes.

As the public's view of online education changes, the availability and the diversity of accredited online programs change as well. Not only are online schools offering a much wider variety of programs, but traditional brick-and-mortar schools are starting to offer online courses too. The demand for an educated workforce has working adults across the U.S. seeking a solution for continuing their education. As a result of this, online education is finally being accepted and recognized as a source for a reliable education.