American College of Education Provides a New Model for Graduate Degrees: Affordable Tuition, High ROI and No Federal Student Loans  

INDIANAPOLIS, IN, December 10, 2024 (Newswire.com) - American College of Education was founded in 2005 with an initial class of 25 Chicago schoolteachers and a vision that seemed unrealistic, if not impossible: Providing high-quality, flexible and affordable master's degrees without relying on federal student loans.

Now, as ACE approaches its 20-year anniversary, that implausible goal has proved to be a winning strategy. That initial class of 25 has grown to 11,000 current students, and 44,000 graduates. More than 86% of students pay as they go and graduate with no debt. ACE still does not accept federal Title IV loans, and ACE has not increased tuition since 2016.

"We say, ‘Founded by teachers, for teachers,' because the original idea was how to create an affordable master's degree for teachers, so they would not have to go into debt. That founding vision, and our dedication to quality, affordability and accessibility, has shaped the trajectory of the institution," said Geordie Hyland, ACE's president and CEO.

ACE chose from the outset to forego Title IV loans, even though it is fully accredited and is qualified to accept them, in order to reduce its operational expenses and the associated costs to students. And in 2016, ACE was certified as a B Corporation, committed to having a positive social impact through its business activities.

Today, ACE offers certificate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in education, nursing, healthcare and business, with programs accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). And the programs remain affordable: ACE's master's degrees cost less than $10,000 and doctorates cost less than $24,000.

"We base every decision on how it affects the value proposition for students," Hyland said. "Our appeal is that we're high-quality, we're affordable and we're flexible. You can keep your job as a teacher, a nurse, or a business or healthcare professional as you study with us. You can pay for your degree month by month, and you can receive a huge value proposition when you attain your degree."

According to a recent independent study by economists at the labor market analysis firm Lightcast, for every $1 graduates invest at ACE, they receive $19.20 in future career earnings. ACE graduates also report an average salary increase of over $21,000 upon completion of their program.

ACE's low-debt, high-return model runs counter to the dismal findings of a recent Georgetown University study, which reported that the soaring costs of graduate degrees are eroding the earnings boost they provide. From 2000 to 2020, net tuition tripled while debt grew more than 50%, the study found. On average, master's students graduated with about $65,000 in debt, while doctoral students graduated with $90,000 in debt, according to federal Education Department data.

"Avoiding high debt and having practical, relevant, quality online coursework and instruction is crucial for the typical ACE student, who is in their mid-30s with a family and a full-time job," Hyland said.

"Many teachers and nurses do not pursue a degree that requires them to take time off work or even to drive hours to a physical classroom after work hours," he said. "And there's a massive difference in the value of your salary adjustment if you take on $60,000 of debt versus coming out with no debt. That salary adjustment is life-changing - it impacts your income every year and it also flows through to your pension."

ACE also helps early- and mid-career learners with its commitment to giving academic credit for prior learning and professional development. The college carefully assesses students' work experience and applies industry best practices and accepted models to properly provide credit, which can reduce time-to-completion and tuition costs for students.

Prior learning credit is one example of ACE's belief in working with employers, and how providing value to students also benefits their employers and their field. As school districts and hospital systems struggle to recruit and retain talented employees, ACE can customize education and healthcare solutions to employers' needs to help strengthen their human capital. These solutions serve to help employers recruit, retain and upskill their employees by creating accessible career pathways that advance employees to positions with more responsibility and higher pay.

Hyland cited the example of working with a school district. "ACE can take a paraprofessional all the way to superintendent," he said. "If you can convey these career pathways to your current and prospective teachers, and cover the costs of their professional development and degrees, you can really help bring people into your organization and keep them, and it's cost-effective to help them get ahead."

That's particularly important in vital professions like teaching and nursing, where salary progression can be critical to ensuring that they are desirable occupations. "One of the challenges with these careers is the salary expectations," Hyland said. "Working with ACE, you can create a career pathway where you can show employees that over time, they can have an impactful, engaging career and also increase their earnings and expand their opportunities."

With two decades of student outcomes, ACE has a proven track record of student success and satisfaction in data available in its extensive Student Right to Know report. For more information regarding ACE's online degrees, please visit http://ace.edu. 

About American College of Education  

American College of Education (ACE) is an accredited, fully online college specializing in high-quality, affordable education, business, leadership, healthcare and nursing programs. Headquartered in Indianapolis, ACE offers more than 60 innovative and engaging programs for adult students to pursue a doctorate, specialist, master's or bachelor's degree, along with graduate-level certificate programs.

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SOURCE: American College of Education

Source: American College of Education