10 Hot Careers you can land with an Online Degree
by John Tuthill

According to recent estimates, approximately 3.5 million students are currently taking courses through online education programs, and enrollment rates show no signs of declining. Moreover, a recent survey by Eduventures, an education consulting company, found that about half of all prospective college students are interested in earning an online degree. The survey also found that many of these students are working professionals looking to change careers or younger individuals taking advantage of convenient and flexible online degree programs to prepare for the future.

After a decade of dramatic change in higher education, one thing is now clear: online education is here to stay.
10 Careers to Prepare for Online

You can train for just about any career field through online career training. Here are 10 high-demand careers you can consider if you are thinking about studying online.
1. Product Marketing Manager

Median Salary: $73,060
Fast Facts: Marketing managers need to be creative and have good administrative skills to coordinate market research, product development, and sales. Online marketing degrees help many professionals to shift careers and enter the growing field of advertising and product marketing. An MBA in marketing is an excellent stepping stone to even greater opportunities.
2. Health Services Manager
Median Salary Range: $57,000 - $95,000
Fast Facts: For most health and medical services management positions, a 4-year health care administration degree is the minimum requirement. Experience with providing health care, managing large numbers of employees, or running a business are pluses, as are advanced degrees such as the master's in healthcare management.
3. Accountant
Median Annual Earnings: $54, 630
Fast Facts: Entry-level accounting jobs typically require at least a bachelor's degree in accounting. Management-level positions usually go to workers with advanced business degrees, such as the MBA. Many mid-level professionals choose to study for an online MBA degree in order to make the jump to management.
4. Web Designer / Developer
Median Salary Range: $40,000 - $52,000
Fast Facts: There are two basic routes to a career in web design. With a graphic web design degree, you can focus on the aesthetics of website development. If you are more technologically-inclined and interested in coding the functionality of a site, then you might choose to pursue a degree in web development.
5. Hotel Manager
Median Salary Range: $32,000 - $58,000
Fast Facts: Although many hotel managers work their way up to management positions, workers with hospitality management training are at a significant advantage. Jobs at large full-service hotels and luxury resorts are usually restricted to employees with formal degrees from hospitality management schools.
6. Special Education Teacher
Median Salary Range: $38,500 - $61,500
Fast Facts: Special education teachers must be licensed by the states in which they work. Certification is completed through Bachelor's or Master's teacher training programs, and many universities offer online teaching degrees.
7. Graphic Design Artist
Median Salary Range: $30,000 - $50,000
Fast Facts: One out of four graphic designers are self-employed, and many work on a freelance basis. For most entry-level positions in the field, a formal degree from an online graphic design school is a good way to get a foot in the door.
8. Paralegal
Median Salary: $43,040
Fast Facts: According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of paralegals is projected to grow 22 percent over the next decade. Paralegal schools offer 4-year degrees that result in a Bachelor's degree and paralegal certification, as well as 2 year Associate degrees in paralegal studies.
9. Education Administrator
Median Salary: $68,340
Fast Facts: Education administrators can work as principals, assistant principals, or school superintendents. Most jobs require at least a Master's in education administration and experience in a field such as admissions counseling or teaching.
10. Medical Records Technician
Median Annual Earnings: $28,030
Fast Facts: Entrants to the medical records field usually have a degree in health information technology, and many choose to gain certification by becoming Registered Health Information Technicians.
Why an Online Degree Makes Sense

What makes these particular careers well suited to online education? For each of these 10 high-demand careers, training is available to nontraditional students who are looking to change careers or take advantage of the convenience of distance learning. Online career training is particularly attractive to students with professional or family responsibilities who find that they can earn higher degrees and improve their careers without commuting to a college campus.

Nearly twenty percent of all college students in the US took at least one online college course in 2006. This number is expected to grow by nearly 10 percent annually over the next few years. Online education is no longer considered a fad or even a trend. It is a phenomenon that is helping students across the country to achieve their career goals.