Individuals who have earned a degree from a campus-based or online college may be more likely to remain employed during times of economic distress, new research suggests.


A new study from the Brookings Institution and a Las Vegas-based university suggests that areas with high levels of education are likely to have lower unemployment rates, the Denver Business Journal reports.


The areas surrounding Denver and Colorado Springs, Colorado as well as Odgen, Utah, served as the primary examples of this theory, as all three regions reported highly educated populations and the greatest gains in gross metropolitan product in the area.


These regions "have only been moderately affected by the recession and seem poised to renew their upward trajectory as the pace of recovery quickens," the report states.


Conversely, areas such as Farmington, New Mexico - where only 15 percent of the population holds a bachelors degree - have seen increases in unemployment even as the economy begins to rebound, the Coloradoan reports.


As a result, individuals who choose to further their education by taking online college courses may increase their chances of surviving the difficult job market.