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Examining Employers' Perceptions of Online Credentials: A Discrete Choice Experiment

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Title: Examining Employers' Perceptions of Online Credentials: A Discrete Choice Experiment
Language: English
Authors: Daniel Rossman, Bethany Lewis, Ini-Abasi Umosen, James Dean Ward, Ithaka S+R
Source: ITHAKA S+R. 2026.
Availability: ITHAKA S+R. Available from: ITHAKA. One Liberty Plaza, 165 Broadway 5th Floor, New York, NY 10006. Tel: 212-500-2355; e-mail: ithakasr@ithaka.org; Web site: https://sr.ithaka.org
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 80
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: Strada Education Foundation
Joyce Foundation
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Employer Attitudes, Personnel Selection, Virtual Universities, Electronic Learning, In Person Learning, Learning Modalities, Preferences, School Location, Job Applicants, Employment Qualifications, Bachelors Degrees, Institutional Characteristics
DOI: 10.18665/sr.325531
Abstract: US colleges and universities received roughly $900 billion in total revenue in fiscal year 2024, with public funding and students' tuition dollars making up the lion's share. This level of investment requires significant public oversight to ensure institutions use public and private funds effectively and to protect students and taxpayers from fraud and waste. State authorization is one important aspect of this oversight, wherein state governments serve a consumer protection role by authorizing institutions to operate within their jurisdiction and providing a legal framework to enforce state consumer protection laws. In this study, the authors conduct a discrete choice experiment with professional recruiters and hiring managers to better understand how they respond to online credentials, including those earned from out-of-state institutions. The research asks whether employers prefer hypothetical job applicants with in-person degrees compared to online degrees, if this preference differs based on whether the degree was earned from an in- or out-of-state institution, and how these preferences may vary by other candidate, respondent, and employer characteristics.
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED681076
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Examining Employers' Perceptions of Online Credentials: A Discrete Choice Experiment
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Daniel+Rossman%22">Daniel Rossman</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bethany+Lewis%22">Bethany Lewis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ini-Abasi+Umosen%22">Ini-Abasi Umosen</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22James+Dean+Ward%22">James Dean Ward</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ithaka+S%2BR%22">Ithaka S+R</searchLink>
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  Data: ITHAKA S+R. Available from: ITHAKA. One Liberty Plaza, 165 Broadway 5th Floor, New York, NY 10006. Tel: 212-500-2355; e-mail: ithakasr@ithaka.org; Web site: https://sr.ithaka.org
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  Data: Strada Education Foundation<br />Joyce Foundation
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Employer+Attitudes%22">Employer Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Personnel+Selection%22">Personnel Selection</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Virtual+Universities%22">Virtual Universities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Electronic+Learning%22">Electronic Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22In+Person+Learning%22">In Person Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learning+Modalities%22">Learning Modalities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preferences%22">Preferences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Location%22">School Location</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Job+Applicants%22">Job Applicants</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Employment+Qualifications%22">Employment Qualifications</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bachelors+Degrees%22">Bachelors Degrees</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Institutional+Characteristics%22">Institutional Characteristics</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.18665/sr.325531
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: US colleges and universities received roughly $900 billion in total revenue in fiscal year 2024, with public funding and students' tuition dollars making up the lion's share. This level of investment requires significant public oversight to ensure institutions use public and private funds effectively and to protect students and taxpayers from fraud and waste. State authorization is one important aspect of this oversight, wherein state governments serve a consumer protection role by authorizing institutions to operate within their jurisdiction and providing a legal framework to enforce state consumer protection laws. In this study, the authors conduct a discrete choice experiment with professional recruiters and hiring managers to better understand how they respond to online credentials, including those earned from out-of-state institutions. The research asks whether employers prefer hypothetical job applicants with in-person degrees compared to online degrees, if this preference differs based on whether the degree was earned from an in- or out-of-state institution, and how these preferences may vary by other candidate, respondent, and employer characteristics.
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.18665/sr.325531
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 80
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Employer Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Personnel Selection
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Virtual Universities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Electronic Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: In Person Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Learning Modalities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Preferences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Location
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Job Applicants
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Employment Qualifications
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Bachelors Degrees
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Institutional Characteristics
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Examining Employers' Perceptions of Online Credentials: A Discrete Choice Experiment
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            NameFull: Ini-Abasi Umosen
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            NameFull: James Dean Ward
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              M: 05
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              Y: 2026
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