Women are enrolling in distance learning programs in increasing numbers and are eventually expected to earn more degrees than men. WorldWideLearn.com can help them find the right online school for their goals and lifestyle.

(PRWeb) December 18, 2006 -- With more women than men enrolled in four-year degree programs, women are expected to earn more degrees than men in the future according to WorldWideLearn.com, the world's premier online directory of education. Many women looking to advance their education are nontraditional students and are increasingly earning their degrees from online schools. WorldWideLearn.com has resources to help students choose the right distance learning program for their needs (http://www.worldwidelearn.com).

Nontraditional students tend to be older, attend school part-time, work a full-time job, or be single parents. These students may also have dependents other than a spouse, be financially independent, or lack a high school diploma. Some of what has been considered nontraditional seems to be moving closer to the norm. At least 40 percent of students attend part-time and 58 percent are past the "traditional" college age according to statistics given by Peter Stokes of Eduventures.

According to Wendy Croix, Ph.D., a former university professor with more than 20 years of experience in higher education, women can't afford not to advance their education and are enrolling in educational programs in record numbers. "A simple comparison between the education that Americans have and the education they'll need portends a coming crisis for uneducated working adults age 25 and older. In 2004, a mere 28 percent of this group had a bachelor's degree or better. Unfortunately, 63 percent of the 18.9 million new jobs created in the coming decade will require at least a bachelor's degree," Croix writes in her article "Adult Learners and New Traditions in Higher Education"
(http://www.worldwidelearn.com/education-advisor/indepth/adult-learners-and-new-traditions-in-higher-education.php).

Women with college degrees earned about 76 percent more than women with only a high school diploma in 2004, reports the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But according to a USA Today article, the average woman with a bachelor's degree earns nearly the same as a man with only a little college. Also, women working full-time earn 77 cents to every dollar earned by men. Distance learning can help women further their education and hopefully close the wage gap.

WorldWideLearn.com is the world's premier online directory of education, featuring informative resources, more than 2,500 online courses, over 1,600 online degree programs, 200 online universities, and 2,300 campus-based career college programs. WorldWideLearn.com receives thousands of visitors each day and has been featured on MSNMoney.com.