At the 2026 Association for Education Finance and Policy (AEFP) Annual Conference, Ithaka S+R’s Bethany Lewis will give a poster presentation focused on an Ithaka S+R study examining whether and to what extent online learners are earning credentials that are valued by the labor market. This study explores the implications of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA), which streamline the authorization process for institutions offering online education across state lines. To answer these questions, Ithaka S+R designed and conducted a discrete choice experiment administered through an anonymous online survey of 543 individuals in the US whose professional job responsibilities include recruiting and hiring new employees. The study assesses how participants perceive bachelor’s degrees earned online versus in person, including degrees from in-state and out-of-state institutions, how candidates’ skills and experiences affect those perceptions, and how participant and employer characteristics moderate these effects. The poster will describe the study’s design and analytic approach, present key findings and takeaways, and discuss implications for the field regarding the value of online credentials, including those earned from out-of-state institutions. This work is supported by the Joyce Foundation and Strada Education Foundation.

The session will take place on Thursday, March 19, at 11:45am-1:15pm.