National Center for Education Statistics

Table 13. Number of programs offered completely via distance education at Title IV institutions, by level and control of institution, level of program offered, and distance education status of institution: United States, 2020–21
Level of program offered and distance education status of institution		All institutions	4-year				2-year				Less-than-2-year
			Public	Private			Public	Private			Public	Private
				Nonprofit	For-profit			Nonprofit	For-profit			Nonprofit	For-profit
Total programs		26,295	8,287	8,641	3,256		5,804	35	209		14	7	42
Less-than-12-weeks1		173	31	15	3		113	0	7		3	0	1
Exclusively distance		0	0	0	0		0	0	0		0	0	0
Not exclusively distance		173	31	15	3		113	0	7		3	0	1
At-least-12-weeks but less-than-1-year2		2,886	660	301	181		1,662	1	49		1	1	30
Exclusively distance		171	23	32	95		0	0	20		0	1	0
Not exclusively distance		2,715	637	269	86		1,662	1	29		1	0	30
At-least-1- but less- than-2-years3		1,845	227	159	200		1,167	10	55		10	6	11
Exclusively distance		39	2	5	27		0	0	4		0	1	0
Not exclusively distance		1,806	225	154	173		1,167	10	51		10	5	11
Associate’s degrees		4,989	673	755	614		2,826	24	97		0	0	0
Exclusively distance		180	9	47	119		0	0	5		0	0	0
Not exclusively distance		4,809	664	708	495		2,826	24	92		0	0	0
At-least-2- but less- than-4-years4		67	12	7	11		36	0	1		0	0	0
Exclusively distance		0	0	0	0		0	0	0		0	0	0
Not exclusively distance		67	12	7	11		36	0	1		0	0	0
Bachelor’s degrees		5,116	1,858	2,288	970		0	0	0		0	0	0
Exclusively distance		631	130	224	277		0	0	0		0	0	0
Not exclusively distance		4,485	1,728	2,064	693		0	0	0		0	0	0
Postbaccalaureate    certificates		2,855	1,580	966	309		0	0	0		0	0	0
Exclusively distance		207	37	34	136		0	0	0		0	0	0
Not exclusively distance		2,648	1,543	932	173		0	0	0		0	0	0
Master’s degrees		6,789	2,677	3,363	749		0	0	0		0	0	0
Exclusively distance		499	75	167	257		0	0	0		0	0	0
Not exclusively distance		6,290	2,602	3,196	492		0	0	0		0	0	0
Post-master’s certificates		736	284	387	65		0	0	0		0	0	0
Exclusively distance		44	0	10	34		0	0	0		0	0	0
Not exclusively distance		692	284	377	31		0	0	0		0	0	0
Doctor’s degrees—    research/scholarship		554	171	251	132		0	0	0		0	0	0
Exclusively distance		128	2	21	105		0	0	0		0	0	0
Not exclusively distance		426	169	230	27		0	0	0		0	0	0
Doctor’s degrees—    professional practice		235	106	112	17		0	0	0		0	0	0
Exclusively distance		6	0	2	4		0	0	0		0	0	0
Not exclusively distance		229	106	110	13		0	0	0		0	0	0
Doctor’s degrees—other		50	8	37	5		0	0	0		0	0	0
Exclusively distance		2	0	1	1		0	0	0		0	0	0
Not exclusively distance		48	8	36	4		0	0	0		0	0	0

¹Less-than-12-weeks refers to postsecondary awards, certificates, or diplomas of less than 300 clock hours, less than 9 semester or trimester credit hours, or less than 13 quarter credit hours.

²At-least-12-weeks but less-than-1-year refers to postsecondary awards, certificates, or diplomas of 300-899 clock hours, 9-29 semester or trimester credit hours, or 13-44 quarter credit hours.

³At-least-1- but less-than-2-years refers to postsecondary awards, certificates, or diplomas of at least 900 but less than 1,800 clock hours, 30 but less than 60 semester or trimester credit hours, or 45 but less than 90 quarter credit hours.

⁴At-least-2-but less-than-4-years refers to postsecondary awards, certificates, or diplomas of 1,800 or more clock hours, 60 or more semester or trimester credit hours, or 90 or more quarter credit hours.

NOTE: Title IV institutions are those with a written agreement with the U.S. Department of Education that allows the institution to participate in any of the Title IV federal student financial assistance programs. United States includes the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and the U.S. Air Force Academy are not Title IV eligible but are included in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) universe because they are federally funded and open to the public; they are included in this table. The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy is Title IV eligible and is also included in this table. A program is a combination of courses and related activities organized to meet specific educational objectives. Program counts displayed in this table were calculated based on completions data covering the 12-month period July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021. A program that is offered completely via distance education can be completed in its entirety via distance education. Exclusively distance refers to institutions that only deliver their programs via distance education, with no other option for completion. Programs offered completely via distance education at institutions that are not exclusively distance education institutions may also be offered in a campus-based format. Definitions for terms used in this table may be found in the collection year's archived downloadable glossary located at https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/use-the-data/annual-survey-forms-packages-archived?year=2021.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS, Fall 2021, Completions component (final data).