Does anyone think that employers do not think that an online degree means as much as a degree from a regular college? Would your online degree not mean as much?

Barbo

Online degrees are degrees from "regular colleges". I think that the reputation of the university matters more than the channel you used to receive your degree.

A degree from Boise State is very respectable, and they offer online degrees as well as traditional campus classes.

A degree from University of Phoenix has a certain connotation that is not as respectable in many circles and yet they offer a traditional campus in addition to their online programs for which they are mainly known.

It's been my experience that employers look for the degree from an accredited school. The recruiters I know say same.

Personally, I wouldn't want to work for anybody who measured me based on the manner in which the lectures were delivered.

I agree entirely with Amy_L’s comments but would add this caution

Although there seems to be general acceptance with online masters degrees, I’m not sure that the same can be said about bachelor’s. I have spoken with several recruiters and executives who don’t feel highly about Bachelor’s degrees from click-and-mortar institutions.

It’s definitely not universal, and I grant that there is probably some snobbishness behind their comments, but I think it’s something to keep in mind... The school that they questioned the most is University of Phoenix due largely to the unabashedly for-profit label that they have in my area (I live outside of Phoenix). One executive I know went as far to say as she would discount an online U of Phx bachelor’s by as much as 50% when weighing otherwise equal job candidates.


Thanks!
-Ed


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I don’t want to presume that you’re asking because you intend to pursue an online education, but just in case I will throw some personal experience in… As an individual who has taken online Master’s level classes with both U of Phx and Boise State, I noticed a tremendous difference in the quality and motivation of students at each school. The BSU students were far more career-driven and passionate about what they were learning when compared to the U of Phx students. Most of the U of Phx students in my program openly stated that they were only taking classes because their employer would pay for them and they wanted to get a degree as fast as possible.

Although the U of Phx degree will come much faster, I believe that you miss out on the richness of experience and the quality of education and professors that you would find at a school like Boise State. (Sorry if I come across like a BSU homer, but I’ve really enjoyed my experience there!)