Online education is a rapidly growing industry, projected to reach over $350 billion by 2025. As more schools, universities, and individual experts take their courses digital, affiliate marketing provides an attractive way for education publishers to expand their reach and boost enrollments.
This comprehensive guide examines some of the leading education affiliate programs across segments like online universities, test prep, language learning, videography education, design tutorials, personal development coaches, and more.
We’ll cover the commission structures, promotional resources, and unique advantages of various education affiliate programs. Read on to discover which education affiliate programs match your audience, niche, and marketing tactics.
Table of Contents
Benefits of Promoting Education Affiliate Programs
Promoting online education programs as an affiliate marketer offers several appealing benefits:
Recurring Revenue
Many education programs operate on a subscription model, providing recurring monthly or annual affiliate commissions as students renew. This creates an ongoing passive income stream.
High Ticket Programs
Top universities, bootcamps, and certification courses can charge fees ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars. The generous commissions on premium brands can be quite lucrative.
Large Market Reach
The breadth of the global education market means there is demand for skills training across countless niches. You can target prospects in almost any professional field or personal endeavor.
Meaningful Recommendations
Suggesting valuable educational products that tangibly improve people’s careers or lives provides genuine helpfulness, beyond just pushing products. This builds trust and loyalty with your audience.
Strong Retention
Once enrolled in a program, students tend to persist if the curriculum is delivering value. This leads to sustained commissions.
Rapid Growth Industry
Online education is projected to continue expanding at over 8% CAGR through 2028. Being an early affiliate partner helps capture this growth.
With the ability to improve incomes and careers, quality education affiliate programs align well with many blog niches and audiences. When matched strategically, they can become fruitful passive income streams.
Top Verticals for Education Affiliate Programs
Education publishers and affiliate programs exist across nearly every topic, but some common verticals include:
Academic Degrees
Online associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree programs from accredited universities and colleges.
Job Skills Training
Career-focused courses teaching in-demand skills like programming, marketing, project management, and more.
Test Prep
Prep programs helping students excel at tests like the SAT, GRE, GMAT, LSAT, and MCAT.
Personal Development
Curriculums focused on improving life skills in areas like personal productivity, relationships, mindfulness, psychology, and more.
Computer Software Tutorials
Affiliate programs teaching popular software programs like Photoshop, coding languages, Microsoft Office, Quickbooks, and more.
Health and Fitness
Online video courses and memberships teaching exercise, nutrition, yoga, meditation, and healthy lifestyle habits.
Creative Skills
Tutorials on photography, graphic design, music production, writing, videography, and other creative disciplines.
Hobbies and Crafts
Programs teaching everything from gardening and woodworking to knitting and scrapbooking.
Business and Finance
Courses on starting a business, sales, investing, accounting, taxes, and other money-related topics.
Test Prep
Programs helping students prepare for major tests like the SAT, ACT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT, and more.
This wide range means most blogs can find relevant education affiliate programs that provide value to their readers. Choose verticals where you can recommend programs credibly based on your experience and audience needs.
Choosing the Right Education Affiliate Programs
With hundreds of potential education affiliate programs available, how do you pick the best ones to promote? Here are some key factors to consider:
Niche Relevance
Naturally, look for programs closely aligned to the topics your website or audience focuses on. Promoting niche relevant courses feels organic and provides actual value to readers.
Commission Rate
Look for affiliate commissions of 25-50% or more on education programs. Many offer at least 30% commissions on digital courses and subscriptions. High tickets equal higher earnings.
Cookie Duration
The longer the affiliate cookie duration, the better. 30-90 day cookies are common, ensuring you receive commission if students sign up weeks after clicking your link.
Reputation and Reviews
Prioritize recognized, reputable brands and platforms with overwhelmingly positive student reviews. Avoid shady or untested companies.
Resources for Affiliates
Prowse affiliate dashboards for ready-to-use promo copy, email templates, banners, and other marketing assets that make promoting easy.
Payment Reliability
Research complaints online and test affiliate payments yourself in small amounts first. Make sure the program pays accurately and on time.
Account Management
Responsive affiliate managers provide insight into converting offers and the latest promotions. Test their support.
Quality over quantity is key – a few stellar education affiliate programs with strong commissions and high perceived value deliver better ROI than lots of marginal products.
Top Education Affiliate Programs
Now that we’ve covered the benefits and criteria for education affiliate marketing, let’s explore some of the leading education affiliate programs across various niches and verticals.
I’ll share details on commission structures, cookie duration, promotional resources, and other benefits for each program.
Online Universities
Established universities with large online degree programs offer lucrative commissions but require very targeted promotion to prospective students.
Western Governors University
- Accredited online university with 80,000+ students
- Up to $3,000 commission per student
- 180 day cookie
Southern New Hampshire University
- Non-profit online college with 200,000+ students
- Up to $1,875 commission per student
- 30 day cookie
Purdue University Global
- Public online university with over 29,000 students
- $375 commission per enrollee
- 30 day cookie
If your audience is interested in completing college degrees online, these accredited university affiliate programs provide powerful income opportunities given the high tuition value. But focus your content tightly on prospective students for degree paths offered.
Online Job Skills Training
Popular online learning platforms teaching in-demand job skills offer nice recurring commission potential.
Sidetrain
- 30 Day Cookie Duration
- Access to Coaches and Mentors in Hundreds of Specialties
- 10% Commission
Udemy
- World’s largest online course marketplace with 130,000+ courses
- Commissions up to 60% lifetime on course purchases you refer
- 365 day cookie duration
With a vast catalog in topics like coding, marketing, business, and design, Udemy is a goldmine affiliate program for bloggers in these niches. Their generous lifetime cookie really optimizes earnings.
Skillshare
- 35,000+ online classes focused on creative skills
- 30% commission on annual subscriptions referred
- 365 day cookie
For creators focused on improving their photography, illustration, writing, filmmaking, music and other artistic skills, Skillshare courses make a great recommendation. Nice 12 month cookie window.
LinkedIn Learning
- Over 16,000+ expert-led courses focused on business and technology
- 20% commission on first year subscription fees
- 30 day cookie
With specialized business, software, and technology training, LinkedIn Learning commissions add up quickly given annual subscriptions around $300. Valuable for corporate training content sites.
Online learning platforms provide fantastic recurring passive income opportunities IF you match the platform strengths closely to your niche audience’s interests.
Personal Development Affiliate Programs
Online personal development education spans everything from lifestyle to psychology to relationships. These programs can pay nice commissions while truly helping your audience.
Mindvalley
- Membership for personal growth online courses and events
- Up to 40% commission on annual subscription
- 30 day cookie
Gaia
- Yoga, meditation, and spiritual development streaming platform
- 25% commission on annual membership
- 30 day cookie
For wellness, yoga, spirituality, and mental health blogs, Mindvalley and Gaia pay nicely for sharing programs genuinely aligned with your audience interests. Their annual memberships maximize recurring income potential.
Tony Robbins
- Courses and events focused on psychology, performance, relationships
- 50% commission on digital programs
- 30 day cookie
Tony Robbins has legendary status in the self-improvement space. His premium online courses pay very nicely for relevant lifestyle and mindset blogs.
Podia
- Creator platform for selling online courses, memberships
- 30% lifetime commission on creator products you refer
- Cookie duration unset but effectively lifetime
While not an education provider itself, Podia offers fantastic earning potential promoting online coaches, teachers and informational product creators. You earn ongoing income as your referrals purchase new courses.
Focus on quality over quantity by choosing one or two personal development affiliate programs that strongly align to your niche. This ensures enthusiastic recommendations and conversions.
Language Learning Programs
Increasingly popular digital language learning platforms pay nice commissions while providing global value.
Babbel
- App-based online language learning
- Up to $120 commission per sale
- 20% commission on subscriptions
- Cookie duration unspecified but appears lifelong
With commissions up to 50% and a mobile-friendly interface, bloggers should strongly consider Babbel for their language learning recommendations.
Busuu
- Subscription program for learning 12 languages
- 30% commission on purchases
- Cookie duration not specified
Bloggers focused on global experience and travel do well promoting Busuu’s effective, affordable language learning curriculum.
Language learning is a corner of education with perpetual demand and appeal worldwide. As more people study languages digitally, this creates a volume opportunity if matched with the right blog niche.
Test Prep Programs
Specialized test prep programs focused on major exams provide stellar income potential, albeit with smaller target audiences.
Magoosh
- Video lessons and practice questions for SAT, GRE, GMAT, and LSAT
- $40 average commission per student
- 60 day cookie
Focused on major grad school and college prep tests, Magoosh pays very generously for relevant student referrals. Their products are viewed as premium quality.
Kaplan
- Range of college and grad school admissions test prep
- Up to $150 commission per student
- 45 day cookie
As one of the foremost test prep brands, Kaplan offers nice payouts for student sign-ups. But focus your content only on their targeted exam offerings.
For bloggers focused on college and education advice, Magoosh and Kaplan are standout affiliate partners. But make sure your audience consists mainly of students first.
Software Tutorials
Sites teaching popular software systems and web platforms can earn solid commissions while providing practical value.
Pluralsight
- Online developer, IT and software video training courses
- Up to $315 per annual subscription
- 7 day cookie
The de facto leader in IT and software training, promoting Pluralsight provides great value for tech niche sites with nice earnings.
LinkedIn Learning
- 16,000+ video courses teaching business and creative software
- 20% commission on annual fees
- 30 day cookie
With comprehensive business, design, and computing software training, LinkedIn Learning fills a huge need for relevant corporate and creative pros.
Treehouse
- Coding, web design, and software video tutorials
- 50% commission on annual subscriptions
- Cookie duration unlisted
Treehouse offers a huge library focused specifically on coding languages and web platforms like WordPress – a prime option for developer blogs to monetize their audience.
Targeting software tutorials to the right students with specialized needs optimizes conversion rates and earnings. Don’t blast general software offers. Carefully match to your niche traffic.
Photography & Filmmaking Tutorials
Aspiring photographers and filmmakers crave education content. Affiliate programs in this category provide generous commissions.
SLR Lounge
- Tutorials for photographers on gear, post-processing, and business
- 50% commission on annual Premium memberships
- 365 day cookie duration
For blogs about photography gear, photo editing tips, and related topics, SLR Lounge provides stellar affiliate value. Their generous year-long cookie expands earnings.
Full Time Filmmaker
- Video lessons on filmmaking, editing, YouTube growth
- 50% recurring commission on membership fee
- Cookie duration unspecified
Popular among YouTube vloggers and filmmakers, Full Time Filmmaker courses pay great ongoing commissions.
MasterClass
- Celebrity-taught classes on photography, filmmaking and more
- Up to $90 per annual membership referred
- Cookie window unlisted but appears perpetual
With celebrity teachers like Annie Leibovitz, affiliate earnings rack up quickly for relevant influencer and photography blogs promoting MasterClass’ premium offerings.
Videography and photography are highly monetizable niches thanks to passionate audiences willing to invest in quality education. Pick programs focusing on tangible production skills over inspirational fluff.
Health and Fitness Affiliates
The popularity of at-home virtual workouts and eating programs fuels nice commissions for relevant health and wellness affiliate marketers.
Beachbody
- Extensive library of virtual workout programs like P90X, Insanity
- Up to $120 per new customer
- 30 day cookie
For fans of structured home workout routines, Beachbody continues to deliver among the most lucrative affiliate commissions while providing legitimate value.
Daily Burn
- Premium streaming platform for fitness classes and programs
- Up to 60% commission on annual subscriptions
- 365 day cookie
Trusted fitness site partners can earn strong recurring commission streams by referring true fans to Daily Burn’s premium library of training content.
Noom
- Popular customized health, weight loss and wellness coaching app
- Up to $33 per customer sign-up
- Cookie duration unspecified
Noom’s psychology-based approach has succeeded in engaging millions looking to improve their eating habits and lose weight. With up to 50% commissions, they convert well for health bloggers.
Bloggers have fantastic income potential by being selective about which specific workout or diet programs their audience follows. Promoting broadly won’t move the needle – niche down your recommendations.
Design and Creativity Affiliate Programs
Online design skills courses focused on hot programs like Photoshop and InDesign provide nice recurring income potential.
Envato Tuts+
- Video tutorials teaching creative skills and software
- Recurring commission on annual subscriptions
- Multi-tier revenue share program
With a network of niche design sites like Photoshop Tutorials, affiliate earnings from subscription referrals can become very lucrative over time.
LinkedIn Learning
- 16,000+ courses on creative software and business skills
- 20% commission on first-year subscriptions
- 30 day cookie
Covering core platforms like Illustrator, Photoshop and Premiere, LinkedIn Learning offers enviable value prop and steady cookie window.
Pluralsight
- 7,000+ tech and creative skill video courses
- 50% commission on annual plans
- 7 day cookie
While focused on developer skills, Pluralsight offers extensive design course libraries on tools like Photoshop, InDesign, and Dreamweaver. Their business model optimizes affiliate monetization.
Capitalizing on popular programs like Photoshop and Premiere, design affiliates convert exceedingly well when content matches audience skill needs and levels. Don’t blast untargeted offers.
Business Education Affiliates
Offering business, marketing, and entrepreneurship training as an affiliate allows monetizing advice content while providing real solutions.
Bizversity
- Online business and entrepreneurship training
- Up to 50% commission on products
- 15 day cookie
For bloggers doling out small business and marketing advice, Bizversity courses make the perfect recommendation – providing everything from social media to SEO training.
edX
- 2,500+ courses from top institutions like MIT and Harvard
- Up to 50% commission on verified course certificates
- 30 day cookie
Esteemed platforms like edX pay well for referring professionals to specialized business and management certificate courses that enhance credentials.
Podia
- Easy course and membership creation for online experts
- 30% lifetime revenue share on all products you refer
- Cookie duration unspecified but perpetual
Podia empowers bloggers to become affiliates for niche experts and coaches creating their own online training products – unlocking immense commission potential.
Don’t promote business programs generically. Curate specific courses precisely matching your audience’s growth challenges and knowledge gaps based on the content they engage with.
Crafts and DIY Skills Training
Optimizing hobby affiliate programs means choosing verticals matching your audience’s specific crafting interests.
CreativeLive
- Live and on-demand workshops focused on creative arts
- Up to $97 commission per course purchase
- 14 day cookie
For arts, crafts, and hobby blogs, CreativeLive workshops provide hours of premium video content across verticals like photography, painting, writing, cooking and more.
Easy To Follow Guides
- Project-based learning library for DIY crafts, home skills
- Up to $17 per ebook guide sold
- 30 day cookie
Listing specific project guides in content offers helpful examples for DIY niche site audiences interested in creating something hands-on.
Skillshare
- 35,000+ online classes teaching hands-on creative skills
- 30% revenue share on annual subscriptions you refer
- 365 day cookie
Beyond their business and marketing courses, Skillshare offers a goldmine of arts, crafts, home skills content perfect for hobby blogs to monetize audiences.
Remember – specificity is key. Don’t promote broad craft affiliate programs. Carefully match highly targeted hobby skills programs to your niche audience based on expressed interests.
Top Education Affiliate Networks
In addition to individual merchant affiliate programs, affiliate networks provide access to hundreds of additional education offers across niches:
- ShareASale
- CJ Affiliate
- Rakuten Advertising
- Impact Radius
- Pepperjam
- CommissionJunction
- FlexOff
Optimizing Your Education Affiliate Strategy
Once you’ve identified strong education affiliate programs aligned with your audience, maximizing your earnings involves:
Curating Relevant Offers
Don’t blast every program you’re accepted into. Hand pick specific courses and products precisely matching your niche, content, and audience skill needs based on expressed interests.
Capturing Email Leads
Email marketing hugely boosts affiliate income by retargeting visitors. Offer an opt-in lead magnet related to the course topic to build your list.
Prominently Displaying Affiliate Links
Make affiliate links for relevant programs easy to find and click on key pages using text links, banners, buttons, etc. Don’t hide them.
Promoting Early In Your Content
Mention relevant affiliate programs early in blog posts and videos when audience interest is highest. Don’t save affiliate links only for the end.
Utilizing Content Upgrades
Boost clicks by offering coupon codes, exclusive discounts, or bonus materials as content upgrades for clicking your affiliate link.
Promoting In Multiple Locations
Beyond your website, also promote your selected programs on social media, email, and via influencer partnerships.
Retargeting Past Visitors
Remarket affiliate offers to previous website visitors who didn’t initially convert using paid ads and email sequences.
Tracking Performance
Analyze affiliate metrics regularly to see which programs and types of content result in the most conversions and commissions. Double down on what performs.
Optimized promotion, placements, and retargeting are key to maximizing the passive income potential of education affiliate marketing.
mistakes to avoid as an education affiliate
When promoting education programs, be sure to avoid these common mistakes:
- Promoting too many programs simultaneously. Stick to just 1-3 you can recommend credibly.
- Waiting until the end of content to link. Promote early when engagement is highest.
- Linking generically to a brand’s homepage. Link to specific relevant products.
- Linking to offers not closely related to your niche. Stay tightly targeted.
- Choosing shady low-quality merchants that won’t convert. Vet programs thoroughly.
- Not retargeting visitors. Use email and ads to reconnect.
- Only promoting via a blog. Expand channels to social, video, email, and more.
- Not testing new programs periodically. Check if higher converting options emerge.
- Forgetting to track analytics. Monitoring performance data optimizes your strategy.
- Not asking for reader input. Survey visitors directly on what education programs they find valuable.
As education affiliates, we must take care to provide authentic value, not just spam links. Courses that tangibly help your audience will convert best.
Evolving Your Site Into an Education Platform
The most lucrative education affiliates eventually evolve into education platforms themselves, allowing earning:
- As an affiliate for other publishers
- As an educator selling your own courses and programs
Ways you can expand into education publishing include:
Launching Online Courses
Create your own virtual courses teaching your expertise, monetized via payments or subscriptions.
Offering Individual Coaching
Sell 1-on-1 coaching and consulting via Skype or chat based on your knowledge. Or sign up and do this through Sidetrain.
Hosting Live Events
Host virtual or in-person workshops, trainings, and seminars on your niche.
Creating Video Tutorials
Record educational video lessons and sell access via memberships or a-la-carte.
Authoring Instructional eBooks
Publish instructional ebooks and guides people can purchase on your site.
Selling Informational Products
Bundle your advice into downloadable reports, templates, cheat sheets, and tools.
Making the leap to selling your own education products is the ultimate way to fully monetize your audience as an influencer.
Conclusion
Education represents an enormous and perpetually growing affiliate opportunity covering every topic imaginable. As you’ve seen, active affiliate programs exist for nearly any blog niche and audience.
By selectively choosing affiliate education products providing true value for your readers based on their needs and interests, commissions add up quickly.
Affiliate marketing offers the perfect monetization runway to eventually launching your own premium training products – allowing you to maximize income from your knowledge and audience on both sides of the education marketplace.
I hope this complete overview gives you clarity for finding and promoting the ideal education affiliate programs for your blog or website. Let me know in the comments if you have any other questions!
