Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) Market Size – By Course Type, By Course Category, By Business Model, By Subject Area, By Service Provider Type, By Delivery Mode, By Language, By End Use/Learner, Forecast, 2025 – 2034

Massive Open Online Courses Market Size

The global massive open online courses market size was valued at USD 26 billion in 2024 and is estimated to grow at 39.3% CAGR from 2025 to 2034. The growing internet penetration worldwide is a key factor for the growth of the market.
 

The rise in internet access shows that users are shifting towards digital media. This is leading to more adoption of MOOCs by various learners across the globe. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the estimated number of internet users was 5.5 billion in 2024. This reflects the rise in internet access to the users. Internet access to the customers allows to enroll in various MOOCs available freely on the internet.
 

Customers are rapidly turning towards online education as it provides them with convenience and allows them to learn new skills at their own pace. The 2023 Global Education Monitoring Report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) stated that the number of students in MOOCs rose from 0 in 2012 to approximately 220 million in 2021. Language learning platforms such as Duolingo traced 20 million daily active users in 2023. This inclination towards online education is changing dynamics and leading to an increase in such free online courses among students, professionals, and scholars.
 

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are online courses that are available on the internet for anyone to enroll. It is a flexible and affordable way of gaining new skills through online lectures. People avail the MOOCs for upgrading college preparation, career change, corporate eLearning, training, supplemental learning, and more. These courses provide quality education experiences at scale.      
   

Massive Open Online Courses Market Trends

• The growing inclination toward specialized courses is a key trend in the MOOCs industry. There are collaborations between global organizations and academic institutions to help progress such online courses. For instance, in February 2023, UNESCO and Athabasca University launched the MOOC titled “The Media and Information Literacy for Inclusive and Better Futures.” The aim was to provide educators and learners with the skills to critically evaluate online information. This course helped in making informed decisions in the complex digital landscape.
   
• With the rising trend of online courses, organizations are collaborating strategically to provide online degree programs for students. For instance, in February 2024, 2U, Inc. came into a partnership with the University of Surrey to support the delivery of online master’s degrees and online professional certificate programs. Initially, there were 5 online degree programs, and they are expected to increase its portfolio to at least 15 master’s degrees and 15 professional certificate programs by 2026.
   

Massive Open Online Courses Market Analysis

Based on course type, the massive open online courses market is divided into XMOOC (eXtended Massive Open Online Course) and CMOOC (Connectivist Massive Open Online Course).
 

• The XMOOC (eXtended Massive Open Online Course) market was valued at USD 19.8 billion in 2024. The XMOOC market is growing, owing to the integration with the formal degree programs. Platforms such as Coursera and edX offer credit-bearing courses that allow learners to stack the credentials towards a full degree.
   
• The CMOOC (Connectivist Massive Open Online Course) market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 43.3% in the forecast period. With the growing preferences of the learners to gain the skills at their own pace, the CMOOC market is gaining momentum. As the syllabus is loosely defined in this mode, it gives opportunities to other learners for contributing new topics and sharing their insights through discussion on the topics. With multiple facilitators, CMOOC often provides support to the learners.
   

Based on course category, the massive open online courses market is bifurcated into certificate & professional courses and degree & master programs.
 

• The certificate & professional courses market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 41.8% in the forecast period. The increasing trend for short and focused certification provides learners with the required skills or competencies in their jobs. The fast-moving industry requires new skills, and thus employees and learners demand such certificates and professional courses.
   
• The degree & master programs market held a market share of 55.8% in 2024. The landscape of MOOCs has evolved and includes comprehensive degrees and master’s programs. Universities are adopting and expanding their online hybrid learning models to cater to the needs of the students. For instance, in February 2023, Pepperdine University collaborated with edX and introduced the MicroMasters program, which provides in-depth knowledge and a flexible route to earn a master’s degree.
   

Based on the business model, the massive open online courses market is divided into the freemium model, subscription-based model, pay-per-course model, and government/non-profit funded.
 

• The freemium model market is set to grow at a CAGR of 43.3% in the forecast period. The freemium model is gaining traction and attracting a large user base to consume free courses. Platforms such as Coursera and Udemy offer free courses with optional paid certificates, graded assignments, and instructor support. This model attracts the learners and generates revenue through added premium services.
   
• The pay-per-course model market was valued at USD 9.6 billion in 2024. The user’s preference for a one-time fee for specific courses instead of a monthly subscription is leading to the growth of the pay-per-course model. Platforms such as Udemy allow learners to pay for individual courses with lifetime access.
   

Based on subject area, the massive open online courses market is divided into business management, computer science and programming, science, social sciences, health and medicine, education and teaching, engineering, arts and design, mathematics, and others.
 

• The business management market is predicted to grow and reach a value of USD 177.2 billion by the year 2034. With the increase in demand from professionals to gain skills such as entrepreneur and leadership strategy. The business management courses are growing in the market. Harvard Business School offers leadership and business management courses through edX, which focuses on equipping the learners to solve real-world business complexities.
   
• The computer science and programming market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 44% in the forecast period. The rising demand of coding skills among professionals and students is leading to the growth of the computer science and programming subject in the MOOCs market. Topics such as Machine Learning (ML) are gaining momentum, and learners are attracted to the MOOC platforms to gain the skills they need. For instance, Stanford University launched its ML specialization in 2025 on Coursera, and 584,366 enrollments were done before the start of the course.
   

Based on service provider type, the massive open online courses market is classified into university-affiliated platforms, private EdTech companies, and nonprofit & government-supported platforms.
 

• The market for university-affiliated platforms is anticipated to grow and reach a value of USD 99.2 billion by 2034. University-affiliated platforms are expanding as higher education institutions collaborate with digital learning providers to offer flexible and high-quality education through online platforms. With the affiliated platforms, universities can reach global learners easily.
   
• The market for private EdTech companies held a market share of 75.9% in 2024. The private EdTech companies are increasing professional development programs and integrating AI-driven learning experiences. This is the reason for the growth of private EdTech companies in the market.
   

Based on delivery mode, the massive open online courses market is divided into self-paced and instructor led.
 

• The self-paced market was valued at USD 5.4 billion in 2024. Learners are enrolling in self-paced MOOCs to get the skills required in their current jobs. Students and professionals are seeking help from the certification courses on various online platforms. Self-paced courses are widely adopted by companies for training their employees and upskilling them with the recent industry trends and tools.
   
• The instructor-led market held a market share of 79% in 2024. With the demand among professionals and students for structured learning and support from the guide, the instructor-led market is experiencing growth. Real-time interaction and expert guidance are becoming the most demanded requirements for professional development and academic learning.
   

Based on language, the massive open online courses market is bifurcated into English, Spanish, Mandarin, and others.

• The English language market is expected to grow and reach a value of USD 312.7 billion by the year 2034. The growing demand for business English, academic writing, and professional communication is leading to the rise in enrollment of English courses in the form of MOOCs. For the preparation of exams like TOEFL, the learners are attracted to the MOOCs, which help them prepare for such exams.
   
• The Spanish language market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 38.1% in the forecast period. The language is prevalent in Spanish countries for business learning. Learners seek certification to improve academic and professional qualifications.
   

Based on end-user/learner, the market is bifurcated into individual, enterprise/corporate, and educational institutes.
 

• The individual learner market was valued at USD 17.4 billion in 2024. Individual learners are increasingly adopting MOOCs for the development of their skills related to the current requirements of industries. Vast courses are available on the platforms, which help the individual to gain the skills at their own pace.
   
• By 2034, the enterprise/corporate end-user market is expected to reach a value of USD 64.3 billion. Enterprises are adopting MOOCs for the professional development of the workforce and upskilling their employees. Collaboration with online platforms helps the corporates to form structured courses based on the skill requirements.
   

• In 2024, the U.S MOOCs market was valued at USD 6.8 billion. The shift towards online education is the key attribute for the rise in market in the U.S. The country provides support by offering MOOCs backed by the government. For instance, in October 2024, the U.S. embassy in Tunis announced that the U.S. Department of State sponsored free MOOCs to support educators and English language learners.  
   
• The massive open online courses market in the Netherlands is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 39% in the forecast period. The increase of internet penetration in the country is a strong reason for the growth of the market. According to the European Union (EU), in 2023, the Netherlands had the largest share (54%) of internet users taking online courses and using online learning material. This highlights the rising trend of MOOCs among the citizens of the country.
   
• China held a market share of 37.7% in the Asia Pacific massive open online courses Market in the year 2024. Chinese universities are increasing the MOOCs in higher education to enhance the quality of education and accessibility to the students. China’s Ministry of Education data states that with 61,900 courses, China has built an extensive MOOCs network that serves over 370 million registered users.
   
• The MOOCs market in India is projected to grow at a CAGR of 42.5% in the forecast period. The country has launched the SWAYAM Plus platform to offer collaborated courses that focus on professional development. This MOOC was developed in partnership with companies such as L&T, Microsoft, and Cisco in February 2024. This provides educational opportunities for a large number of learners.
   
• The Indian government has taken the initiative in providing MOOCs to help enthusiasts learn. For instance, in July 2024, the University Grants Commission (UGC) launched two new MOOCs on Artic and Polar studies through the SWAYAM portal. The aim of the course is to enhance knowledge of climate dynamics. This showcases the trend in India’s adoption of online courses.
   
• The massive open online courses market in Japan is estimated to reach a value of USD 16.8 billion by 2034. The aim to enhance the skills of the professionals and career development is a key driver for market in Japan. Japan has launched courses on Coursera and edX, which attract students from various countries.
   
• The South Korea MOOCs market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 40.6% in the forecast period. The South Korean government actively promotes digital and online courses through initiatives such as Korean Massive Open Online Courses (K-MOOCs). The courses cater to various disciplines of lectures, which attracts both domestic and international learners.
   

Massive Open Online Courses Market Share

The Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) industry is highly competitive, with various platforms providing varied courses for learners and students. The top 5 companies in the global MOOCs market are Coursera, edX, Udacity, Udemy, and FutureLearn Ltd. These companies collectively hold 39% of the Market share. The companies are making efforts to provide the learning enthusiast with different courses to help them nurture and upgrade their skills.
 

The companies are collaborating and making strategic partnerships with the leading universities and corporations to deliver certificate courses and degree programs. With the growing digital economy, MOOCs is gaining momentum, and platforms are captivating on the trends to excel in the market. For instance, Google and IBM certificate courses were made available on Coursera under the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF). The market is intensively competitive, and the companies are making efforts to offer in-demand courses to the students.
 

Massive Open Online Courses Market Companies

The top 5 companies operating in the massive open online courses (MOOCs) industry are:

• Coursera
• edX
• Udacity
• Udemy
• FutureLearn Ltd.
   

edX is a global online learning platform developed by Harvard and MIT with the ambition to provide the best education. edX connects over 81 million people with online learning to meet the demand for professional skills. The company makes strategic collaboration to drive skill-based learning. For instance, in December 2023, edX collaborated with Degreed to provide the organization with high-quality educational content to upskill its employees.
 

Udemy offers various courses with flexible and low-cost pricing for global learners. The company partners with several corporations to provide customized learning programs. The company partnered with Docker in October 2023 to help developers gain the skills to build and run applications. This partnership provides an unparalleled learning experience for the next generation of developers.
 

Massive Open Online Courses Industry News:

• In June 2024, UNESCO and LG AI Research announced their collaboration to develop a global MOOC on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The aim of the MOOC was to foster a culture of ethical innovation and develop a community dedicated to ethical AI practices.
   
• In August 2023, the Andra Pradesh (AP) government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with edX to enhance digital learning opportunities for students across the state. The partnership aims to bridge skill gaps and support career development.
   
• In July 2024, the Electronic Multimedia Research Centre (EMRC) department of Devi Ahilya, India, created 6 courses for MOOCs, which are available on the SWAYAM platform.
   

The massive open online courses (MOOCs) market research report includes an in-depth coverage of the industry with estimates and forecast in terms of revenue in USD Million from 2021 – 2034 for the following segments:

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Market, By Course Type

• XMOOC (eXtended Massive Open Online Course)
• CMOOC (Connectivist Massive Open Online Course)

Market, By Course Category

• Certificate & professional courses
• Degree & master programs

Market, By Business Model

• Freemium model
• Subscription-based model
• Pay-per-course model
• Government/non-profit funded

Market, By Subject Area

• Business management
• Computer science and programming
• Science
• Humanities
• Social sciences
• Health and medicine
• Education and teaching
• Engineering
• Arts and design
• Mathematics
• Others

Market, By Service Provider Type

• University-affiliated platforms
• Private edtech companies
• Nonprofit & government-supported platforms
• Corporate-led learning platforms

Market, By Delivery Mode

• Self-paced
• Instructor-led

Market, By Language

• English
• Spanish
• Mandarin
• Others

Market, By End Use/Learner

• Individual
  • High school students
  • Undergraduate students
  • Graduate students
  • Lifelong learners
• Enterprise/Corporate
  • Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME's)
  • Large Scale Enterprises
• Educational Institutes

The above information is provided for the following regions and countries:

• North America 
  • U.S.
  • Canada 
• Europe
  • Germany
  • UK
  • France
  • Spain
  • Italy
  • Netherlands
• Asia Pacific 
  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • Australia
  • South Korea
• Latin America 
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
  • Argentina
• Middle East and Africa 
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa
  • UAE