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The U.S. education market was valued at approximately USD 1.41 trillion in 2021 and is expected to expand to roughly USD 3.12 trillion by 2030. Education brands are increasingly turning to content creators to promote their platforms and tools, offering lucrative affiliate programs. As a creator, you can earn commissions by sharing these resources with your audience.
In this article, we will cover features, commission rates, pros, cons, and how to join the top 10 best U.S. education influencer affiliate programs, empowering you to build strong partnerships and grow your revenue streams.
Coursera is a leading online education platform offering courses from universities and companies around the world. With over 82 million learners globally, it has become a trusted resource for upskilling and personal development.
Affiliates can earn high commissions on a variety of courses and degrees from prestigious institutions. Coursera’s vast course catalog provides opportunities to target diverse audiences.
Some courses and degrees may have limited availability depending on regions, making it harder to target a global audience.
Coursera offers higher commission rates for premium courses and professional certificates, providing affiliates with great earning potential.
As an affiliate, you can leverage Coursera’s marketing materials to create engaging content and grow your audience’s interest in education.
Coursera seeks content creators passionate about education, career growth, and personal development, especially those who cater to professionals or lifelong learners.
Sign up URL for affiliate program: https://about.coursera.org/affiliates
Udemy is a global marketplace for learning, featuring over 204,000 courses in multiple languages and serving over 54 million learners. It generated US$728.9m in 2023, with a large portion coming from affiliate-driven course sales.
You can promote a vast range of courses, often at discounted prices, which attract a large and diverse audience.
The cookie duration is shorter than other education programs, limiting the timeframe for earning commissions.
Udemy frequently offers deep discounts on its courses, which boosts sales and conversions for affiliates.
Affiliates get access to Udemy’s Partner Stack platform for tracking performance, payments, and accessing exclusive offers.
Udemy seeks content creators with audiences interested in personal development, tech skills, creative arts, and professional training.
Sign up URL for affiliate program: https://www.udemy.com/affiliate/
Teachable is a platform enabling individuals to design and sell online courses, and since 2022, its creators have increased their total sales by as much as 16%. The platform has supported more than 100,000 creators in educating over 30 million students globally.
The recurring commission model allows affiliates to earn a steady income as long as their referred users continue using Teachable.
The audience for Teachable can be niche, primarily catering to creators who want to build online courses.Since the products are lower-cost, commissions may be smaller per sale compared to higher-end art supply retailers.
Teachable’s long cookie duration allows you to capture potential sales for a much longer period compared to other programs.
Teachable’s affiliate program is hosted on Impact, providing you with detailed performance reports and easy payout options.
Teachable looks for creators and educators with an entrepreneurial mindset, particularly those who can inspire others to create and sell their own courses.
Sign up URL for affiliate program: https://teachable.com/partners
Skillshare offers an online learning platform with a focus on creative skills like photography, design, writing, and more. With over 12 million students and 41,000 classes, it’s a popular platform for creators and learners alike.
Skillshare offers an easy-to-promote structure, with a flat fee for each new sign-up, making it appealing to creators with creative audiences.
The flat fee structure may not be as lucrative as percentage-based models, especially for affiliates targeting high-ticket programs.
Skillshare stands out for its focus on creative fields, allowing you to tap into audiences interested in arts, design, and digital media.
Skillshare affiliates also receive free access to the platform, giving them firsthand experience with the courses they promote.
Skillshare looks for influencers in the creative fields like design, illustration, photography, and other artistic niches who can inspire their audience to learn new skills.
Sign up URL for affiliate program: https://www.skillshare.com/en/affiliates
edX is a premier online learning platform founded by Harvard and MIT, offering university-level courses in a wide range of subjects. The platform has enrolled over 44 million learners globally, partnering with leading institutions like MIT, Harvard, and Berkeley.
As an affiliate, you’ll be promoting courses from prestigious universities, which boosts your credibility and the likelihood of conversions.
The commission rate is lower compared to other education platforms, which may limit earnings.
edX’s partnerships with globally renowned universities make its affiliate program highly attractive for those targeting students seeking high-quality education.
edX courses are often used for professional development, making it an ideal program for content creators focusing on career growth and education.
edX looks for content creators who cater to professionals, lifelong learners, and those pursuing higher education from well-known institutions.
Sign up URL for affiliate program: https://www.edx.org/affiliate-program
Thinkific is a popular online course creation platform used by over 50,000 creators to teach millions of students globally. It has supported businesses in earning over $650 million through course sales and memberships.
You get recurring commissions for the lifetime of any referral, allowing you to build a steady income stream.
While commissions are high, the focus on course creation tools means the audience might be more niche compared to general education platforms.
Thinkific stands out due to its high recurring commission rates and long cookie duration, making it a lucrative opportunity for affiliates.
Affiliates gain access to detailed performance metrics and support through the Thinkific Partner Portal.
Thinkific looks for influencers who cater to entrepreneurs, educators, and individuals interested in creating and selling online courses.
Sign up URL for affiliate program: https://www.thinkific.com/affiliates/
Chegg is a major player in the online education industry, offering textbook rentals, homework help, and online tutoring. With over 3.9 million subscribers, Chegg generated $157 million in revenue in 2023.
Chegg’s wide range of services makes it an appealing platform for students, offering you plenty of opportunities to generate sales.
The 10% commission is lower compared to other education programs, which might limit potential earnings.
Chegg is known for its student-friendly services, making it ideal for affiliates who target a college or high-school demographic.
As an affiliate, you can promote Chegg’s affordable textbook rental services and earn commissions on other student services like homework help and tutoring.
Type Of Influencers The Brand Is Looking For: Chegg is looking for content creators who focus on education, student life, and academic success, particularly those who cater to high school and college students.
Sign up URL for affiliate program: https://www.chegg.com/affiliate-program
FutureLearn is an online learning platform offering a wide variety of courses, including degrees and certificates, in collaboration with over 175 world-class universities and institutions. Aditionally, it has over 18 million learners globally.
FutureLearn provides access to high-quality courses from prestigious institutions, boosting credibility and making it easier to convert leads.
The platform’s focus on certain regions might limit its appeal to a global audience.
FutureLearn is known for its partnerships with top universities and its free course offerings, giving affiliates a broad range of promotional opportunities.
FutureLearn offers regular discounts and promotions, giving affiliates more ways to engage their audience and drive conversions.
FutureLearn is ideal for influencers who target lifelong learners, career professionals, and individuals looking for certifications or degrees.
Sign up URL for affiliate program: https://affiliates.futurelearn.com/
Kajabi is an all-in-one platform where creators can sell digital products like courses, memberships, and coaching services. On average, Kajabi creators make over six times more than those on Patreon, earning around $37,000 a year compared to $6,000.
Kajabi’s recurring commission model means that affiliates can continue earning for as long as their referrals remain active subscribers.
The platform is priced higher than others, making it less accessible to smaller creators and limiting the audience size.
Kajabi is known for its high-ticket sales, meaning a single sale can result in substantial commissions for affiliates.
Kajabi provides extensive support and marketing resources to affiliates, making it easier to promote the platform effectively.
Kajabi looks for influencers who cater to entrepreneurs, digital creators, and educators who want to create and sell online courses or memberships.
Sign up URL for affiliate program: https://partners.kajabi.com/
GoSkills is an online learning platform offering career-boosting courses in business, finance, project management, and more. It has helped over 600,000 students improve their professional skills.
GoSkills’ focus on professional development means high-quality courses that are easy to promote to career-oriented audiences.
The course offerings are more limited compared to general education platforms, focusing primarily on business and tech skills.
GoSkills is unique for its focus on career advancement and professional certifications, offering affiliates a strong niche to target.
GoSkills affiliates receive access to promotional materials and exclusive discounts to help them increase sales.
GoSkills is looking for influencers who target professionals, career-changers, and individuals looking to improve their skills in business, finance, or project management.
Sign up URL for affiliate program via ShareASale: https://www.shareasale.com/newsignup.cfm
The U.S. education affiliate programs offer lucrative opportunities for content creators looking to partner with leading brands in the booming education market. With the industry set to grow to $3.12 trillion by 2030, now is the perfect time to join these affiliate programs and earn commissions by sharing valuable resources with your audience. Each program provides unique benefits, from high commission rates to long cookie durations, empowering you to find the right fit for your content and audience.
