In today’s competitive world, an advanced degree is more important than ever. Fortunately, there are more advanced ways to earn your degree, too. From online to on-campus to a hybrid of the two, you now have more options – and more opportunities.

According to the 2007 Post-Secondary Fact Book by Signal Hill, “Enrollment growth in the for-profit post-secondary market has strengthened over the past four quarters. Growth drivers for the post-secondary education sector include the movement towards a knowledge-based economy in which worker knowledge, whether general or specific, is increasingly important as a basis for economic competition, between individuals, between firms, and between countries.”

Signal Hill also reports that “The for-profit market operates in three clear, though sometimes overlapping segments. The market for education seekers (ages 18-22) has been growing steadily in line with demographic trends and fueled by rising college participation among minority populations. The changer market (ages 25+) is motivated by the hourly wage market and by declining compensation rates for high school graduates. The advancer market (ages 35+) is growing due to tuition reimbursement programs and the increased convenience of geographically accessible campuses and online offerings.”

EDU Interactive, a wholly owned partnership of Barker Education and Castle Advertising, has created an online educational directory that helps prospective students find everything they need to know about continuing their education. The directory is called EDU Degree Directory and can be viewed at www.edudegreedirectory.com. EDU Degree Directory, affectionately known as EDD, has only been live for a few months, but already features the programs for a variety of accredited colleges and universities throughout the United States.

“We came up with the concept to build EDU Degree Directory, because we understood that individuals are facing unique challenges and situations when deciding if and when to return to school,” said Bob Barker, Operating Partner for EDU Interactive, and former Executive Vice President of University of Phoenix. “There are many online educational directories out there, but we felt that none of them offered busy professionals a one-stop shop for everything they need to choose the right school to earn their degree,” Barker continued.

EDU Degree Directory allows prospective students to search for information by degree program, degree level (associate, bachelors, masters, etc), career, degree modality (online, campus or both), location of interest and/or accredited schools/universities. The directory features accurate and relevant information on degree programs, career information and facts about the cities that the school of choice is located in. The directory also features helpful articles on topics such as signs that you’re ready for a career change, tips on resume writing, advice on career planning, information on school accreditation, and more.

EDU Degree Directory answers many questions that busy professionals have about returning to school such as: How do I begin? What can I study? How long will it take? How much does it cost? Can I keep working?

“There’s a world of information out there, but EDU Degree Directory has tried it, tested it and vetted it, so everything you find within our pages is both current and trustworthy,” Barker continued. “We understand that working adults who are interested in going back to school are busy. We built EDD so that they can get information quickly and find the school that best meets their individual needs. To us, that is the most valuable thing we can offer busy professionals.”