Now in its tenth year, the CHLOE report provides a rare longitudinal view of the evolution of online learning in higher education. CHLOE 10 traces how far institutions have come since the inaugural report, revealing sharp contrasts in demand, preparedness, and strategy between 2016 and today. With this new decade-long lens into online learning, the report underscores both the progress made — and the persistent gaps that remain.

Interest in online learning is rising fast — and not just among adult and non-traditional learners. According to the CHLOE 10 Report, demand is growing across the board: 74% of institutions report increased interest from graduate students, 66% from adult undergrads, and 60% from traditional-age undergrads.

GO DEEPER: View the full report and learn about its full methodology and complete findings.

Other key findings from the report include:

• Online Competition Hits New High Since the pandemic, institutions across sectors report rising pressure: 83% of public four-years say the online marketplace is more competitive than a few years ago. 79% of private four-years and 74% of public two-years say the same — both sectors are up 10 percentage points since the question was first asked in 2018.

• The Student Experience is Changing. "Physical Classroom" was judged by 70% of online leaders as characteristic of the traditional-age undergraduate experience at their institution today, but only 32% expect the same in 2030. AI tutoring and support services, plus Adaptive Learning, are expected to surge in significance for all student types.

• Community Colleges Lead the Way on Credential Innovation. Investment in non-degree credentials like certificates and microcredentials has more than doubled since 2018–19 — with nearly 70% of public two-year colleges leading the charge. Four-year institutions lag behind, despite similar student demand.

• The Digital Divide Won't Go Away. Ten years after CHLOE first flagged digital access gaps, 95% of institutions still report persistent concerns. Broadband, device access, and tech readiness remain barriers to access — especially for community college students.

• Data Is a Priority — But Still a Problem. While 93% of institutions agree that data analytics is a strategic priority and 96% agree that it's necessary for online decision-making, only 40% say their data is clearly defined and understood.

• AI Strategy is Fragmented. 84% of institutions report that investments in AI technologies and supports are important for online programs. But only 23% have an institution-wide AI strategy, and nearly 10% have no AI strategy at all.

• AI Impacts Operations More Than Instruction. Institutions are leaning on AI for efficiency — 49% cite workload reduction, 46% course prep — while fewer report student-facing uses like advising or learning personalization.

• Faculty Development is Still a Need. Despite years of online growth, just 28% of institutions say their faculty are fully prepared to design online courses — almost flat since 2020. Adjuncts teach nearly half (47%) of online courses, underscoring the responsibility of institutions to provide consistent training, support, and inclusion in quality‑assurance efforts

• Unprepared for the Next Crisis. While the COVID-19 pandemic laid bare gaps in emergency preparedness, approximately only one in four colleges has fully developed academic continuity plans in place.

"Today, online learning is an unquestioned part of higher education, constituting a significant and growing share of enrollment at most colleges and universities nationwide," said Richard Garrett, chief research officer at Eduventures, and co-director of CHLOE 10. "Multiple findings from the CHLOE 10 Survey underscore this fact, but also that the modality is beset by inconsistent support and governance practices, and the looming opportunity/threat of AI. New technology is questioning online learning norms and COLOs are still working out how to respond."

Now in its tenth edition, the long-running CHLOE report series explores the rapidly-evolving world of online education, rooted in the attitudes and perspectives of institutional leaders working to design, build and scale online programs in higher education. The report surveyed more than 250 COLOs on issues related to demand and availability of online education — and a host of other pressing issues including artificial intelligence.

Platinum sponsors of the report include iDesign and Science Interactive, Gold sponsor Archer Education, and Affiliate the Online Learning Consortium. The report's directors and co-authors will participate in a free webinar event August 19 at 1:00 p.m. ET to discuss their methods and findings.