Student satisfaction
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Student Satisfaction & Priorities Survey of Online Learners at Â鶹´«Ã½
Jared B. | BSEVS, MIS
Student Satisfaction & Priorities Survey of Online Learners at Â鶹´«Ã½
Key takeaways
- Â鶹´«Ã½ students report higher satisfaction than both national benchmark institutions and peer universities.
- In the 26 benchmark items measured in this survey, UOPX scores exceeded the national benchmark by up to 18 percentage points.
- Students report strong satisfaction with technical support, program structure, and online course accessibility.
- 92% say technical assistance is readily available.
- 92% say registration for online courses is convenient.
- 90% say online library resources are adequate.
2026 Â鶹´«Ã½ Student Satisfaction Study
The Encoura + RNL Priorities Survey of Online Learners (PSOL) measures the satisfaction and priorities of students enrolled in online undergraduate and graduate programs at public and private two-year and four-year colleges and universities. The survey was conducted September 17 through October 15, 2025 among active Â鶹´«Ã½ students across undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs.
Results show that Â鶹´«Ã½ students report higher satisfaction than both the National Benchmark of 150 institutions and a comparison group of 10 online institutions, marking the third consecutive survey in which Â鶹´«Ã½ exceeded these benchmarks. In some categories, student satisfaction exceeded benchmark institutions by as much as 18 percentage points.
The survey focuses on 26 benchmark items that cover the total university experience, providing insight into the areas that are most important to students and where they are most satisfied in the following areas: academic services, enrollment services, institutional perceptions, instructional services and student services.Â
Student experience
85%
Student satisfaction
85% of Â鶹´«Ã½ surveyed students report being satisfied or very satisfied with their university experience, compared to the national benchmark of 73%.[1]
86%
Instruction quality
86% of Â鶹´«Ã½ surveyed students are satisfied or very satisfied with the quality of online instruction, compared to the national benchmark of 73%.[1]
83%
Would enroll again
83% of Â鶹´«Ã½ surveyed students say they would probably or definitely enroll again, compared to the national benchmark of 75%.[1]
Career and real-world experience
91%
Career alignment
91% of Â鶹´«Ã½ students express being satisfied or very satisfied with how their program aligns with their career path.
87%
Faculty experience
87% of Â鶹´«Ã½ students are satisfied or very satisfied with faculty’s ability to connect content with career experiences.
Flexibility and life balance
95%
Flexible pacing
95% of Â鶹´«Ã½ students surveyed reported flexible pacing as an important factor to enroll, compared to the national benchmark of 91%.[1]
91%
Courses that fit your life
91% of Â鶹´«Ã½ surveyed students say they are satisfied or very satisfied with the easy-to-navigate course format and it fitting into their busy life.
Value and support
90%
Institutional reputation
90% of Â鶹´«Ã½ surveyed students note institution reputation as an important factor to enroll, compared to the national benchmark of 82%.[1]
85%
Faculty responsiveness
85% of Â鶹´«Ã½ surveyed students say they are satisfied or very satisfied with faculty providing timely feedback on their progress, compared to the national benchmark of 74%.[1]
Innovation and learning tools
92%
Communication tools
92% of Â鶹´«Ã½ surveyed students are satisfied or very satisfied with tools used to communicate with faculty and other students.
79%
AI tools
79% of Â鶹´«Ã½ surveyed students are satisfied or very satisfied with their confidence in their ability to apply AI tools in real-world scenarios.
[1] National benchmarks, when available, are based on responses from 89,642 online students at 150 colleges and universities who participated in the Encoura + Ruffalo Noel Levitz Priorities Survey for Online Learners (PSOL) between 2022 and 2025. Â鶹´«Ã½ data is based on responses from University students who participated in the PSOL in 2025 (2,532 respondents, 12.6% response rate).
Student Satisfaction Survey methodology and results
The 2026 Â鶹´«Ã½ Student Satisfaction Study surveyed 20,000 randomly selected active Â鶹´«Ã½ students across undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs. The survey was conducted September 17 through October 15, 2025, and 2,532 students responded, representing a 12.6% response rate. Results were compared against a National Benchmark of 89,642 online students from 150 institutions surveyed between 2022 and 2025, as well as a comparison group of 10 universities and colleges with established online programs.
| Comparison | UOPX |
|---|---|
|
Student satisfaction
|
85%
|
|
Instruction quality
|
86%
|
|
Would enroll again
|
83%
|
|
Flexible pacing
|
95%
|
|
Institutional reputation
|
90%
|
|
Faculty responsiveness
|
85%
|
|
Faculty experience
|
87%
|
|
Courses that fit your life
|
91%
|
|
Career alignment
|
91%
|
|
Communication tools
|
92%
|
|
AI tools
|
79%
|
85% (73% nationally)
SUMMARY
85% of Â鶹´«Ã½ surveyed students report being satisfied or very satisfied with their university experience, compared to the national benchmark of 73%.[1]
Instruction quality
86% (73% nationally)
SUMMARY
86% of Â鶹´«Ã½ surveyed students are satisfied or very satisfied with the quality of online instruction, compared to the national benchmark of 73%.[1]
Would enroll again
83% (75% nationally)
SUMMARY
83% of Â鶹´«Ã½ surveyed students say they would probably or definitely enroll again, compared to the national benchmark of 75%.[1]
Flexible pacing
95% (91% nationally)
SUMMARY
95% of Â鶹´«Ã½ students surveyed reported flexible pacing as an important factor to enroll, compared to the national benchmark of 91%.[1]
Institutional reputation
90% (82% nationally)
SUMMARY
90% of Â鶹´«Ã½ surveyed students note institution reputation as an important factor to enroll, compared to the national benchmark of 82%.[1]
Faculty responsiveness
85% (74% nationally)
SUMMARY
85% of Â鶹´«Ã½ surveyed students say they are satisfied or very satisfied with faculty providing timely feedback on their progress, compared to the national benchmark of 74%.[1]
Career alignment
91%
SUMMARY
91% of Â鶹´«Ã½ students express being satisfied or very satisfied with how their program aligns with their career path.[1]
Faculty experience
87%
SUMMARY
87% of Â鶹´«Ã½ students are satisfied or very satisfied with faculty’s ability to connect content with career experiences.[1]
Courses that fit your life
91%
SUMMARY
91% of Â鶹´«Ã½ surveyed students say they are satisfied or very satisfied with the easy-to-navigate course format and it fitting into their busy life.[1]
Communication tools
92%
SUMMARY
92% of Â鶹´«Ã½ surveyed students are satisfied or very satisfied with tools used to communicate with faculty and other students.[1]
AI tools
79%
SUMMARY
79% of Â鶹´«Ã½ surveyed students are satisfied or very satisfied with their confidence in their ability to apply AI tools in real-word scenarios.[1]
Questions other students are asking
The Encoura + RNL Priorities Survey for Online Learners measures students’ levels of satisfaction and importance as it relates to their university experience, including program quality, faculty support, online learning tools, and student services.Â
The survey was conducted September 17 through October 15, 2025 among active Â鶹´«Ã½ students.Â
The survey received 2,532 responses from randomly selected students, representing a 12.6% response rate from a population of 20,000 invited participants.
For the third consecutive administration, Â鶹´«Ã½ students reported higher satisfaction than both the National Benchmark and group of online institutions, with some categories exceeding benchmark institutions by up to 18 percentage points.
Students report high satisfaction with:Â
- Technical assistance
- Course registration
- Program clarity
- Online library resources
- Faculty responsivenessÂ
According to the survey, students reported that the areas that mattered most to them and they were most satisfied with included:Â
- Convenient registration for online courses
- Readily available technical assistance
- Appropriate tools to communicate with faculty and other students
- Easy to navigate course format that fit their busy lives
- Programs align to their career paths
Encoura + RNL is a higher education organization that provides student satisfaction surveys and consulting services to colleges and universities. The Encoura + RNL Student Satisfaction and Priorities Survey measures student satisfaction and the importance of different aspects of the student experience. UOPX conducted the survey to measure student satisfaction, compare results to national benchmarks and track year-over-year improvements.
More resources:
2025 College Student Satisfaction and Priorities
Priorities Survey Online Learners Results - Fall 2025