NC-SARA
DATA REPORT:
Fall 2019 Distance Education Enrollment
& 2019 Out-of-State Learning Placements
Terri Taylor Straut
Marianne Boeke
PUBLICATION DATE:
DECEMBER 2020
Page 1
Table of Contents
Table of Figures .................................................................................................................................................. 3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................................... 5
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................. 15
About NC-SARA ............................................................................................................................................. 15
About SARA ................................................................................................................................................... 15
About Data Reporting ................................................................................................................................... 16
METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................................................................. 21
Unique Features of NC-SARA Data Reporting ........................................................................................... 21
REPORTING INSTITUTIONS ............................................................................................................................. 22
Reporting Institutions by State ................................................................................................................... 23
Reporting Institutions by Sector ................................................................................................................. 25
Regional Education Compacts Participation in SARA .............................................................................. 26
DISTANCE EDUCATION ENROLLMENT FINDINGS ......................................................................................... 30
Total Distance Education Enrollment Reported ........................................................................................ 30
SARA and Non-SARA Distance Education Enrollment ............................................................................. 32
Out-of-State Distance Education Enrollment by Sector ........................................................................... 33
Impact of Reporting In-State Distance Education Enrollment Data ........................................................ 34
STATE SUMMARY DISTANCE EDUCATION ENROLLMENT DATA ................................................................ 38
State-Level Distance Education Enrollment Reporting ............................................................................ 38
Top Ten Institutions by Size of Reported Distance Education Enrollment ............................................ 43
IPEDS AND NC-SARA COMPARISONS ............................................................................................................ 46
DISTANCE EDUCATION ENROLLMENT DATA TRENDS: 2015 through 2019 ............................................... 48
Number of States Participating in SARA ................................................................................................... 48
Number of Institutions Reporting ............................................................................................................... 48
Reported SARA and Non-SARA Distance Education Enrollment ............................................................ 49
Changes in Reported Distance Education Enrollment by Sector ............................................................ 51
Changes in Distance Education Enrollment by Sector Over Time .......................................................... 53
Insights from Distance Education Enrollment Reporting ........................................................................ 55
OUT-OF-STATE LEARNING PLACEMENTS ...................................................................................................... 56
Background ................................................................................................................................................... 56
Learning Placements Defined ..................................................................................................................... 56
Page 2
Classification of Instructional Programs ................................................................................................... 56
Characteristics Required for Inclusion of Out-of-State Learning Placement ........................................ 57
OUT-OF-STATE LEARNING PLACEMENT FINDINGS ...................................................................................... 59
Total Out-of-State Learning Placements Reported................................................................................... 59
SARA and Non-SARA Out-of-State Learning Placements ........................................................................ 59
State Summary of Out-of-State Learning Placement Data ...................................................................... 60
Reported CIP Code Program Areas ............................................................................................................ 64
Comparing Reported CIP Code Program Areas 2018-2019 ..................................................................... 65
Insights from Out-of-State Learning Placement Reporting ..................................................................... 66
CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................................................................... 68
Summary ....................................................................................................................................................... 68
A Strong Baseline ......................................................................................................................................... 69
APPENDICES ..................................................................................................................................................... 70
Appendix A: Instructions and Online Surveys ............................................................................................... 70
Appendix B: Technical Notes ........................................................................................................................... 73
Appendix C: 2019 Total State-Level Distance Education Enrollment Reporting with In-State Distance
Education Enrollment ....................................................................................................................................... 75
Appendix D: Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) ........................................................................ 78
Appendix E: About the Authors ....................................................................................................................... 81
Appendix F: References ................................................................................................................................... 82
Page 3
Table of Figures
Figure 1. Total Reported Distance Education Enrollment for 2019 ................................................................... 6
Figure 2. Reporting Institutions and Total Distance Education Enrollment by Sector for 2019 (with in-state
distance education enrollments) ......................................................................................................................... 7
Figure 3. Reported Fall 2019 Distance Education Enrollment by Sector........................................................... 8
Figure 4. Changes in Distance Education Enrollment by Sector 2016-2019 (out-of-state only) ....................... 9
Figure 5. Reported Distance Education Enrollment by Sector 2016-2019 (out-of-state only) ........................ 10
Figure 6. Proportion of Reported SARA and Non-SARA Distance Education Enrollment 2015-2019 (out-of-
state only) ........................................................................................................................................................... 12
Figure 7. Reported SARA and Non-SARA Distance Education Enrollment 2015-2019 (out-of-state only) ..... 12
Figure 8. 2019 Calendar Year Out-of-State Learning Placements Reported ................................................... 13
Figure 9. Map of SARA States, Districts, and Territories ................................................................................. 16
Figure 10. Reporting Requirements of NC-SARA and IPEDS EF ...................................................................... 19
Figure 11. Number of Reporting Institutions 2015-2019 .................................................................................. 22
Figure 12. Map of Reporting Institutions by State ............................................................................................ 23
Figure 13. Reporting Institutions by State ........................................................................................................ 24
Figure 14. Reporting Institutions by Sector for 2019 ....................................................................................... 25
Figure 15. Reporting Institutions by Sector for 2019 – Data Table .................................................................. 25
Figure 16. Map of Regional Education Compacts ............................................................................................. 26
Figure 17. Participating States and Territories in Regional Education Compacts .......................................... 27
Figure 18. 2019 Regional Education Compacts Participation in SARA ............................................................ 28
Figure 19. 2019 Regional Education Compacts Participation in SARA – Data Table ...................................... 28
Figure 20. Regional Education Compacts Participation 2016 and 2019 .......................................................... 29
Figure 21. Total Distance Education Enrollment Reported for 2019 ............................................................... 31
Figure 22. 2019 Reporting Institutions and Total Distance Education Enrollment by Sector (with in-state
enrollment) ......................................................................................................................................................... 32
Figure 23. 2019 Reported Institutions and Total Distance Education Enrollment by Sector (with in-state
enrollment) – Data Table ................................................................................................................................... 32
Figure 24. 2019 Reported SARA and Non-SARA Distance Education Enrollment (out-of-state distance
education enrollment only) ................................................................................................................................ 33
Figure 25. 2019 Reported SARA and Non-SARA Distance Education Enrollment (out-of-state distance
education enrollment only) – Data Table .......................................................................................................... 33
Figure 26. 2019 Reporting Institutions and Out-of-State Distance Education Enrollment by Sector ............. 34
Figure 27. 2019 Reporting Institutions and Out-of-State Distance Education Enrollment by Sector – Data
Table ................................................................................................................................................................... 34
Figure 28. 2019 Reported Distance Education Enrollment by Sector .............................................................. 35
Figure 29. 2019 Reported Distance Education Enrollment by Sector – Data Table ........................................ 36
Figure 30. 2018 - 2019 Reported Distance Education Enrollment by Sector ................................................... 37
Figure 31. 2018 Reported Distance Education Enrollment by Sector – Data Table ........................................ 37
Figure 32. 2019 Map of Reported Out-of-State Distance Education Enrollment ............................................. 39
Figure 33. 2019 Map of Reported Distance Education Enrollment in State from Other SARA Institutions .... 39
Figure 34. 2019 Reported State Level Distance Education Enrollment (out-of-state only) ............................ 40
Figure 35. Top Ten Institutions by Size of 2019 Reported Distance Education Enrollment ............................ 43
Figure 36. Top Three Private Non-Profit Institutions – 2019 Reported Distance Education Enrollment ....... 44
Page 4
Figure 37. Top Three Private For-Profit Institutions – 2019 Reported Distance Education Enrollment ........ 44
Figure 38. Top Three Public Institutions – 2019 Reported Distance Education Enrollment ........................... 45
Figure 39. 2018 Fall IPEDS Reported Exclusively Distance Education Enrollment Compared to 2019 Fall
NC-SARA Reported Distance Education Enrollment ......................................................................................... 47
Figure 40. 2018 Fall IPEDS Reported Exclusively Distance Education Enrollment Compared to 2019 Fall
NC-SARA Reported Distance Education Enrollment – Data Table ................................................................... 47
Figure 41. Number of SARA States 2015-2019 ................................................................................................. 48
Figure 42. Number of Institutions Reporting Distance Education Enrollment to NC-SARA 2015-2019 ......... 49
Figure 43. Number of States and Institutions Reporting Distance Education Enrollment to NC-SARA 2015-
2019 .................................................................................................................................................................... 49
Figure 44. Reported SARA and Non-SARA Distance Education Enrollment 2015-2019 (out-of-state only) ... 50
Figure 45. Proportion of Reported SARA Distance Education Enrollment 2015-2019 (out-of-state only) ..... 50
Figure 46. Reported SARA and Non-SARA Distance Education Enrollment 2015-2019 .................................. 51
Figure 47. Reported Distance Education Enrollment by Sector 2016-2019 – by Percentage (out-of-state
only) .................................................................................................................................................................... 52
Figure 48. Reported Distance Education Enrollment by Sector: 2016-2019 – by Totals (out-of-state only) .. 52
Figure 49. Reported Distance Education Enrollment by Sector: 2016-2019 – Data Table (with In-State
Distance Education Enrollment) ........................................................................................................................ 53
Figure 50. Changes in Reported Out-of-State Distance Education Enrollment by Sector 2016-2019 ............ 54
Figure 51. Changes in Reported Out-of-State Distance Education Enrollment by Sector 2016-2019 – Data
Table ................................................................................................................................................................... 54
Figure 52. 2020 CIP Code Example for Education (CIP #13) ............................................................................ 57
Figure 53. 2019 Reported SARA and Non-SARA Out-of-State Learning Placements ...................................... 59
Figure 54. 2018-2019 Reported SARA and Non-SARA Out-of-State Learning Placements – Data Table ....... 60
Figure 55. 2019 Map of Reported OOSLP Sent From Institutions in SARA States (OOSLP FROM) ................ 61
Figure 56. 2019 Map of Reported OOSLP Sent To State from Institutions in Other SARA States (OOSLP TO)
............................................................................................................................................................................ 62
Figure 57. 2019 Reported Out-of-State Learning Placements by State ........................................................... 63
Figure 58. 2019 Out-of-State Learning Placements Reported by CIP Code Program Area ............................ 65
Figure 59. 2019 Out-of-State Learning Placements Reported by CIP Code Program Area – Data Table ...... 65
Figure 60. Out-of-State Learning Placements Reported by CIP Code Program Area 2018-2019 ................... 66
Figure 61. Out-of-State Learning Placements Reported by CIP Code Program Area 2018-2019 – Data Table
............................................................................................................................................................................ 66
Page 5
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The NC-SARA Data Report summarizes institutional reporting to the National Council for State
Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) as outlined in the NC-SARA Policy Manual
1
. The
report includes distance education enrollment and out-of-state learning placements (OOSLP). NC-
SARA now has five years of reported distance education enrollment data and two years of OOSLP.
Distance education data for 2019 were reported to NC-SARA in the spring of 2020.
Data in this report reflect fall 2019 data for
distance education enrollment and calendar
year 2019 for out-of-state learning
placements.
In May 2020, NC-SARA sent email requests to
the SARA institutional contacts at 2,100
institutions, with a link to report fall 2019
distance education enrollment and calendar
year 2019 OOSLP. The online surveys were available between May 15 and June 30, 2020. NC-SARA
received complete responses from 2,088 institutions, for a response rate of 99.4%, compared to 99.5%
in 2019. Exemptions were extended to eight institutions that reported staffing hardships due to the
COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, there were three institutions that provided partial responses and
one institution that did not report. These four institutions have provided assurances that they will
report in-full and on-time next year. None of these institutions had failed to report in previous years.
For the purposes of this report, “state” is defined as a state, commonwealth, organized territory, or
district (District of Columbia) of the United States. In addition, the term distance education is used
synonymously with the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) term enrolled
exclusively in distance education courses. No new states joined SARA during the reporting period.
However, the process of institutions applying to participate under SARA is ongoing. Therefore, this
annual reporting provides a snapshot of the distance education and OOSLP data.
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the data reporting window was extended two weeks to allow
participating institution staff more time to gather and report the data during campus closures.
Institutions showed remarkable commitment to their reporting obligations to NC-SARA during this
challenging time. NC-SARA recognizes and appreciates these efforts.
1
State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements Manual 20.3 (effective 10/30/2020), retrieved from NC-SARA
Website 11/20/20. https://nc-sara.org/resources/guides
THIS REPORT REFLECTS FALL 2019
DISTANCE EDUCATION ENROLLMENT
AND CALENDAR YEAR 2019 OUT-OF-
STATE LEARNING PLACEMENTS.
Page 6
Key Findings: Distance Education Enrollment
Total distance education enrollment reported for 2019 is 3,016,944, an increase of 7.5% over 2018
(2,806,382).
In-state distance education enrollment comprised 53.7% (1,621,188) of all reported distance education
enrollment this year, while out-of-state reporting comprised 46.3% (1,395,756).
This is the second year that in-state distance
education enrollment was reported.
Figure 1 provides details of reported in-state
and out-of-state distance education
enrollment for fall 2019.
Figure 1. Total Reported Distance Education Enrollment for 2019
53.7%,
1,621,188
46.3%,
1,395,756
In-State Enrollment
Out-of-State Enrollment
Total Enrollment = 3,016,944
TOTAL DISTANCE EDUCATION
ENROLLMENT INCREASED 7.5%
(3,016,944) IN 2019.
Page 7
Key Findings: Reporting Institutions and Distance Education Enrollment by
Sector
Analysis of the fall 2019 distance education enrollment and institutional sector data reveal important
differences between the sectors.
Private for-profit institutions account for 6.1%
of reporting institutions and 16.7% of reported
distance education enrollment.
Private non-profit institutions represent 42.6%
of reporting institutions and 30.6% of reported distance education enrollment.
Public institutions account for 51.2% of all institutions reporting to NC-SARA for 2019 and 52.7% of
total reported distance education enrollment. Two tribal institutions reported, representing 0.1% of
the total institutions and 499 reported distance education enrollments. These data are provided in
Figure 2.
Figure 2. Reporting Institutions and Total Distance Education Enrollment by Sector for 2019
(with in-state distance education enrollments)
0.1%
51.2%
42.6%
6.1%
0.0%
52.7%
30.6%
16.7%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0%
Tribal
Public
Private Non-Profit
Private For-Profit
% of Total Reported Enrollment % of Total Number of Institutions Reporting
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS ACCOUNT FOR
51.2% OF ALL REPORTING
INSTITUTIONS AND 52.7% OF TOTAL
REPORTED DISTANCE EDUCATION
Page 8
Reported Distance Education Enrollment Varies Greatly by Sector
Analysis of the distance education enrollment data reveals considerable variation among the sectors
when in-state and out-of-state distance education enrollment are examined. Public institutions
represent 78.7% of reported in-state distance education enrollment, dwarfing the other two sectors.
Out-of-state distance education enrollment is dominated by the private non-profit sector with 44.4%,
while private for-profits reported 33.1% of out-of-state distance education enrollment. The mission of
institutions drives their distance education activity. These proportions are consistent with the 2018
findings: public 79.8% (in-state), private non-profit 44.2% (out-of-state), and private for-profit 33.9%
(out-of-state).
Analysis of distance education enrollment by sector is important to glean the complete picture of
distance education activity among participating SARA institutions.
Figure 3 summarizes in-state and out-of-state distance education enrollment by sector for 2019.
Figure 3. Reported Fall 2019 Distance Education Enrollment by Sector
33.1%
44.4%
22.5%
0.0%
2.5%
18.8%
78.7%
0.0%
16.7%
30.6%
52.7%
0.0%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
Private For-Profit Private Non-Profit Public Tribal
% Out-of-State % In-State % Total Enrollment
Page 9
Key Findings: Changes in Distance Education Enrollment by Sector Over Time
Sector data are not available for 2015, the inaugural reporting year. Participation in SARA increased
between the initial required data reporting in 2016 and 2019; reported out-of-state distance education
enrollment increased 19.2% over the period as states became members and institutions applied and
were approved to participate in SARA.
When these same data are examined by sector,
some interesting trends become evident. Private
non-profits reported the largest increase, 60.7%,
in distance education enrollment over the period,
followed by participating public institutions with
a 55.1% increase in out-of-state distance
education enrollment. Private for-profit
institutions reported a decline of 20.8% in
reported distance education enrollment over the period.
Some of the differences in sectors over time may be attributable to institutions with large distance
education enrollment that changed sectors through mergers and acquisitions over the period.
Figure 4 displays the reported out-of-state distance education enrollment changes over the period.
Figure 4. Changes in Distance Education Enrollment by Sector 2016-2019 (out-of-state only)
55.1%
60.7%
-20.8%
19.2%
-30.0%
-20.0%
-10.0%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
Public Private Non-Profit Private For-Profit Totals
PRIVATE FOR-PROFIT INSTITUTIONS
REPORTED A DECLINE OF 20.8% IN
REPORTED ENROLLMENT IN THE
PERIOD BETWEEN 2016 AND 2019.
Page 10
Changes in Reported Distance Education Enrollment by Sector Over Time
Sector analysis reveals an increase in public institutions’ proportion of reported distance education
enrollment, increasing from 17.3% in 2016 to 22.5% in 2017, remaining steady at about 22% in 2018
and 2019.
• Private non-profits initially showed a large increase from 33% in 2016 to 41.4% in 2017, then
leveled off to 44% in 2018 and 2019.
• For-profit institutions have declined over the period, from 49.7% in 2016 to 33% in 2019.
• Two tribal institutions currently participate in SARA and jointly reported 499 distance
education enrollments, or 0.0% of the total.
Figure 5 shows the proportion of out-of-state distance education enrollment by sector over time.
Figure 5. Reported Distance Education Enrollment by Sector 2016-2019 (out-of-state only)
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
2016 Sector % 2017 Sector % 2018 Sector % 2019 Sector %
17.3%
22.5%
21.9%
22.5%
33.0%
41.4%
44.2%
44.4%
49.7%
36.1%
33.9%
33.0%
Public Private Non-Profit Private For-Profit Tribal
Page 11
Key Findings: Reported SARA and Non-SARA Distance Education Enrollment Over
Time
To examine the change in the proportion of SARA and non-SARA distance education enrollment over
time, only out-of-state distance education enrollment is included. Non-SARA distance education
enrollments are defined as those that are in states and territories that are not currently SARA
members.
The proportion of SARA distance
education enrollment has increased over
time, from 81.4% in 2015 to 90.7% in
2018. This increase is expected given
that during the first three years of
reporting, states continued to join SARA,
allowing the institutions within them to
apply for participation.
Between 2018 and 2019, the proportion
of reported SARA distance education
enrollment remained consistent at 90.7%,
though the number of reported distance education enrollments continued to increase over the period.
Reported out-of-state distance education enrollment increased 62.8%, from 857,303 in 2015 to
1,395,756 in 2019.
Figures 6 and 7 provide details regarding the growth in reported distance education enrollment and
the proportion of that distance education enrollment in SARA and non-SARA states over the five-year
period that institutions have been reporting to NC-SARA.
THE PROPORTION OF NON-SARA
ENROLLMENT REPORTED BY PARTICIPATING
INSTITUTIONS DROPPED BY HALF, FROM
18.6% TO 9.3% OVER THE SAME FIVE YEARS
THAT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF REPORTED
ENROLLMENT INCREASED BY 62.8% FROM
857,303 TO 1,395.756.
Page 12
Figure 6. Proportion of Reported SARA and Non-SARA Distance Education Enrollment 2015-2019
(out-of-state only)
Figure 7. Reported SARA and Non-SARA Distance Education Enrollment 2015-2019 (out-of-state
only)
Key Findings: Out-of-State Learning Placements (OOSLP)
Out-of-state learning placements include on-the-ground, learning placements in a state outside the
institution’s home state, both for distance education and campus-based students. 349,930 OOSLP
were reported for the calendar year 2019, a 45.8% increase over 2018 (239,955), the first year of
mandatory reporting.
90.7%
90.7%
88.5%
82.9%
81.4%
9.3%
9.3%
11.5%
17.1%
18.6%
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
Reported SARA Enrollment % Reported Non-SARA Enrollment %
1,265,470
1,168,724
1,084,008
970,548
697,618
130,286
120,128
141,014
200,177
159,685
- 500,000 1,000,000 1,500,000
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
Reported SARA Enrollment Reported Non-SARA Enrollment
Page 13
A significant increase was expected, given that many institutions reported that they were not able to
provide complete and accurate data on learning placements for the calendar year 2018. A small
number of institutions report that they are continuing to refine the internal systems necessary to
accurately report their OOSLP data annually.
NC-SARA requires institutions to report using the 47 two-digit Classification of Instructional Programs
(CIP) codes representing program areas. The program area with the largest number of such
placements was in Health Professions and Related Programs (CIP #51), with 184,870 placements,
representing 52.8% of all placements reported. Education (CIP #13) had the second highest number of
placements with 38,195 (10.9%) and Business (CIP #52) accounted for 20,776 of reported placements,
representing 5.9% of all placements. All other program area CIP codes combined accounted for 30.4%
of reported learning placements.
With two years of required OOSLP data, comparisons can be made regarding the reported program
areas in 2018 and 2019. In both years, the rank of the top three program areas remained the same:
Health, Education, and Business. Figure 8 displays program area results for calendar year 2019.
Figure 8. 2019 Calendar Year Out-of-State Learning Placements Reported
.
A Strong Baseline
NC-SARA staff have committed to continuous improvement of the data reporting process and
communications about the process with key stakeholder groups. The significant effort and dedication
to improvement in the data reporting process is paying off. The consistency in the process between
2018 and 2019 reporting suggests that providing distance education enrollment and OOSLP to NC-
SARA annually each spring is becoming part of the reporting routine for participating institutions.
This is evidenced by the reduction in concerns raised in the comments fields of the online surveys
and by fewer calls to NC-SARA with questions.
The data reported for 2019 is remarkably consistent with what was reported for 2018. The exceptions
are expected growth in OOSLP as institutions improved their internal processes and the stable
52.8%
10.9%
5.9%
30.4%
Health 52.8%
Education 10.9%
Business 5.9%
Other 30.4%
Page 14
growth reported in distance education enrollment as more institutions applied for and were accepted
to participate in SARA.
The stability of the data reported over the past two years serves to build confidence in what they
convey about distance education adoption and use in the United States. This strong baseline will be a
benefit to NC-SARA and participating institutions when the 2020 data are reported in 2021. If NC-
SARA reporting remains consistently reliable next year, the data will be an important source of
information to help SARA stakeholders measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on interstate
higher education activity across the nation.
Page 15
INTRODUCTION
The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) has completed five
years of distance education enrollment data collection and two years of out-of-state learning
placement (OOSLP) data reporting. The purpose of this report is to provide a summary and analysis of
distance education enrollment and OOSLP
data collected. The report is organized in two
sections: one to report distance education
enrollment data and one to report OOSLP.
Comparisons to the distance education
enrollment data collected in prior years are
included on key points of interest to SARA
stakeholders.
About NC-SARA
NC-SARA, in collaboration with the four regional education compacts, was established to develop and
implement an effective and efficient reciprocal state-level authorization process for postsecondary
distance education. Its mission is to provide broad access to postsecondary education opportunities to
students across the country, to increase the quality and value of higher learning credentials earned
via distance education, and to assure students are well served in a rapidly changing education
landscape.
About SARA
The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA) provides a voluntary, regional approach to
state oversight of postsecondary distance education. When states join SARA, they agree to follow
uniform processes for approving their eligible institutions’ participation. They also agree to work with
other states’ SARA institutions in a common way when those institutions carry out activities in SARA
states other than their own. This reciprocity agreement among states makes it easier for students to
take distance education courses and participate in learning placements offered by postsecondary
institutions based in another state and provides those students certain assurances of quality and
additional means to resolve problems that may occur.
There were no new member states accepted by SARA between the reporting window for 2018 and
2019 data reporting. As of December 2020, all U.S. states except California are SARA member states.
In addition, the District of Columbia (DC) and the territories of Puerto Rico (PR) and the U.S. Virgin
Islands (VI) are members of SARA.
The following U.S. territories are currently not members of SARA: American Samoa (AS),
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Federated States of Micronesia (FM), Guam
(GU), Marshall Islands (MH), and Palau (PW). The map in Figure 9 shows the SARA states and
territories in gray.
THIS REPORT REFLECTS FALL 2019
DISTANCE EDUCATION ENROLLMENT
AND CALENDAR YEAR 2019 OUT-OF-
STATE LEARNING PLACEMENTS.
Page 16
Figure 9. Map of SARA States, Districts, and Territories
About Data Reporting
NC-SARA requires participating institutions to report distance education enrollment and OOSLP
annually. The data are reported to NC-SARA through two online surveys in the spring following the
due date for institutions to make their Fall Enrollment (EF) reports to IPEDS. Institutions reported
their 2019 data to NC-SARA in the spring of 2020. The SARA reporting window for 2019 data was
between May 15 and June 30, 2020; this timeframe includes a two-week extension due to the impact
of the COVID-19 pandemic on staff at participating institutions. Screenshots of the reporting
instructions and online surveys are in Appendix A. For the purposes of this report, “state” is defined
as a state, commonwealth, organized territory, or district (District of Columbia) of the United States.
In addition, the term distance education is used synonymously with the IPEDS term enrolled
exclusively in distance education courses.
Commitment to Transparency in Data Reporting
Since its inception, NC-SARA has maintained a strong commitment to transparency in data reporting.
While based on IPEDS EF reporting, the distance education enrollment data that institutions report to
NC-SARA may not match IPEDS exactly because of the different approaches to identifying the location
of military students used by SARA and the impact of branch campus reporting. Institutions self-report
Page 17
to NC-SARA and there is no process to validate individual campus reporting back to their IPEDS data
submissions. In addition, there are institutions that report to NC-SARA and not to IPEDS.
Distance Education Enrollment Reporting
Historically, institutions participating in SARA annually report the number of students enrolled
exclusively in distance education courses at the institution outside the home state of the institution.
Beginning with the 2018 reporting, NC-SARA requested that institutions include reported in-state
exclusively distance education course enrollment in their annual reporting. Members of the Data
Committee recommended this requirement after many institutions reported that out-of-state distance
education reporting alone did not accurately represent the magnitude of their distance education
enrollments since many institutions are focused on serving students in their own states. The data are
disaggregated by the state, territory, or district where the learning takes place.
NC-SARA distance education enrollment reporting requirements are based on federal IPEDS data
collection. Institutions report distance education enrollment in the EF component of their submission
to the federal IPEDS data collection. The EF data are reported through April of the following year.
Distance education data for 2019 were reported to IPEDS in the winter/spring of 2020 and to NC-
SARA in the spring of 2020. Data in this report reflect fall 2019 data for distance education
enrollment and calendar year 2019 for out-of-state learning placements. The IPEDS reporting
schedule is consistent each year, and NC-SARA’s reporting window is also consistently May 15
through June 15, though it was extended to June 30 this year due to the impacts of the COVID-19
pandemic on staff at participating institutions.
IPEDS Distance Education Reporting
IPEDS defines a distance education course as “a course in which the instructional content is delivered
exclusively via distance education. Requirements for coming to campus for orientation, testing, or
academic support services do not exclude a course from being classified as distance education.”
2
The
definition also includes detail regarding delivery modality; the full definition is in Appendix B
Technical Notes. NC-SARA uses the IPEDS definition of distance education. Using the IPEDS definition
and data is meant to lessen the reporting burden for participating institutions, since most are already
reporting to IPEDS.
Importantly, IPEDS distance education reporting requires providing enrollment data in four
categories. These categories are listed below:
• All students enrolled
• Students enrolled exclusively in distance education courses
• Students enrolled in some but not all distance education courses
• Student not enrolled in any distance education courses
2
U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS Glossary for 2020-21 Data
Collection System https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/ipeds/Downloads/Forms/IPEDSGlossary.pdf
Page 18
In addition to these fields, the data provided for students enrolled exclusively in distance education
courses is disaggregated by where the students are located. These five IPEDS categories include:
• Students enrolled exclusively in distance education courses and are located in the same
state/jurisdiction as institution
• Students enrolled exclusively in distance education courses and are located in U.S. not in the
same state/jurisdiction as institution
• Students enrolled exclusively in distance education courses and are located in U.S.
state/jurisdiction unknown
• Students enrolled exclusively in distance education courses and are located outside U.S.
• Students enrolled exclusively in distance education courses and location of student
unknown/not reported
NC-SARA distance education
enrollment reporting includes only
students enrolled exclusively in
distance education (EDE) courses. NC-
SARA requests institutions
disaggregate the EDE data reported to
IPEDS by state for purposes of NC-
SARA annual distance education
enrollment reporting. For the
purposes of this report, the term
distance education is used synonymously with the IPEDS EDE. It is important to note that nationally,
based on 2018 EF IPEDS data, the EDE enrollment reported represents 16.6% (3,257,987) of total
reported enrollment (19,645,918)
3
. 2018 IPEDS data is the latest data available at the writing of this
report.
Figure 10 shows the distance education enrollment data reported to IPEDS and to NC-SARA.
3
NCES Fast Facts, Distance Learning (n.d.), https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=80, retrieved
9/23/2020.
IPEDS TOTAL REPORTED EXCLUSIVELY
DISTANCE EDUCATION ENROLLMENT IN 2018
WAS 3,257,987. BY COMPARISON, THERE
WERE 3,016,944 EXCLUSIVELY DISTANCE
EDUCATION ENROLLMENTS REPORTED TO
NC-SARA FOR FALL 2019.
Page 19
Figure 10. Reporting Requirements of NC-SARA and IPEDS EF
.
Out-of-State Learning Placements Reporting
Prior to 2018, required annual data reporting under the SARA distance education reporting provisions
did not include on-the-ground, out-of-state learning placements (e.g., clinical rotations, student
teaching, internships, etc.). These learning placements are of interest because they help describe
interstate activity. Learning placements are an important part of many academic programs and the
number and extent of such placements are of great interest and concern to educators, practitioners,
licensing bodies, and state regulators. Therefore, it was agreed during the formation of SARA, that
after successfully creating the process for reporting distance education enrollments, NC-SARA would
create a similar process for collecting and reporting out-of-state learning placements. Unlike distance
education enrollment reporting, there is no existing mechanism for gathering and reporting OOSLP.
This is the second year that reporting
OOSLP is mandatory. It is important
to note that
all
on-the-ground, out-of-
state learning placements are
reported, not just those associated
with distance education offerings.
Reporting out-of-state learning
placements is important because it
meets the commitment made to the
state regulator community during the development of SARA.
In addition, reporting out-of-state learning placements is beneficial to states and institutions in
several ways.
ALL ON-GROUND, OUT-OF-STATE LEARNING
PLACEMENTS SHOULD BE REPORTED
ANNUALLY TO NC-SARA, NOT JUST THOSE
ASSOCIATED WITH DISTANCE EDUCATION
OFFERINGS.
Page 20
• It helps institutions better attend to and meet professional licensure obligations in the states
where they enroll students.
• It helps institutional staff comply with federal regulations affecting the institution’s ability to
participate in federal Title IV student assistance programs.
• It helps states better understand the placement activity of students across state lines by
collecting data not gathered elsewhere.
• It adds to the body of data that helps interpret the distance education industry by reporting
interstate activity previously not available.
Page 21
METHODOLOGY
In May 2020, NC-SARA sent email requests to the SARA institutional contacts at 2,100 institutions,
with a link to report fall 2019 distance education enrollment and calendar year 2019 OOSLP. The
online surveys were available between May 15 and June 30, 2020. NC-SARA received complete
responses from 2,088 institutions, for a response rate of 99.4%, compared to 99.5% in 2019. Due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, NC-SARA extended exemptions to eight institutions that reported staffing
hardships. Additionally, there were three institutions that provided partial responses and one
institution that did not report at all. All four institutions have provided assurances that they will
report in-full and on-time next year. None of these institutions had failed to report in previous years.
Annual reporting to NC-SARA is a mandatory part of participation, a fact contributing to the
consistently high response rate.
Unique Features of NC-SARA Data Reporting
While NC-SARA reporting relies on the existing IPEDS reporting schedules and definitions, there are
some unique features of NC-SARA reporting. These include:
• Beginning with 2018 reporting, in-state data is reported to reflect total distance education
enrollment more accurately. The Impact of Reporting In-State Distance Education Data section
of the report provides detail on how including in-state data affects relevant data trends.
• Participating institutions report distance education enrollment data for SARA and non-SARA
states. Each institution’s non-SARA state distance education enrollments are combined by NC-
SARA and reported in one field as non-SARA distance education enrollment.
• Beginning with 2018 reporting, OOSLP reporting was made mandatory. Recording these data
required many institutions to create processes for collecting the learning placement details
from various departments on their campuses. OOSLP data completeness and accuracy should
continue to improve in quality each year, just as the distance education enrollment data has.
• The guidelines for reporting military students to NC-SARA differ from the procedures defined
by IPEDS.
• The NC-SARA website (https://nc-sara.org/
) publishes detailed reporting of these data by
institution name. The published data reports are also available for download from the
website.
Page 22
REPORTING INSTITUTIONS
No new states or territories joined SARA during the reporting period. However, there was an increase
of 131 institutions participating in SARA during that time frame. Of the 2,088 complete responses
received, 106 institutions, or 5.1%, reported no distance education enrollment. Some institutions
report participating in SARA for the ability to offer out-of-state learning placements to their students.
NC-SARA received complete responses from
2,088 institutions during the 2019 reporting
window in the spring of 2020. The number of
institutions operating under SARA increased
6.7% from 1,969 in 2018 to 2,100 in 2019. The
commitment to completing data reporting, even
while the COVID-19 pandemic had shut down
many campuses, is a testament to the
commitment of the staff and leadership of
participating institutions. NC-SARA staff are
aware of and thankful for this level of
commitment.
The response rates for distance education
enrollment and OOSLP differ slightly. A total of three responses received were partial, completing
either distance education enrollment or OOSLP, but not both, and one institution failed to report.
These partial responses result is slightly different numbers of respondents for each data set.
Details of reporting are found in Figure 11.
Figure 11. Number of Reporting Institutions 2015-2019
Year
Number of
Institutions
Operating
Under SARA
Number of
Institutions
Reporting to NC-
SARA in Full
2015
867
846
2016
1,494
1,477
2017
1,804
1,791
2018
1,969
1,960
2019
2,100
2,088
THE COMMITMENT TO COMPLETING
DATA REPORTING, EVEN WHILE THE
COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAD SHUT
DOWN MANY CAMPUSES, IS A
TESTAMENT TO THE COMMITMENT
OF THE STAFF AND LEADERSHIP OF
PARTICIPATING INSTITUTIONS.
NC-SARA IS AWARE OF AND
THANKFUL FOR THIS LEVEL OF
COMMITMENT.
Page 23
Reporting Institutions by State
The number of institutions participating in SARA varies greatly by state. Texas currently has the most
participating institutions with 125, while the U.S. Virgin Islands currently has just one participating
institution.
Figures 12 and 13 illustrate institutional participation in SARA by state at the time of 2019 data
reporting in the spring of 2020.
Figure 12. Map of Reporting Institutions by State
Page 24
Figure 13. Reporting Institutions by State
State/
Territory
(A-M)
Total
Reporting
Institutions
State/
Territory
(N-Z)
Total
Reporting
Institutions
Alabama
39
Nebraska
25
Alaska
4
Nevada
9
Arizona 31
New
Hampshire 15
Arkansas
33
New Jersey
44
Colorado 43 New Mexico 21
Connecticut
29
New York
115
Delaware
4
North Carolina
82
District of
Columbia 12 North Dakota 14
Florida
86
Ohio
78
Georgia
78
Oklahoma
38
Hawaii
8
Oregon
32
Idaho
11
Pennsylvania
107
Illinois
95
Puerto Rico
18
Indiana
54
Rhode Island
8
Iowa
46
South Carolina
40
Kansas
44
South Dakota
17
Kentucky
41
Tennessee
58
Louisiana
26
Texas
125
Maine 19
US Virgin
Islands 1
Maryland
33
Utah
22
Massachusetts
48
Vermont
12
Michigan
61
Virginia
68
Massachusetts
48
Washington
40
Mississippi
30
West Virginia
28
Missouri
71
Wisconsin
47
Montana
11
Wyoming
8
Page 25
Reporting Institutions by Sector
Public institutions made up 51.2% (1,072) of all institutions reporting distance education enrollment to
NC-SARA for 2019. Private non-profit institutions represent 42.6% (890) and private for-profit
institutions account for 6.1% (127) of reporting institutions operating under SARA and reporting for
2019. In addition, two tribal institutions reported to NC-SARA for 2019, representing 0.1% of the total.
The total of 2,091 reporting institutions includes those institutions that reported data in at least one
survey.
Figures 14 and 15 display sector data for the reporting institutions.
Figure 14. Reporting Institutions by Sector for 2019
Figure 15. Reporting Institutions by Sector for 2019 – Data Table
Sector
Number of
Reporting
Institutions
Sector % of
Reporting
Institutions
Private
For-Profit 127 6.1%
Private
Non-Profit 890 42.6%
Public
1,072
51.2%
Tribal
2
0.1%
Totals
2,091
6.1%
42.6%
51.2%
0.1%
Private For-Profit 6.1%
Private Non-Profit 42.6%
Public 51.2%
Tribal 0.1%
Page 26
Regional Education Compacts Participation in SARA
The regional education compacts play an important role in the implementation of SARA. NC-SARA
works with the country’s four regional education compacts to implement uniform standards and
procedures for accepting and monitoring states membership in each of their respective regions: New
England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE), Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC),
Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), and Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
(WICHE).
This data report is the first time that reported data has been summarized by regional education
compact in the context of annual data reporting.
The map in Figure 16 and table in Figure 17 provide details regarding state and territory membership
and affiliation with regional education compacts for the purposes of SARA.
Figure 16. Map of Regional Education Compacts
Page 27
Figure 17. Participating States and Territories in Regional Education Compacts
Regional
Education Compact
Participating States/Territories
MHEC IL, IN, IA, KS, MN, MI, MO, NE, ND, OH, WI (11)
NEBHE
CT, ME, MA, NH, NJ*, NY*, RI, VT (8)
SREB
AL, AR, DC*, DE, FL, GA, KY, LA, MD, MS, NC, OK, PA*, PR*, SC, TN, TX, VI*, VA, WV
(20)
WICHE
AK, AZ, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, NM, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY (13)
*SARA Affiliate, not full compact member
The level of participation among institutions of higher education in the regional edcuation compacts is
of interest, as is the reported distance education enrollment reported by those institutions. For
purposes of this analysis, the total number of institutions reporting is 2,091. This number includes
three institutions that reported data in at least one of the online survey forms for 2019.
• SREB is the compact with the most SARA
participating institutions (947) as well as the
greatest proportion of reported distance
education enrollment at 42.6% (1,284,285).
• WICHE has 257 SARA participating
institutions and reported 25% of total
reported distance education enrollment
(753,567).
• MHEC has 597 participating SARA institutions
and accounted for 21.7% of reported distance
education enrollment (655,340).
• NEBHE is the smallest compact in terms of
SARA participation with 290 institutions and
10.7% of reported distance education enrollment (323,752).
Figures 18 and 19 summarize these data for 2019 for each of the regional education compacts.
WICHE MEMBER INSTITUTIONS
REPORTED 25% OF TOTAL
ENROLLMENT, BUT JUST 12.3% OF
PARTICIPATING INSTITUTIONS. THIS
MAKES SENSE GIVEN THAT THERE
ARE SEVERAL LARGE INSTITUTIONS
THAT ARE FOCUSED ON DISTANCE
EDUCATION IN THE WICHE STATES.
Page 28
Figure 18. 2019 Regional Education Compacts Participation in SARA
Figure 19. 2019 Regional Education Compacts Participation in SARA – Data Table
Regional
Education
Compact
Number of
Reporting
Institutions
in Compact
Compact %
of
Participating
Institutions
Total
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
(with in-state
enrollment)
Compact %
of Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
MHEC 597 28.5% 655,340 21.7%
NEBHE 290 13.9% 323,752 10.7%
SREB 947 45.3% 1,284,285 42.6%
WICHE 257 12.3% 753,567 25.0%
Totals 2,091 100.0% 3,016,944 100.0%
Analysis of institutional participation by regional education compacts is informed by an understanding
of the history of when each state joined SARA. In many cases, legislation needed to be passed to pave
the way for SARA membership. No new state or territories joined SARA in 2019.
In 2016, MHEC had the greatest institutional participation with 344 institutions representing 40.7% of
the total. SREB was a close second with 301 institutions or 35.6% of the reporting institutions in the
inaugural year of reporting. By the 2019 reporting window, SREB institutions accounted for 45.3% of
12.3%
45.3%
13.9%
28.5%
25.0%
42.6%
10.7%
21.7%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0%
WICHE
SREB
NEBHE
MHEC
Compact % of Total Enrollment Compact % of Participating Institutions
Page 29
the total. SREB is the largest compact with 20 states that are either members or affiliated for
purposes of SARA.
There were just 30 NEBHE institutions participating in SARA in 2016, but that number has grown to
290 or 13.9%. WICHE has the lowest participation rate in 2019 with 257 institutions or 12.3%. Figure
20 documents the year that member states and territories joined SARA as well as the total reporting
institutions per regional compact in 2016 and 2019. There were no new states or territories joining
SARA in 2019.
Figure 20. Regional Education Compacts Participation 2016 and 2019
Regional
Education
Compact
2016
Participating
States
States
that
Joined
SARA in
2017
States
that
Joined
SARA in
2018
2016
Number of
Reporting
Institutions
in Compact
2016
Compact
% of
Participating
Institutions
2019
Number of
Reporting
Institutions
in Compact
2019
Compact
% of
Participating
Institutions
MHEC
IL, IN, IA, KS,
MN, MI, MO,
NE, ND, OH,
WI
344 40.7% 597 28.5%
NEBHE
CT, ME, NH,
NJ*, NY*, RI,
VT
MA 30 3.5% 290 13.9%
SREB
AL, AR, DC*,
DE, FL, GA,
KY, LA, MD,
MS, NC, OK,
PA*, SC, TN,
TX, VA, WV
FL
VI*
PR* 301 35.6% 947 45.3%
WICHE
AK, AZ, CO, HI,
ID, MT, NV,
NM, OR, SD,
UT, WA, WY
171 20.2% 257 12.3%
Totals 846 100.0% 2,091 100.0%
*SARA Affiliate, not full compact member
Page 30
DISTANCE EDUCATION ENROLLMENT FINDINGS
Distance education enrollment reporting has been a mandatory requirement for institutions operating
under SARA since 2015. The inaugural distance education enrollment reporting window was in May,
2016, and was considered a pilot; the data were not reported beyond a note to the community from
the NC-SARA Executive Director.
4
This section of the report focuses on reported distance education
enrollment. The reporting is based on the institutions’ EF reported to IPEDS. Specifically, institutions
report student enrollment exclusively in distance education courses (EDE) disaggregated by state.
IPEDS has been requiring institutions to report fall distance education enrollment since 2012. It is
worth noting that fall distance education enrollment is less than half of all distance education
enrollment for most institutions, representing just the fall term. Therefore, the reported distance
education enrollment is not representative of annual distance education activity, though it is the
industry standard.
Total Distance Education Enrollment Reported
Total fall 2019 distance education enrollment reported is 3,016,944, an increase of 7.5% over the
enrollment reported for 2018 (2,806,382). In-state distance education enrollment comprised 53.7%
(1,621,188) of all reported distance education
enrollment this year, while out-of-state
reporting comprised 46.3% (1,395,756). These
data are displayed in Figure 21.
Since SARA is focused on distance education
across state lines, the total out-of-state
distance education enrollment of 1,395,756 will
be used in reporting on topics related to SARA.
Out-of-state distance education enrollment has
been reported since 2015.
4
Hill, M.( 2016) 2016 Inaugural Enrollments Reporting, (9/22/2016), NC-SARA Website (retrieved 10/12/20),
https://nc-sara.org/resources/2016-inaugural-enrollments-reporting
TOTAL DISTANCE EDUCATION
ENROLLMENT REPORTED TO NC-SARA
INCREASED 7.5% FROM 2,806,382 FOR
2018 TO 3,016,944 FOR 2019.
Page 31
Figure 21. Total Distance Education Enrollment Reported for 2019
Total Distance Education Enrollment Reported by Sector
Analysis of distance education enrollment and institutional sector data reported for 2019 reveal
important differences between the sectors. Private for-profit institutions account for 6.1% of reporting
institutions operating under SARA and 16.7% of reported distance education enrollment. These
institutions are likely to have interstate program delivery as a key part of their mission and a
marketing budget to support those efforts. Private non-profit institutions represent 42.6% of all
institutions and 30.6% of reported distance education enrollment. Public institutions comprised 51.2%
of all institutions reporting to NC-SARA and 52.7% of total reported distance education enrollment. A
public institution’s mission is generally to serve the students in its state. Two tribal institutions
reported to NC-SARA for 2019, representing 0.1% of the total institutions and 499 reported distance
education enrollments.
These data are provided in Figures 22 and 23.
53.7%,
1,621,188
46.3%,
1,395,756
In-State Enrollment
Out-of-State Enrollment
Total Enrollment = 3,016,944
Page 32
Figure 22. 2019 Reporting Institutions and Total Distance Education Enrollment by Sector (with
in-state enrollment)
Figure 23. 2019 Reported Institutions and Total Distance Education Enrollment by Sector (with
in-state enrollment) – Data Table
Sector
Total
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
% of Total
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Number of
Institutions
Reporting
% of Total
Institutions
Reporting
Private
For-Profit
502,263 16.7% 127 6.1%
Private
Non-Profit
924,463 30.6% 890 42.6%
Public
1,589,719 52.7% 1,071 51.2%
Tribal
499 0.0% 2 0.1%
Total
3,016,944
100.0%
2,090
100.0%
SARA and Non-SARA Distance Education Enrollment
Institutions operating under SARA reported 1,395,756 out-of-state distance education enrollments,
90.7% in SARA states and 9.3% in non-SARA states. The graphic and table in Figures 24 and 25
present the distance education enrollment data for 2019 for SARA and non-SARA out-of-state distance
education enrollment. The proportion of distance education enrollment from SARA states remained
consistent from 2018 to 2019 at 90.7%.
0.1%
51.2%
42.6%
6.1%
0.0%
52.7%
30.6%
16.7%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0%
Tribal
Public
Private Non-Profit
Private For-Profit
% of Total Reported Enrollment % of Total Number of Institutions Reporting
Page 33
Figure 24. 2019 Reported SARA and Non-SARA Distance Education Enrollment (out-of-state
distance education enrollment only)
Figure 25. 2019 Reported SARA and Non-SARA Distance Education Enrollment (out-of-state
distance education enrollment only) – Data Table
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
in SARA
States
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment in
Non-SARA
States
Total Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Reported
Distance Education
Enrollment
1,265,470 130,286 1,395,756
Distance Education
Enrollment %
90.7%
9.3%
100.0%
Out-of-State Distance Education Enrollment by Sector
Out-of-state distance education enrollment is the measure of distance education activity that NC-
SARA has been collecting since 2015. As has been the case in previous years, private non-profit
institutions reported the largest out-of-state distance education enrollment with 44.4% of the total;
private for-profit institutions reported 33.1% and public institutions reported 22.5% of the out-of-state
distance education enrollment. The tribal institutions reported 43 out-of-state distance education
enrollments, or 0%. The number of reporting institutions per sector are also reported to provide
context. These data are in Figures 26 and 27.
90.7%
9.3%
Reported SARA
Enrollment, 1,265,470
Reported Non-SARA
Enrollment, 130,286
Total Out-of-State Distance Education Enrollment = 1,395,756
Page 34
Figure 26. 2019 Reporting Institutions and Out-of-State Distance Education Enrollment by
Sector
Figure 27. 2019 Reporting Institutions and Out-of-State Distance Education Enrollment by
Sector – Data Table
Sector
Reported Out-
of-State
Distance
Education
Enrollment
% of Reported
Out-Of-State
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Number of
Institutions
Reporting
Distance
Education
Enrollment
% of
Institutions
Reporting
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Private
For-Profit
461,252 33.1% 127 6.1%
Private
Non-Profit
620,123 44.4% 890 42.6%
Public
314,338
22.5%
1,071
51.2%
Tribal
43
0.0%
2
0.1%
Total 1,395,756 100.0% 2,090 100.0%
Impact of Reporting In-State Distance Education Enrollment Data
In-state distance education enrollment represents 53.7% of all reported distance education
enrollment reported for 2019. Reporting in-state distance education enrollment began in 2018 to
provide a more complete picture of the distance education activity in institutions participating in
SARA.
0.1%
51.2%
42.6%
6.1%
0.0%
22.5%
44.4%
33.1%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0%
Tribal
Public
Private Non-Profit
Private For-Profit
% Sector Enrollment % of Institutions Reporting
Page 35
Sector Analysis of Distance Education Enrollment Data
Analysis of the distance education enrollment data reveals considerable variation among the sectors
when in-state and out-of-state distance education enrollment are examined. Public institutions
represent 78.7% of reported in-state distance
education enrollment, dwarfing the other two
sectors.
Out-of-state distance education enrollment is
dominated by the private non-profit sector with
44.4%, while private for-profits reported 33.1%
of out-of-state distance education enrollment.
The mission of institutions drives their distance
education activity. Analysis of distance
education enrollment by sector is important to
glean the complete picture of distance education activity among participating SARA institutions.
Figures 28 and 29 summarize in-state and out-of-state distance education enrollment by sector.
Analysis of distance education enrollment by sector over time is available in the Distance Education
Enrollment Data Trends section of this report.
Figure 28. 2019 Reported Distance Education Enrollment by Sector
33.1%
44.4%
22.5%
0.0%
2.5%
18.8%
78.7%
0.0%
16.7%
30.6%
52.7%
0.0%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
Private For-Profit Private Non-Profit Public Tribal
% Out-of-State % In-State % Total Enrollment
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS REPRESENT
JUST 22.5% OF OUT-OF-STATE
DISTANCE EDUCATION ENROLLMENT
BUT DWARF THE OTHER TWO
SECTORS WITH 78.7% OF REPORTED
IN-STATE DISTANCE EDUCATION
ENROLLMENT.
Page 36
Figure 29. 2019 Reported Distance Education Enrollment by Sector – Data Table
Sector
Reported
Out-of-State
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Sector % of
Out-of-State
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Reported
In-State
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Sector % of
In-State
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Total
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Sector % of
Total
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Private
For-Profit
461,252 33.1% 41,011 2.5% 502,263 16.7%
Private
Non-Profit
620,123 44.4% 304,340 18.8% 924,463 30.6%
Public 314,338 22.5% 1,275,381 78.7% 1,589,719 52.7%
Tribal 43 0.0% 456 0.0% 499 0.0%
Totals
1,395,756
100.0%
1,621,188
100.0%
3,016,944
100.0%
Comparison of reported distance education enrollment data for 2018 and 2019 illuminates the
remarkable consistency among the sectors year over year. The 2018 findings include: public 79.8%
(in-state), private non-profit 44.2% (out-of-state), and private for-profit 33.9% (out-of-state). The
stability in the sectors over time supports the assertion that SARA participation among institutions
has become part of the way they do business. There is steady growth as institutions continue to apply
to participate under SARA, even as no new states or territories have joined. It is also evident that
most of the large, distance education focused, institutions are already participating under SARA and
continue to renew each year.
Figure 30 displays distance education enrollment data by sector reported for 2018 and 2019; the data
table in Figure 31 provides details of 2018 distance education enrollment sector analysis.
Page 37
Figure 30. 2018 - 2019 Reported Distance Education Enrollment by Sector
Figure 31. 2018 Reported Distance Education Enrollment by Sector – Data Table
Sector
Reported
Out-of-State
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Sector % of
Out-of-State
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Reported
In-State
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Sector % of
In-State
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Total
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Sector % of
Total
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Private
For-Profit
437,090 33.9% 38,415 2.5% 475,505 16.9%
Private
Non-Profit
569,364 44.2% 267,280 17.6% 836,644 29.8%
Public 282,383 21.9% 1,211,349 79.8% 1,493,732 53.2%
Tribal 15 0.0% 486 0.0% 501 0.0%
Totals
1,288,852
100.0%
1,517,530
100.0%
2,806,382
100.0%
0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
21.9%
79.8%
53.2%
22.5%
78.7%
52.7%
44.2%
17.6%
29.8%
44.4%
18.8%
30.6%
33.9%
2.5%
16.9%
33.1%
2.5%
16.7%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
2018 Out-of-
State
2018 % In-
State
2018 Sector
Total
2019 % Out-of-
State
2019 % In-
State
2019 % Sector
Total
Tribal Public Private Non-Profit Private For-Profit
Page 38
STATE SUMMARY DISTANCE EDUCATION ENROLLMENT DATA
Institutions operating under SARA report their distance education enrollments by state. The distance
education enrollment data reported by institutions operating under SARA are available on the NC-
SARA website.
State-Level Distance Education Enrollment Reporting
Figure 34 compiles SARA and non-SARA state distance education enrollment for institutions in each
SARA state reporting for 2019. These data do not include in-state distance education enrollment.
Although total distance education enrollment data are important in general, the focus of SARA is
distance education activity
across state lines.
To interpret these data, as an example, Alabama’s institutions participating in SARA reported
enrolling 31,169 students in SARA states (not including Alabama) and 2,124 students in non-SARA
states, for a total distance education enrollment of 33,293 out-of-state students reported. The states
and territories that are not currently participating in SARA are listed on page 15 of this report. This
answers the question, “Where are my state’s institutions enrolling students?” In addition, 22,208
student distance education enrollments from Alabama were reported by SARA institutions located in
other SARA states or territories. This answers the question, “Who is enrolling students located in my
state?” Essentially, these are two different ways of looking at the reported data. The maps in Figures
32 and 33 and data table in Figure 34 provide details of distance education enrollment for member
states.
State-level distance education enrollment reporting has also been prepared reporting total distance
education data for each state that includes in-state distance education enrollment. Total State-Level
Distance Education Enrollment Reporting is available in Appendix C.
Page 39
Figure 32. 2019 Map of Reported Out-of-State Distance Education Enrollment
Answers the Question, “Which states are enrolling the most out-of-state students?”
Figure 33. 2019 Map of Reported Distance Education Enrollment in State from Other SARA
Institutions
Answers the question, “Which states are sending the most students to other states?”
Page 40
Figure 34. 2019 Reported State Level Distance Education Enrollment (out-of-state only)
State/
District/
Territory
Total
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
in SARA
States/
Territory
Total Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment in
Non-SARA
States/
Territory
Total
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Distance
Education
Enrollment in
State Reported
by Other SARA
Institutions
Alabama
31,169
2,124
33,293
22,208
Alaska
505
69
574
6,348
Arizona
203,774
38,866
242,640
21,958
Arkansas
4,331
156
4,487
13,701
Colorado
57,414
6,321
63,735
25,076
Connecticut
10,245
588
10,833
16,360
Delaware
5,780
464
6,244
4,940
District of Columbia
58,272
1,344
59,616
4,135
Florida
43,363
3,842
47,205
86,119
Georgia
43,762
4,147
47,909
73,264
Hawaii
299
328
627
8,971
Idaho
14,392
2,546
16,938
9,243
Illinois
35,280
3,014
38,294
48,027
Indiana
54,911
3,339
58,250
24,200
Iowa
9,985
630
10,615
11,715
Kansas
16,523
1,042
17,565
11,239
Kentucky
21,530
1,873
23,403
18,375
Page 41
State/
District/
Territory
Total
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
in SARA
States/
Territory
Total Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment in
Non-SARA
States/
Territory
Total
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Distance
Education
Enrollment in
State Reported
by Other SARA
Institutions
Louisiana
8,073
499
8,572
20,857
Maine
4,328
285
4,613
5,551
Maryland
15,588
1,822
17,410
36,817
Massachusetts
13,766
1,425
15,191
23,778
Michigan
6,542
474
7,016
32,987
Minnesota
46,011
3,406
49,417
17,053
Mississippi
4,138
158
4,296
15,814
Missouri
22,085
1,664
23,749
25,139
Montana
1,064
198
1,262
5,361
Nebraska
12,679
1,197
13,876
5,839
Nevada
797
594
1,391
18,256
New Hampshire
95,736
6,883
102,619
5,105
New Jersey
7,668
846
8,514
38,143
New Mexico
4,524
549
5,073
10,086
New York
32,312
2,468
34,780
53,316
North Carolina
5,409
399
5,808
63,082
North Dakota 4,714 323
5,037
3,975
Ohio
35,786
4,506
40,292
47,287
Page 42
State/
District/
Territory
Total
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
in SARA
States/
Territory
Total Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment in
Non-SARA
States/
Territory
Total
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Distance
Education
Enrollment in
State Reported
by Other SARA
Institutions
Oklahoma
6,245
252
6,497
15,182
Oregon
9,733
2,427
12,160
14,885
Pennsylvania
27,484
2,458
29,942
51,564
Puerto Rico
2,418
42
2,460
1,324
Rhode Island
2,038
66
2,104
4,800
South Carolina
2,877
112
2,989
34,137
South Dakota
3,070
173
3,243
3,728
Tennessee
8,585
294
8,879
35,314
Texas
15,402
3,040
18,442
118,661
U.S. Virgin Islands
18
3
21
612
Utah
128,787
14,228
143,015
13,251
Vermont
3,695
292
3,987
2,815
Virginia
67,326
3,558
70,884
55,982
Washington
3,435
890
4,325
46,253
West Virginia
44,035
3,616
47,651
8,752
Wisconsin
7,105
417
7,522
19,299
Wyoming
462
29
491
4,586
Totals
1,265,470
130,286
1,395,756
1,265,470
Page 43
Top Ten Institutions by Size of Reported Distance Education Enrollment
The institutions that reported the largest distance education enrollment for 2019 are Western
Governors University, Southern New Hampshire University, and University of Phoenix. The reported
distance education enrollment data include in-state distance education enrollment since the total
distance education activity is of interest.
The ten institutions with the largest reported distance education enrollment combined represent
23.3% (702,447) of total distance education enrollments reported to NC-SARA.
The inclusion of in-state distance education enrollment results in larger distance education
enrollment reported for all institutions. It allows large institutions that primarily serve in-state
students to be included. This year, two public institutions are in the top ten institutions by size of
reported distance education enrollment. These ten institutions are reported in Figure 35.
Figure 35. Top Ten Institutions by Size of 2019 Reported Distance Education Enrollment
Institution Name
State
Sector
Reported
SARA State
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Reported
Non-SARA
State
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Total
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Western Governors
University UT
Private Non-
Profit 122,992
12,451
135,443
Southern New Hampshire
University NH
Private Non-
Profit 98,533
6,666
105,199
University of Phoenix AZ
Private For-
Profit 80,240
13,631
93,871
Grand Canyon University AZ
Private Non-
Profit 64,135
10,768
74,903
Liberty University VA
Private Non-
Profit 66,731
2,865
69,596
Strayer University DC
Private For-
Profit 50,543
664
51,207
University of Maryland
Global Campus MD Public 45,343
632
45,975
Arizona State University
AZ
Public
33,813
9,483
43,296
American Public University
System
WV
Private For-
Profit
39,476
3,265
42,741
Ashworth College GA
Private For-
Profit 37,195 3,021
40,216
Page 44
Top Three Private Non-Profit Institutions
Private non-profit institutions represent four of the top ten institutions that reported distance
education enrollments to NC-SARA for 2019. The table in Figure 36 provides details for the three
private non-profit institutions that reported the largest distance education enrollment for 2019,
including in-state distance education enrollment.
Figure 36. Top Three Private Non-Profit Institutions – 2019 Reported Distance Education
Enrollment
Institution Name
State
Reported
SARA State
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Reported
Non-SARA
State
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Total
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Western Governors University
UT
122,992
12,451
135,443
Southern New Hampshire
University NH 98,533 6,666 105,199
Grand Canyon University
AZ
64,135
10,768
74,903
Top Three Private For-Profit Institutions
Private for-profit institutions represent four of the top ten institutions that reported distance
education enrollment to NC-SARA for 2019. Figure 37 provides details for the three private for-profit
institutions that reported the largest distance education enrollment for 2019, including in-state
distance education enrollment.
Figure 37. Top Three Private For-Profit Institutions – 2019 Reported Distance Education
Enrollment
Institution Name
State
Reported
SARA State
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Reported
Non-SARA
State
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Total
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
University of Phoenix AZ. 80,240
13,631
93,871
Strayer University DC 50,543
664
51,207
American Public University
System WV 39,476
3,265
42,741
Page 45
Top Three Public Institutions
The addition of in-state distance education enrollment reporting provides a clearer picture of the
distance education activity in public institutions since they generally serve in-state students. The
public institutions ranked by the highest reported distance education enrollment are found in Figure
38.
Figure 38. Top Three Public Institutions – 2019 Reported Distance Education Enrollment
Institution Name
State
Reported
SARA State
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Reported
Non-SARA
State
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Total
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
University of Maryland Global
Campus
MD
45,343
632
45,975
Arizona State University
AZ
33,813
9,483
43,296
Purdue University Global, Inc. IN 35,611 1,746 37,357
Page 46
IPEDS AND NC-SARA COMPARISONS
Analysis of the available IPEDS data for institutions operating under SARA has been part of the data
reporting since 2017; fall 2018 is the most recent IPEDS fall distance education enrollment data
available. The NC-SARA total reported distance education enrollment of 3,016,445 (excluding 499
distance education enrollments reported by tribal institutions) for fall 2019 is 91.9% of the 3,281,661
students enrolled exclusively in distance education courses reported through IPEDS EF in 2018.
5
This
is despite the fact that NC-SARA represents just 2,100 institutions, 44.3% of the total number of
institutions reporting to IPEDS in the fall of 2018 (4,734). The institutions choosing to operate under
SARA are likely to be involved in distance education and OOSLP. There are a small number of
institutions that report to NC-SARA and not to IPEDS. The IPEDS data are from the fall of 2018 (most
current year available) so this is not an exact comparison.
Sector analysis reveals public institutions represent 55.4% of institutions reporting distance
education enrollment to IPEDS and 52.7% for NC-SARA. NC-SARA continues to have a higher
proportion of private non-profits (30.6%
compared to 25.7% for IPEDS); NC-SARA has
fewer reported distance education enrollments
by private for-profits (16.7% compared to 18.9%
reported to IPEDS). Tribal institutions are
categorized in IPEDS as having a special
mission, not as a sector. Therefore, tribal
institutions are not included in this IPEDS
comparison. Figures 39 and 40 compare IPEDS
and NC-SARA distance education enrollment by
sector.
5
NCES Fast Facts Distance Learning, n.d. https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=80, retrieved
9/24/2020.
REPORTED FALL 2019 NC-SARA
DISTANCE EDUCATION DATA ALIGNS
WITH FALL 2018 IPEDS DATA IN
TERMS OF SECTORS AND
REPRESENTS APPROXIMATELY 92%
OF EXCLUSIVELY DISTANCE
EDUCATION ENROLLMENT REPORTED
TO IPEDS.
Page 47
Figure 39. 2018 Fall IPEDS Reported Exclusively Distance Education Enrollment Compared to
2019 Fall NC-SARA Reported Distance Education Enrollment
Figure 40. 2018 Fall IPEDS Reported Exclusively Distance Education Enrollment Compared to
2019 Fall NC-SARA Reported Distance Education Enrollment – Data Table
Sector
2018 Fall IPEDS
Exclusively
Distance Education
Enrollment
2018 Fall IPEDS
Sector Distance
Education
Enrollment as %
of Total
2019 Fall
NC-SARA
Distance
Education
Enrollment
NC-SARA
Sector
Distance
Education
Enrollment as
% of Total
Public
1,806,382
55.4%
1,589,719
52.7%
Private
Non-Profit
837,479
25.7% 924,463 30.6%
Private
For-Profit
614,126
18.9% 502,263 16.7%
Totals
3,257,987 100.0% 3,016,445* 100.0%
*NC-SARA reported distance education enrollment total reduced by 499, the total distance education
enrollment reported by tribal institutions. IPEDS does not recognize tribal as a sector.
55.4%
25.7%
18.9%
52.7%
30.6%
16.7%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
Public Private Non-Profit Private For-Profit
IPEDS Sector Enrollment as % of Total
NC-SARA Sector Enrollment as % of Total
Page 48
DISTANCE EDUCATION ENROLLMENT DATA TRENDS: 2015 through 2019
NC-SARA has been collecting distance education enrollment data since 2016, when reporting was
piloted for 2015 data. This section reports distance education enrollment trends over the five years of
data collection. The data reflect distance education enrollment growth as institutions apply to
participate under SARA. These trends reflect the fact that states must first act to join SARA through
an application to a regional compact. Once the state is approved to operate under SARA, institutions
in that state may apply to participate in SARA.
Number of States Participating in SARA
States began joining SARA in 2014. Figure 41 shows the number of states that joined SARA each year
and the total number of states that are members of SARA; the annual membership data are also in
the data table in Figure 43.
Figure 41. Number of SARA States 2015-2019
Number of Institutions Reporting
The number of reporting institutions grew 6.5%, from 1,960 in 2018 to 2,088 in 2019. This relative
plateau in the growth of reporting institutions is expected, since no new states have joined SARA in
the past year. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic may be discernable in the number of institutions
that will report 2020 data in 2021 to NC-SARA. Figures 42 and 43 provide details regarding
institutional participation in SARA over the period.
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
15 15
2 2
0
18
33
48
50
52
Number of States/Territores that Joined
Total Number of SARA States/Territories
Page 49
Figure 42. Number of Institutions Reporting Distance Education Enrollment to NC-SARA 2015-
2019
Figure 43. Number of States and Institutions Reporting Distance Education Enrollment to NC-
SARA 2015-2019
Number of
Member
States
Number of
Institutions
Reporting to
NC-SARA
% Increase
Institutions
from Prior
Year
2015
18
867
2016
33
1,477
70.4%
2017
48
1,791
21.3%
2018
50
1,960
9.4%
2019
52
2,088
6.5%
Reported SARA and Non-SARA Distance Education Enrollment
To examine the change in the proportion of SARA and non-SARA distance education enrollment over
time, only out-of-state distance education enrollment is included. The proportion of SARA distance
education enrollment has increased over time, until 2018. This increase is expected given that during
the first three years of reporting, states continued to join SARA, allowing the institutions within them
to apply for participation. Between 2018 and 2019, the proportion of reported SARA distance
education enrollment remained consistent at 90.7%, though the number of reported distance
education enrollments continued to increase over the period. Figures 44 through 46 provide details of
SARA and non-SARA distance education enrollment over time.
2,088
1,960
1,791
1,477
867
0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
Page 50
Figure 44. Reported SARA and Non-SARA Distance Education Enrollment 2015-2019 (out-of-
state only)
Figure 45. Proportion of Reported SARA Distance Education Enrollment 2015-2019 (out-of-state
only)
1,265,470
1,168,724
1,084,008
970,548
697,618
130,286
120,128
141,014
200,177
159,685
- 200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 1,000,000 1,200,000 1,400,000 1,600,000
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
Reported SARA Enrollment Reported Non-SARA Enrollment
90.7%
90.7%
88.5%
82.9%
81.4%
9.3%
9.3%
11.5%
17.1%
18.6%
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
Reported SARA Enrollment % Reported Non-SARA Enrollment %
Page 51
Figure 46. Reported SARA and Non-SARA Distance Education Enrollment 2015-2019
Year
Reported
SARA
Distance
Education
Enrollment
% Reported
SARA
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Reported
Non-SARA
Distance
Education
Enrollment
% Reported
Non-SARA
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Total
Reported
Out-of-State
Distance
Education
Enrollment
% Change
from Prior
Year Total
Distance
Education
Enrollment
2015
697,618
81.4%
159,685
18.6%
857,303
2016
970,548
82.9%
200,177
17.1%
1,170,725
36.6%
2017
1,084,008
88.5%
141,014
11.5%
1,225,022
4.6%
2018
1,168,724
90.7%
120,128
9.3%
1,288,852
5.2%
2019
1,265,470
90.7%
130,286
9.3%
1,395,756
8.3%
Changes in Reported Distance Education Enrollment by Sector
To accurately compare sectors over time, only out-of-state distance education enrollment is included.
Sector data are not available for the 2015 pilot reporting period; therefore, this analysis begins with
2016. Sector analysis reveals:
• Public institutions’ proportion of reported distance education enrollment, increasing from
17.3% in 2016 to 22.5% in 2017, remaining steady at about 22% from 2018 to 2019.
• Private non-profits initially showed a large increase from 33% in 2016 to 41.4% in 2017, then
leveling off to 44% in 2018 and 2019.
• For-profit institutions have declined over the period from 49.7% in 2016 to 33% in 2019.
• Two tribal institutions currently participate in SARA and jointly reported 499 distance
education enrollments, or 0.0% of the total.
Figure 47 shows the proportion of out-of-state distance education enrollment by sector over time.
Page 52
Figure 47. Reported Distance Education Enrollment by Sector 2016-2019 – by Percentage (out-
of-state only)
In addition to differences in the proportional representation of the sectors, reported out-of-state
distance education enrollment also grew consistently between 2016 and 2019. Figures 48 and 49
present relative distance education enrollments by sector as well as the growth in total reported out-
of-state distance education enrollment for the period 2016-2019. No new states joined SARA in 2019,
but institutions continued to apply and be accepted to participate.
Figure 48. Reported Distance Education Enrollment by Sector: 2016-2019 – by Totals (out-of-
state only)
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
2016 Sector % 2017 Sector % 2018 Sector % 2019 Sector %
17.3%
22.5%
21.9%
22.5%
33.0%
41.4%
44.2%
44.4%
49.7%
36.1%
33.9%
33.0%
Public Private Non-Profit Private For-Profit Tribal
314,338
282,383
275,518
202,707
620,123
569,364
507,309
385,978
461,252
437,090
442,189
582,040
43
15
6
-
- 200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 1,000,000 1,200,000 1,400,000 1,600,000
2019
2018
2017
2016
Public Private Non-Profit Private For-Profit Tribal
1,395,756
1,288,852
1,225,022
1,170,725
Total Reported
Enrollment
Page 53
Figure 49. Reported Distance Education Enrollment by Sector: 2016-2019 – Data Table (with In-
State Distance Education Enrollment)
Sector
2016
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
2016
Sector%
2017
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
2017
Sector
%
2018
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
2018
Sector %
2019
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
2019
Sector %
Public
202,707 17.3% 275,518 22.5% 282,383 21.9% 314,338 22.5%
Private
Non-
Profit
385,978 33.0% 507,309 41.4% 569,364 44.2% 620,123 44.4%
Private
For-
Profit
582,040 49.7% 442,189 36.1% 437,090 33.9% 461,252 33.1%
Tribal
0
0.0%
6
0.0%
15
0.0%
43
0.0%
Totals
1,170,725
100.0%
1,225,022
100.0%
1,288,852
100.0%
1,395,756
100.0%
Changes in Distance Education Enrollment by Sector Over Time
Institutional participation in SARA increased between the initial required data reporting in 2016 and
2019. Reported out-of-state distance education enrollment increased 19.2% over the period as states
became members and institutions applied and were approved to participate in SARA.
When these same data are examined by
sector, some interesting trends become
evident for out-of-state data. Private non-
profits reported the largest increase,
60.7%, in reported distance education
enrollment over the period, followed by
public institutions with a 55.1% increase.
Private for-profit institutions reported a
decline of 20.8% in reported distance
education enrollment over the period.
Some of the differences in sectors over time may be attributable to institutions with large distance
education enrollment that changed sectors through mergers and acquisitions over the period. Figures
50 and 51 provide details regarding the reported out-of-state distance education enrollment changes
over the period.
THE REPORTED DECLINE IN FOR-PROFIT
DISTANCE EDUCATION ENROLLMENT
ALIGNS WITH OTHER INDUSTRY
REPORTING ON THIS TREND. IT IS OFFSET
BY STEADY INCREASES IN THE PUBLIC AND
NON-PROFIT SECTORS OVER TIME.
Page 54
Figure 50. Changes in Reported Out-of-State Distance Education Enrollment by Sector 2016-
2019
Figure 51. Changes in Reported Out-of-State Distance Education Enrollment by Sector 2016-
2019 – Data Table
Sector
2016 Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
2019 Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Change in
Distance
Education
Enrollment
2016-2019
% Change in Distance
Education Enrollment
2016-2019
Public
202,707
314,338
111,631
55.1%
Private
Non-Profit 385,978 620,123 234,145 60.7%
Private
For-Profit 582,040 461,252 (120,788) -20.8%
Tribal
0
43
43
n/a
Totals
1,170,725
1,395,756
225,031
19.2%
55.1%
60.7%
-20.8%
19.2%
-30.0%
-20.0%
-10.0%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
Public Private Non-Profit Private For-Profit Totals
Page 55
Insights from Distance Education Enrollment Reporting
Institutional data reporting is an important responsibility of institutions of higher education. The
institutional research professionals responsible for gathering and reporting these data must keep up
with ever-changing requirements. NC-SARA sought to reduce the burden of distance education
enrollment reporting by basing it on existing required EF IPEDS Distance Education reporting. NC-
SARA has also made the reporting window consistent each year to assist institutional staff in
planning their SARA data reporting in conjunction with their other reporting requirements.
While the consistency of SARA reporting with IPEDS is a benefit, NC-SARA reporting is also affected
by persistent confusion about IPEDS distance education definitions. Over time, institutional staff have
learned what is expected in NC-SARA reporting. This is evidenced by a reduction in comments
reporting confusion about reporting requirements related to IPEDS definitions. The proportion of
reported comments in the distance education enrollment survey addressing IPEDS has declined from
51.7% for 2016 to 29.5% for 2019. Many institutions use the comments field to provide information on
any discrepancy between distance education enrollment reported to IPEDS and the data reported to
NC-SARA. This attention to detail is indicative of how seriously many institutions take their reporting
responsibility.
The hard work of NC-SARA staff, regional education compact staff, and State Portal Entities to
improve the process, the online survey forms, and communication about annual reporting are
contributing to this improvement.
Page 56
OUT-OF-STATE LEARNING PLACEMENTS
Background
Beginning in 2018, the NC-SARA annual reporting included mandatory reporting of out-of-state
learning placements (OOSLP) in addition to distance education enrollment. This section of the report
focuses on reported OOSLP.
Learning Placements Defined
As defined in the 2020 Data Reporting Handbook
6
, learning placements (clinical rotations, student
teaching, internships, etc.) are a critical component of many instructional programs. Although
learning placements occur in a variety of disciplines, they are particularly common in certain fields,
such as health-related disciplines and education. They are often a required part of obtaining a degree
and/or license to practice a particular profession. It is important to note that reporting includes on-
ground students as well as distance education students’ OOSLP.
While many of such learning placements, for
most institutions, are made through their
academic programs and are likely located in
the same state as the institution, placements
do occur across state lines. In making such
placements, institutions are obliged to comply
with the relevant laws, rules, and regulations
of the state in which such placements are
made. Rules and regulations on such matters may be those of a state education agency or may come
from a professional licensure board located in the state where the placement is made.
Classification of Instructional Programs
According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the Classification of Instructional
Programs (CIP) provides a taxonomic scheme that supports the accurate tracking and reporting of
fields of study and program completion activity
7
. Developed by NCES in 1980, the CIP has been
revised five times, most recently in 2019 for use in 2020. The updated 2020 CIP Codes had non-
substantive changes to three titles: #12, #15, and #31. In all three cases, an additional word was
added to the category title. Beginning with the 2020 NC-SARA data reporting, the 2020 CIP Codes will
be used for data collection. The 2010 CIP Codes were used for reporting 2019 OOSLP. It is also
important to note that OOSLP are reported for the calendar year; 2019 OOSLP were reported to NC-
SARA during the reporting window in the spring of 2020.
6
NC-SARA Data Reporting Handbook 2020, p. 16-17.
7
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). (n.d.) Retrieved from NCES Website.
https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/Default.aspx?y=56
, retrieved 9/21/2020.
OUT-OF-STATE LEARNING PLACEMENT
REPORTING INCLUDES ON-GROUND
STUDENTS AS WELL AS DISTANCE
EDUCATION STUDENTS.
Page 57
The highest order of the taxonomy has 47 two-digit CIP codes that represent program areas. Each
program area code is further subdivided, using either two digits (xx), four digits (xx.xx), or six digits
(xx.xxxx). Figure 52 is a screen shot that illustrates the initial portion of the CIP code for program
area Education
8
. Appendix D provides additional detail about CIP codes and links to all 47 two-digit
CIP codes that represent the program areas.
Figure 52. 2020 CIP Code Example for Education (CIP #13)
Virtually every campus, state, and accrediting body in the nation uses CIP codes in some fashion. One
fundamental characteristic of SARA is its reliance on certain previously existing, workable
mechanisms (such as accreditation, federal financial responsibility composite scores, etc.), rather
than inventing anew. Because CIP is used by almost all United States institutions of higher education,
NC-SARA is using the CIP system to categorize and report OOSLP. NC-SARA does not expect or desire
institutions to revisit those decisions for the purposes of SARA reporting. Rather, SARA institutions
report learning placements categorized by the codes already assigned to the related programs.
Characteristics Required for Inclusion of Out-of-State Learning Placement
NC-SARA requires reporting by two-digit CIP code only. For example, a SARA institution would report,
for each state other than its own, the number of students participating in learning placements during
8
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). (n.d.) Retrieved from NCES Website.
https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/cipdetail.aspx?y=56&cip=13
, retrieved 9/21/2020.
Page 58
2019, disaggregated by two-digit CIP code and the state/district/territory where the placement was
made. These two-digit CIP codes are referred to as program areas.
There is infinite variety in the characteristics of learning placements, including what they are called
(internships, rotations, student teaching, etc.), how long they last, whether they are required or not,
whether they are arranged by the student or the institution, whether they are supervised or
unsupervised, etc. For this reason and to increase consistency across institution data, NC-SARA
defined a specific list of characteristics that are to be met for this collection process. The criteria for
inclusion in OOSLP reporting was refined by the NC-SARA Data Committee and included in the 2020
Data Reporting Handbook and repeated here below. Short courses, field trips, etc., are not to be
included in the learning placement numbers.
Criteria for Inclusion in Out-of-State Learning Placement Reporting
Institutions should report out-of-state learning placements that meet the following criteria:
1. The placement started between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2019.
2. The placement is outside the home state of the SARA institution.
3. The placement involves the physical presence of the student at the out-of-state location(s).
4. One or more of the following is true:
a. The placement is an activity required for degree completion.
b. The placement is an activity required for professional licensure.
c. The placement is offered for credit.
d. The placement is offered for a fee.
Placements that meet the above criteria should be reported as follows:
• Disaggregate by two-digit CIP code;
• Disaggregate by the state in which the placement was made.
9
Online survey instructions and copies of the survey forms used to report OOSLP are in Appendix A.
9
NC-SARA Data Reporting Handbook 2020, p. 20.
Page 59
OUT-OF-STATE LEARNING PLACEMENT FINDINGS
Total Out-of-State Learning Placements Reported
As previously described, 2,089 institutions reported OOSLP during the reporting period. There were
349,930 OOSLP reported for 2019, a 45.8% increase from 2018 (239,955), the first year of mandatory
reporting. A significant increase was expected, given that many institutions reported that they were
not able to provide complete and accurate data on learning placements last year.
The current OOSLP data is an important baseline,
as it is anticipated that much of the learning
placement activity planned for calendar year
2020 has been postponed or cancelled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic.
The learning placements for calendar year 2020 will be reported during the reporting window in the
spring of 2021.
SARA and Non-SARA Out-of-State Learning Placements
For 2019, 333,794 (95.4%) of reported learning placements were in SARA states and 16,136 (4.6%)
were in non-SARA states. These data are consistent with the reported OOSLP in the first year of
required reporting with 94.1% in SARA states (225,891) and 5.9% in non-SARA states (14,064). Please
see Figures 53 and 54 for additional detail.
Figure 53. 2019 Reported SARA and Non-SARA Out-of-State Learning Placements
95.4%
4.6%
Reported SARA OOSLP
Reported Non-SARA
OOSLP
349,930 OOSLP WERE REPORTED FOR 2019
- A 45.8% INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR
(239,955).
Page 60
Figure 54. 2018-2019 Reported SARA and Non-SARA Out-of-State Learning Placements – Data
Table
Reporting Year
Reported
OOSLP in
SARA States
% of OOSLP
in SARA
States
Reported
OOSLP in Non-
SARA States
% of OOSLP
in Non-
SARA
States
Total
Reported
OOSLP
2018
225,891
94.1%
14,064
5.9%
239,955
2019
333,794
95.4%
16,136
4.6%
349,930
State Summary of Out-of-State Learning Placement Data
Institutions operating under SARA report their OOSLP by state, just as they do for distance education
enrollment reporting. Non-SARA state data reported are combined to report the non-SARA total for
OOSLP. To interpret these data as an example, participating institutions in Alabama reported sending
6,657 learning placements from Alabama (OOSLP FROM). This answers the question, “How many
students from my state are being placed elsewhere?” In addition, participating institutions in other
SARA states reported making 3,090 learning placements in Alabama (OOSLP TO). This answers the
question, “How many students from other participating SARA institutions are being placed in my
state?”
Only state level OOSLP data are reported on the NC-SARA website for 2018 and 2019, and in future
years institutional data may be reported. The maps in Figures 55 and 56 and data table in Figure 57
compile SARA and non-SARA state OOSLP for institutions in each SARA state reporting for 2019. Note
that OOSLP does not include in-state learning placements, as NC-SARA is interested in interstate
activity only.
Page 61
Map of Out-of-State Learning Placements Sent From Institutions in SARA States (FROM)
Figure 55 displays the OOSLP sent from institutions in each SARA member state to assist readers in
visualizing the flow of learning placements from participating SARA states. The related data table is
in Figure 57.
Figure 55. 2019 Map of Reported OOSLP Sent From Institutions in SARA States (OOSLP FROM)
Answers the question, “How many students from my state are being placed elsewhere?”
Page 62
Map of Out-of-State Learning Placement Sent To State by Institutions in Other SARA States (TO)
Figure 56 provides the OOSLP sent to each SARA state by institutions in other SARA states to assist
readers in visualizing the flow of learning placements into each state. The related data table is in
Figure 57.
Figure 56. 2019 Map of Reported OOSLP Sent To State from Institutions in Other SARA States
(OOSLP TO)
Answers the question, “How many students from other participating SARA institutions are being
placed in my state?”
Page 63
Figure 57. 2019 Reported Out-of-State Learning Placements by State
State/Territory
Reported OOSLP
Sent FROM
Institutions in
State
(OOSLP FROM)
Reported OOSLP
Sent TO State from
Institutions in
Other SARA States
(OOSLP TO)
Alabama
6,657
3,090
Alaska
48
1,093
Arizona
13,635
8,678
Arkansas
2,533
2,264
Colorado
11,234
7,950
Connecticut
1,211
4,046
Delaware
1,633
3,471
District of Columbia
3,902
5,666
Florida
7,337
15,673
Georgia
5,717
11,445
Hawaii
890
1,227
Idaho
4,013
2,149
Illinois
27,185
18,060
Indiana
11,062
5,416
Iowa
6,857
4,714
Kansas
4,556
3,822
Kentucky
9,003
6,630
Louisiana
3,223
2,551
Maine
2,264
1,145
Maryland
2,873
8,437
Massachusetts
9,195
6,523
Michigan
5,582
7,950
Minnesota
9,986
8,154
Mississippi
1,645
3,075
Missouri
14,616
10,426
Montana
357
1,263
Nebraska
5,726
3,456
Nevada
10,860
12,845
New Hampshire
7,403
2,268
New Jersey
5,984
14,903
New Mexico
1,193
1,991
New York
11,855
12,048
North Carolina
3,936
8,709
North Dakota
2,312
1,593
Ohio
30,767
24,070
Oklahoma
3,938
2,857
Oregon
2,734
3,593
Pennsylvania
21,047
11,546
Page 64
State/Territory
Reported OOSLP
Sent FROM
Institutions in
State
(OOSLP FROM)
Reported OOSLP
Sent TO State from
Institutions in
Other SARA States
(OOSLP TO)
Puerto Rico
272
895
Rhode Island
3,378
1,457
South Carolina
10,820
11,784
South Dakota
3,181
2,959
Tennessee
13,139
11,880
Texas
9,669
19,775
U.S. Virgin Islands
0
94
Utah
7,740
3,465
Vermont
761
1,039
Virginia
13,994
8,333
Washington
2,319
7,076
West Virginia
3,590
3,299
Wisconsin
5,634
5,609
Wyoming
464
1,332
Total SARA States
349,930
333,794
Total Non-SARA
States
16,136
Total OOSLP Reported
349,930
349,930
Reported CIP Code Program Areas
The program area with the largest number of OOSLP was Health Professions and Related Programs
(CIP #51), with 184,870 placements, representing 52.8% of all placements reported. Education (CIP
#13) had the second highest number of placements again in 2019 with 38,195 placements,
representing 10.9% of the total placements reported followed by Business (CIP #52) with 20,776
placements which accounted for 5.9% of reported placements.
All other program area CIP codes
combined accounted for 30.4% of
reported learning placements. Figures 58
and 59 provide details regarding the top
nine program area CIP codes reported.
THE TOP THREE RANKED CIP PROGRAM
AREAS REMAINED THE SAME FROM 2018 TO
2019: HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND BUSINESS.
Page 65
Figure 58. 2019 Out-of-State Learning Placements Reported by CIP Code Program Area
Figure 59. 2019 Out-of-State Learning Placements Reported by CIP Code Program Area – Data
Table
Program Area (Two-Digit CIP Code)
Total
Reported
OOSLP
% Total of
Reported
OOSLP
Health Professions and Related Programs (#51)
184,870
52.8%
Education (#13)
38,195
10.9%
Business, Management, Marketing, Related Support Services (#52)
20,776
5.9%
Public Administration and Social Service Professions (#44)
11,064
3.2%
Psychology (#42)
9,407
2.7%
Engineering (#14)
8,559
2.4%
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (#11)
7,251
2.1%
Residency Programs (#60)
6,922
2.0%
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, and Fitness Studies (#31)
6,535
1.9%
All Other Learning Placements reported by CIP Codes
56,351
16.1%
Total Learning Placements Reported 349,930
100.0%
Comparing Reported CIP Code Program Areas 2018-2019
With two years of required OOSLP data, comparisons can be made regarding the reported program
areas in 2018 and 2019. In both years, the rank of the top three program areas remained the same:
Health, Education, and Business. There was some variation among the other high-ranking program
areas.
Figures 60 and 61 represent the OOSLP data by CIP Code program reported in 2018 and 2019.
52.8%
10.9%
5.9%
30.4%
Health 52.8%
Education 10.9%
Business 5.9%
Other 30.4%
Page 66
Figure 60. Out-of-State Learning Placements Reported by CIP Code Program Area 2018-2019
Figure 61. Out-of-State Learning Placements Reported by CIP Code Program Area 2018-2019 –
Data Table
Health
%
Education
%
Business
%
Other
%
Total
Reported
OOSLP
2018
145,225
60.5%
22,822
9.5%
12,064
5.0%
59,844
24.9%
239,955
2019
184,870
52.8%
38,195
10.9%
20,776
5.9%
106,089
30.4%
349,930
Insights from Out-of-State Learning Placement Reporting
Institutions continued to implement OOSLP tracking and reporting to NC-SARA for 2019, resulting in
an expected large increase (45.8%) of reporting learning placements.
A small number of institutions reported that they are still refining their systems for gathering OOSLP
information from the departments and colleges on their campuses. A few mentioned that there were
hardships due to the COVID-19
pandemic limiting access to the data
on campus prior to and during the
2019 reporting window. Based on
these comments, reported OOSLP is
likely still an undercount, but
accuracy and completeness has
improved dramatically between the
first and second year of mandatory
reporting.
349,930
106,089
20,776
38,195
184,870
239,955
59,844
12,064
22,822
145,225
0 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 300,000 350,000 400,000
Total OOSLP
Other
Business
Education
Health
2018 2019
THE 2019 OUT-OF-STATE LEARNING
PLACEMENT DATA REPORTED TO NC-SARA ARE
AN IMPORTANT BASELINE SINCE MANY
INSTITUTIONS CANCELLED LEARNING
PLACEMENTS IN 2020 DUE TO THE COVID 19
PANDEMIC.
Page 67
The refinements made in the criteria for reporting OOSLP for 2019 reporting seem to have alleviated
much of the initial confusion about which OOSLP to count. As with the distance education enrollment
reporting, many institutional staff used the comments field in the OOSLP online survey to explain
learning placements that were international, therefore not reported to NC-SARA. They also used the
field to explain their own processes and plans for improvement.
Usability issues with the expanding OOSLP online survey form is a burden for institutions that have
significant OOSLP to report across multiple CIP codes and states. This issue is known by NC-SARA
staff and alternative formats for future data collection are being considered.
The magnitude of effort required to ensure that all OOSLP are accounted for in a complex university
system is significant and is acknowledged by NC-SARA. It is also anticipated that reported OOSLP will
likely decline with the 2020 data reported in the spring of 2021 because many institutions cancelled
learning placements due to stay at home orders and campus closures related to the COVID-19
pandemic.
Page 68
CONCLUSION
Summary
The 2019 data reporting was the fifth year that institutions operating under SARA were required to
share their distance education enrollment data and the second year that out-of-state learning
placement reporting was mandatory. With each year, NC-SARA’s operational management of the
process improves. The NC-SARA staff, regional compact staff, and State Portal Entities are dedicated
to answering the questions institutions pose and to listening to the unique challenges of individual
institutions while streamlining the data reporting process for all. The result of these collaborative
efforts is a more manageable process for the reporting institution staff. NC-SARA, the regional
education compacts, and the State Portal Entities remain committed to continuous improvement in
the online surveys and communication to institutions.
Reporting distance education enrollment has become relatively routine for most participating
institutions, as evidenced by a reduction in the number of comments expressing frustration or
inability to report accurately. For 2019, 23.0% (482) institutions provided comments in the distance
education survey. Institutional staff continue to use the comments field largely to explain any
differences from their IPEDS EF reporting. The largest impediment to accurate reporting remains
confusion about IPEDS definitions and areas where NC-SARA reporting differs from IPEDS.
The comments field in the OOSLP reporting form was primarily used to report internal challenges
while gathering the data to explain learning placements that were reported internally, but do not fit
the NC-SARA criteria for reporting OOSLP. There were significantly fewer comments that indicated
confusion about which learning placements to report than there were last year. The changes to the
Data Reporting Handbook, online surveys, and communications regarding reporting resulted in
improvement in the reporting process for all involved. In addition, the implementation of a consistent
reporting window from May 15 – June 15 each year was welcomed by institutional staff. The deadline
was extended until June 30 to give institutions more time to report, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The reported data tell the story of a program that is working as designed. Reported distance
education enrollment continues to grow, increasing 7.5% between 2018 and 2019, despite no new
states or territories joining SARA. The proportion of reported non-SARA distance education
enrollment dropped by half, from 18.6% to 9.3% in the same five years that the total number of
reported distance education enrollment increased by 62.8% from 857,303 to 1,395,756.
Trend analysis reflecting the period 2016 to 2019 reveal important changes by sector. Total reported
out-of-state distance education enrollment increased 19.2% over the period as states became
members and institutions applied and were approved to participate in SARA.
When these same data are examined by sector, some interesting trends become evident. Private non-
profits reported the largest increase, 60.7%, in distance education enrollment over the period,
followed by participating public institutions with a 55.1% increase in out-of-state distance education
enrollment. Private for-profit institutions reported a decline of 20.8% in reported distance education
enrollment over the period.
Page 69
A Strong Baseline
NC-SARA staff have committed to continuous improvement of the data reporting process and
communications about the process with key stakeholder groups. The significant effort and dedication
to improvement in the data reporting process is succeeding. The consistency in the process between
2018 and 2019 reporting suggests that providing distance education enrollment and OOSLP to NC-
SARA annually each spring is becoming part of the reporting routine for participating institutions.
This is evidenced by the reduction in concerns raised in the comments fields of the online surveys
and by fewer calls to NC-SARA with questions.
The data reported for 2019 is remarkably consistent with what was reported for 2018. The exceptions
are expected growth in OOSLP as institutions improved their internal process and stable growth in
reported distance education enrollment as more institutions applied for and were accepted to
participate in SARA.
The stability of the data reported over the past two years serves to build confidence in what they
convey about distance education adoption and use in the United States. This strong baseline will be a
benefit to NC-SARA and participating institutions when the 2020 data are reported in 2021. If NC-
SARA reporting remains consistently reliable next year, the data will be an important source of
information to help SARA stakeholders measure the impact of campus closures and other COVID-19
pandemic limitations on interstate higher education activity across the nation.
Page 70
APPENDICES
Appendix A: Instructions and Online Surveys
Distance Education Enrollment Instructions
Below are screenshots of the instructions and the survey screens that institutions completed for the
2019 NC-SARA Distance Education Enrollment and Out-of-State Learning Placement data collection.
Beginning with 2018 reporting, there are two tabs on the data entry screen, one for each survey.
Page 71
Appendix A: Continued
Distance Education Enrollment Survey: SARA States & Territory Online Survey
Distance Education Enrollment Survey: Non-SARA State Online Survey
Page 72
Appendix A: Continued
Out-of-State Learning Placement Reporting Instructions
Out-of-State Learning Placement Data Entry Screen with Data Entered in the Form, Comments
Field and Confirmation
Page 73
Appendix B: Technical Notes
IPEDS Distance Education Definitions
The following definitions are provided by The Department of Education, National Center for
Educational Statistics (NCES)
10
.
Distance Education - Education that uses one or more technologies to deliver instruction to
students who are separated from the instructor and to support regular and substantive
interaction between the students and the instructor synchronously or asynchronously.
Technologies used for instruction may include the following: Internet; one-way and two-way
transmissions through open broadcasts, closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband lines,
fiber optics, satellite, or wireless communication devices; audio conferencing; and video
cassette, DVDs, and CD-ROMs, if the cassette, DVDs, and CD-ROMs are used in a course in
conjunction with the technologies listed above.
Distance Education Course - A course in which the instructional content is delivered
exclusively via distance education. Requirements for coming to campus for orientation,
testing, or academic support services do not exclude a course from being classified as
distance education.
Distance Education Program – A program for which all the required coursework for
program completion is able to be completed via distance education courses.
NC-SARA Uses IPEDS Definitions
NC-SARA relies on the existing definitions and reporting schedules required by the federal
government’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
(IPEDS). Using these existing
structures and processes, that are familiar to institutional staff, is part of NC-SARA’s commitment to
not creating an undue additional reporting burden for participating institutions. IPEDS data collection
is managed by the U.S. Department of Education through the
National Center for Education Statistics
(NCES) and reporting is required of all institutions of higher education that offer federal financial aid
in the U.S. states and territories. NCES has been requiring institutions to report distance education
data since the IPEDS Fall Enrollment (EF) reporting in 2012. These data are the basis of institutional
distance education enrollment reporting to NC-SARA.
Historic use of Distance Education Definitions
The IPEDS Fall Enrollment report asks institutions to separate students into three categories:
• Enrolled Exclusively in Distance Education Courses
• Enrolled in Some (But Not All) Distance Education Courses
• Not Enrolled in Any Distance Education Courses
10
U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS Glossary for 2020-2021 Data
Collection System https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/ipeds/Downloads/Forms/IPEDSGlossary.pdf
Page 74
Appendix B: Continued
To approximate the historic distance education surveys conducted by the Babson Survey Research
Group (BSRG) that used a definition of approximately 80% of the course online, the WICHE
Cooperative for Educational Technologies (WCET) and others have combined the IPEDS reporting for
“Exclusively in Distance Education Courses” and “Some But Not All Distance Education Courses”. This
combination of reporting has been referred to as “Enrolled in At Least One” distance education
course.
NC-SARA Requires Out-of-State Learning Placement Reporting
Enrollment previously captured and reported under the SARA distance education reporting provisions
did not include on-the-ground, out-of-state learning placements (e.g., clinical rotations, student
teaching, internships, etc.). Learning placement activities are an important part of many academic
programs and the number and extent of such placements are of great interest and concern to
educators, practitioners, licensing bodies, and state regulators. Therefore, it was agreed during the
formation of SARA, that after successfully creating the process for reporting distance education
enrollments NC-SARA would create a similar process for collecting and reporting out-of-state
learning placements. Unlike distance education enrollment reporting, there is no existing mechanism
for gathering and reporting OOSLP.
Acknowledgment of Prior IPEDS Distance Education Analysis
Prior to the 2012 IPEDS reporting, the Babson Survey Research Group (BSRG) collected data on
online enrollments annually, beginning in the fall 2002 period.
11
BSRG used the distance education
definition of 80% of the content delivered online. The BSRG survey is a sampling, not a reporting, of
the entire population of institutions of higher education. Analysis by the
WICHE Cooperative for
Educational Technology (WCET) provides greater detail about methodology of historic distance
education reports and the differences in the data and definitions used.
12
11
Allen, I.E. and Seaman J., (2003). Sizing the Opportunity: The Quality and Extent of Online Education in the
United States, Babson Survey Research Group.
12
Poulin, R. and Straut, T. (2016). WCET Distance Education Enrollment Report 2016.
http://wcet.wiche.edu/initiatives/research/WCET-Distance-Education-Enrollment-Report-2016
Page 75
Appendix C: 2019 Total State-Level Distance Education
Enrollment Reporting with In-State Distance Education
Enrollment
State/
District
Territory
Total
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment in
SARA
States/
Territory
Total
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
in Non-SARA
States/
Territory
Total
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Distance Education
Enrollment in State
Reported by Other
SARA Institutions
Alabama
63,139
2,124
65,263
54,178
Alaska
6,671
69
6,740
12,514
Arizona
255,236
38,866
294,102
73,420
Arkansas
22,470
156
22,626
31,840
Colorado
86,476
6,321
92,797
54,138
Connecticut
20,454
588
21,042
26,569
Delaware
12,277
464
12,741
11,437
District of
Columbia
59,264
1,344
60,608
5,127
Florida
183,613
3,842
187,455
226,369
Georgia
101,986
4,147
106,133
131,488
Hawaii
4,644
328
4,972
13,316
Idaho
23,876
2,546
26,422
18,727
Illinois
84,687
3,014
87,701
97,434
Indiana
101,810
3,339
105,149
71,099
Iowa
33,714
630
34,344
35,444
Kansas
39,734
1,042
40,776
34,450
Kentucky
60,478
1,873
62,351
57,323
Louisiana
31,373
499
31,872
44,157
Page 76
Appendix C: Continued
State/
District
Territory
Total
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment in
SARA
States/
Territory
Total
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
in Non-SARA
States/
Territory
Total
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Distance Education
Enrollment in State
Reported by Other
SARA Institutions
Maine
12,747
285
13,032
13,970
Maryland
69,916
1,822
71,738
91,145
Massachusetts
39,941
1,425
41,366
49,953
Michigan
50,947
474
51,421
77,392
Minnesota
88,768
3,406
92,174
107,323
Mississippi
23,062
158
23,220
34,738
Missouri
55,767
1,664
57,431
58,821
Montana
4,033
198
4,231
8,330
Nebraska
29,883
1,197
31,080
23,043
Nevada
22,430
594
23,024
39,889
New Hampshire
107,240
6,883
114,123
16,609
New Jersey
31,130
846
31,976
61,605
New Mexico
23,407
549
23,956
28,969
New York
87,515
2,468
89,983
108,519
North Carolina
69,977
399
70,376
127,650
North Dakota
9,313
323
9,636
8,574
Ohio
109,387
4,506
113,893
120,888
Oklahoma
26,927
252
27,179
35,864
Page 77
Appendix C: Continued
State/
District
Territory
Total
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment in
SARA
States/
Territory
Total
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
in Non-SARA
States/
Territory
Total
Reported
Distance
Education
Enrollment
Distance Education
Enrollment in State
Reported by Other
SARA Institutions
Oregon
25,694
2,427
28,121
30,846
Pennsylvania
80,940
2,458
83,398
105,020
Puerto Rico
10,490
42
10,532
9,396
Rhode Island
3,599
66
3,665
6,361
South Carolina
25,469
112
25,581
56,729
South Dakota
10,378
173
10,551
11,036
Tennessee
53,217
294
53,511
79,946
Texas
189,504
3,040
192,544
292,763
U.S. Virgin
Islands
86
3
89
49,015
Utah
164,551
14,228
178,779
7,393
Vermont
8,273
292
8,565
104,438
Virginia
115,782
3,558
119,340
680
Washington
54,248
890
55,138
97,066
West Virginia
54,112
3,616
57,728
18,829
Wisconsin
31,318
417
31,735
43,512
Wyoming
4,705
29
4,734
8,829
Totals
Totals
2,886,658
130,286
3,016,944
Page 78
Appendix D: Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP)
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes were developed by the U.S. Department of
Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in 1980, with revisions in 1985, 1990,
2000, 2010, and 2020. Virtually every campus, state, and accrediting body in the nation uses them in
some fashion. They are used to maintain and categorize academic program inventories and report
completions, and, in some states, they affect funding for public institutions. In health-related fields,
they can affect the pricing of delivered services, insurance reimbursement to providers, and limits of
coverage and practice.
The codes provide a taxonomy (a hierarchical organizational scheme) of fields of study, with greater
or lesser subdivision within broad subject areas. For example, CIP Code 51 (Health Professions and
Related Programs, with more than 200 sub-categories) contains far more narrowly specified
programs than does CIP Code 54 (History, with nine specified sub areas).
The highest order of the taxonomy has 47 two-digit CIP codes and subdivides each of them according
to the scheme, using either two digits (xx), four digits (xx.xx), or six digits (xx.xxxx). The online
appendix allows the user to click on a two-digit field, be taken to an online definition of that code, and
then further click on any of the indicated sub-fields. Definitions are provided for each sub-field. The
table is directly available at: https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/default.aspx?y=56
.
Institutions have already assigned CIP codes to their academic programs, and NC-SARA does not
expect or desire institutions to revisit those decisions for the purpose of SARA reporting. Rather,
SARA institutions are to report learning placements categorized by the codes already assigned to the
related programs.
Beginning with 2020 data collection, the 2020 CIP Codes will be used. The new 2020 CIP codes can be
found at https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/browse.aspx?y=56
.
Page 79
Appendix D: Continued
Two-digit CIP Codes, CIP 2020 -- https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/browse.aspx?y=56
13
01) AGRICULTURE, AGRICULTURE OPERATIONS, AND RELATED SCIENCES.
03) NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION.
04) ARCHITECTURE AND RELATED SERVICES.
05) AREA, ETHNIC, CULTURAL, AND GENDER STUDIES.
09) COMMUNICATION, JOURNALISM, AND RELATED PROGRAMS.
10) COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
11) COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCES AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
12) CULINARY, ENTERTAINMENT, AND PERSONAL SERVICES.
13) EDUCATION.
14) ENGINEERING.
15) ENGINEERING/ENGINEERING-RELATED TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS.
16) FOREIGN LANGUAGES, LITERATURES, AND LINGUISTICS.
19) FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES/HUMAN SCIENCES.
22) LEGAL PROFESSIONS AND STUDIES.
23) ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE/LETTERS.
24) LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES, GENERAL STUDIES AND HUMANITIES.
25) LIBRARY SCIENCE.
26) BIOLOGICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES.
27) MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS.
28) RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS (JROTC, ROTC).
29) MILITARY TECHNOLOGIES.
30) MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES.
31) PARKS, RECREATION, LEISURE, FITNESS, AND KINESIOLOGY.
32) BASIC SKILLS.
33) CITIZENSHIP ACTIVITIES.
34) HEALTH-RELATED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS.
35) INTERPERSONAL AND SOCIAL SKILLS.
36) LEISURE AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES.
13
National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), Browse CIP
Codes, https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/browse.aspx?y=56
, retrieved 9/21/2020.
Page 80
Appendix D:– Continued
37) PERSONAL AWARENESS AND SELF-IMPROVEMENT.
38) PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES.
39) THEOLOGY AND RELIGIOUS VOCATIONS.
40) PHYSICAL SCIENCES.
41) SCIENCE TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS.
42) PSYCHOLOGY.
43) SECURITY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES.
44) PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROFESSIONS.
45) SOCIAL SCIENCES.
46) CONSTRUCTION TRADES.
47) MECHANIC AND REPAIR TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS.
48) PRECISION PRODUCTION.
49) TRANSPORTATION AND MATERIALS MOVING.
50) VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS.
51) HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND RELATED CLINICAL SCIENCES.
52) BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT, MARKETING, AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES.
53) HIGH SCHOOL/SECONDARY DIPLOMAS AND CERTIFICATES.
54) HISTORY
60) RESIDENCY PROGRAMS.
Page 81
Appendix E: About the Authors
Terri Taylor Straut, CEO and Solution Architect at Ascension Consulting Group. Terri is an
independent consultant and an experienced researcher, project manager, and higher education
administrator. As the founding director of CU Online (for the University of Colorado) and a member of
the founding management team of the Western Governors University (WGU), Terri has been part of
the distance learning industry since its infancy in the mid-1990s. Terri has significant experience
implementing distance education projects in corporations and non-profit organizations well as in
higher education. Her consulting practice includes higher education research and project
management for training and educational technology implementations. This is the fourth year that
Terri has authored the NC-SARA Data Report. Terri earned her Master of Business Administration
from Northeastern University and her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Delaware.
(
Terri@AscensionConsultingGroup.com)
Marianne Boeke, Ph.D., Senior Director for Research and State Support at NC-SARA. Marianne joined
NC-SARA in 2018; she oversees all aspects of data reporting, curates the State Authorization Surveys
(The Guide), provides state and regional compact support, and, with senior leadership, works on
policy related issues. Prior to joining NC-SARA, Marianne served as Senior Associate at the National
Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) where she worked on a variety of long
and short-term projects. Marianne has also held administrative positions at The American University,
the University of Denver, and, during its inaugural years, the Western Governors University (WGU).
Marianne’s work in state authorization began in 2011 when she co-created the State Higher Education
Executive Officers (SHEEO) survey on state authorization. Marianne holds a Ph.D. in higher education
from the University of Denver, a master’s degree from The American University, and a bachelor’s
degree from San Jose State University. (
mboeke@nc-sara.org)
Acknowledgments
The authors appreciate and wish to thank NC-SARA staff and other colleagues for their assistance in
providing the data set, serving as a sounding board for the topics to explore, and in the final editing
and distribution of this report.
Page 82
Appendix F: References
Allen, I.E. and Seaman, J., (2017). Digital Learning Compass: Distance Education Enrollment Report,
https://onlinelearningsurvey.com/reports/digtiallearningcompassenrollment2017.pdf
Allen, I.E. and Seaman J., (2003). Sizing the Opportunity: The Quality and Extent of Online Education in
the United States, Babson Survey Research Group.
Hill, Marshall A., (2016), 2016. Inaugural Enrollments Reporting, (9/22/2016).
Lederman, Doug (2018). Price Matters but Doesn’t Rule, Inside Higher Ed, June 13, 2018,
https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/article/2018/06/13/online-students-price-
matters-doesnt-dictate-choice
NC-SARA, Data Reporting Handbook 2020.
NC-SARA, State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements Manual (2020). Version 20.3, Effective
10/30/2020. https://nc-sara.org/resources/guides
Poulin, R. and Straut, T. (2016). WCET Distance Education Enrollment Report 2016.
http://wcet.wiche.edu/initiatives/research/WCET-Distance-Education-Enrollment-Report-2016
Straut, T. (2017). NC-SARA 2017 Enrollment Report.
U.S. Department of Education, NCES, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). (n.d.)
Retrieved from NCES Website. https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/cipdetail.aspx?y=56&cip=13
U.S. Department of Education, NCES, Fast Facts, Distance Learning (n.d.),
https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=80
U.S. Department of Education, NCES, IPEDS Glossary for 2020-2021 Data Collection System (n.d.)
Retrieved from NCES Website.
https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/ipeds/Downloads/Forms/IPEDSGlossary.pdf
Page 83
