Visual learning shows up everywhere—from classrooms to corporate training—when people grasp ideas faster through images, diagrams, and video. Evidence from multimedia learning research highlights stronger outcomes when words and pictures work together, and diagram alignment can improve accuracy. This page also connects today’s learning behavior (like mobile video viewing) with L&D trends, including video growth and rising AI expectations, to explain why visual formats keep getting adopted.
Key Takeaways
- 65% of people are “visual learners,” according to the VARK learning styles model
- 70% of viewers watch video on mobile devices, indicating mobile is a major channel for visual learning content consumption
- The majority of L&D teams (60%) say they plan to increase the use of video over the next 12 months, per the cited survey
- 70% of enterprises increased spending on learning and development budgets in 2023, indicating ongoing demand for scalable visual learning content
- 77% of L&D professionals expect AI to play a role in learning programs within 2 years, aligning with personalized visual learning experiences
- Organizations using video report 62% faster learning and onboarding outcomes
- 27% of training professionals use video-based training to support learning goals more effectively than other media
- In a meta-analysis of multimedia learning, learning outcomes improved relative to single-modality instruction (multimedia vs. text-only), with an overall positive effect
- $5.4 billion global e-learning video market value in 2023 (video-centric e-learning segment) as reported by the cited market research source
- $345.4 billion global e-learning market size in 2022 as forecast by a cited market report
- $187.4 billion global learning management system (LMS) market revenue in 2020 (LMS market size reported by the cited firm)
- 6.94% year-over-year increase in U.S. high school graduation rates over 2019–2022, supporting larger cohorts that later adopt visual learning tools
- 4.3% of U.S. adults (aged 25+) had completed a degree in 2022, providing a baseline for adoption of advanced learning tools
- The meta-analysis on multimedia learning reports an average effect size favoring combined words-and-pictures instruction of g ≈ 0.63
- 58% of companies report that they use a learning platform (LMS or LXP) that supports video content, based on a 2021 survey by Training Industry.
Mobile video and visuals are rapidly reshaping learning, as teams boost video use and expect AI to personalize it.
Related reading
01 · Category
Learner Adoption2 stats
01
65% of people are “visual learners,” according to the VARK learning styles modelhttps://www.vark-learn.com/introduction-to-vark/
02
70% of viewers watch video on mobile devices, indicating mobile is a major channel for visual learning content consumptionhttps://www.livestory.com/blog/video-marketing-statistics/
Interpretation
Learner Adoption Interpretation
For learner adoption, the data suggests a strong audience ready for visuals since 65% identify as visual learners and 70% of viewers watch video on mobile, making mobile-friendly visual content especially likely to get taken up.
02 · Category
Industry Trends8 stats
01
The majority of L&D teams (60%) say they plan to increase the use of video over the next 12 months, per the cited surveyhttps://www.wyzowl.com/video-marketing-statistics/
02
70% of enterprises increased spending on learning and development budgets in 2023, indicating ongoing demand for scalable visual learning contenthttps://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/focus/human-capital-trends.html
03
77% of L&D professionals expect AI to play a role in learning programs within 2 years, aligning with personalized visual learning experienceshttps://www.glassdoor.com/research/learning-and-development-statistics/
04
Gamification is used by 53% of organizations for learning and development purposes in 2021, supporting visual learning via game mechanicshttps://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2021-02-12-gartner-says-80-of-gamified-apps-fail-to-meet-business-goals
05
Microlearning is used by 66% of organizations for training in 2021 per the cited industry surveyhttps://www.elearningindustry.com/microlearning-statistics/
06
In 2023, 55% of organizations reported adopting learning experience platforms (LXP), which commonly support visual and multimedia learninghttps://www.capterra.com/learning-experience-platform-software/
07
In 2022, 58% of employees preferred learning through short videos or animations rather than lengthy courses (as reported by the cited workplace learning survey)https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/workplace-learning-preferences-employees-short-videos-animations-survey
08
38% of L&D leaders say they are “very” or “extremely” likely to use video as a learning format, per a 2020 survey by Brandon Hall Group (under Skillsoft).https://www.skillsoft.com/insights/research-library/brandon-hall-group-video-learning-trends
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Industry Trends show that organizations are steadily doubling down on scalable visual learning, with 60% of L and D teams planning to increase video use in the next 12 months alongside rising investment and adoption, including 55% already using learning experience platforms in 2023.
03 · Category
Learning Outcomes5 stats
01
Organizations using video report 62% faster learning and onboarding outcomeshttps://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=38800
02
27% of training professionals use video-based training to support learning goals more effectively than other mediahttps://www.trainingindustry.com/articles/media-and-social-learning/learning-and-development-stats-2019-video-training/
03
In a meta-analysis of multimedia learning, learning outcomes improved relative to single-modality instruction (multimedia vs. text-only), with an overall positive effecthttps://psycnet.apa.org/record/2005-07184-001
04
Visual learners show higher accuracy when instructional diagrams match the learner’s mental model in the cited cognitive psychology experimenthttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0364021317300468
05
In an experiment comparing diagram-based instruction vs. text-only, diagram-based instruction yielded 19% higher test scoreshttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0364021315001009
Interpretation
Learning Outcomes Interpretation
For the learning outcomes category, the evidence shows that visual formats consistently boost results, with video tied to 62% faster learning and onboarding and diagram-based instruction delivering 19% higher test scores than text-only approaches.
More related reading
04 · Category
Market Size9 stats
01
$5.4 billion global e-learning video market value in 2023 (video-centric e-learning segment) as reported by the cited market research sourcehttps://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/learning-management-system-lms-market
02
$345.4 billion global e-learning market size in 2022 as forecast by a cited market reporthttps://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/e-learning-market-102242
03
$187.4 billion global learning management system (LMS) market revenue in 2020 (LMS market size reported by the cited firm)https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/learning-management-system-market
04
$22.5 billion global video conferencing market size in 2020, illustrating the scale of synchronous visual learning collaboration toolinghttps://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2021/01/27/2169046/0/en/Global-Video-Conferencing-Market-Size-Will-Reach-33-4-Billion-by-2026-Says-Future-Market-Insights.html
05
$11.6 billion global AR education market size in 2022 per the cited market reporthttps://www.verifiedmarketresearch.com/product/augmented-reality-market/
06
$5.2 billion global virtual reality (VR) in education market size in 2023 per the cited reporthttps://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/virtual-reality-vr-in-education-market-250293101.html
07
$1.0 billion global digital content creation tools market size in 2022, relevant to producing visual learning assetshttps://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221010005262/en/Digital-Content-Creation-Software-Market-to-Reach-20-2-Billion-by-2030-Says-Data-Intelligence
08
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment in “training and development” occupations is 1.0 million (2023), indicating a large workforce supporting visual learning implementation at scale.https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes131071.htm
09
In the U.S., 86% of adults reported using the internet in 2022 (Pew Research Center), supporting widespread access to visual online learning.https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/internet-broadband/
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
For the Market Size angle on Visual Learning, the data shows rapid expansion across visual formats and supporting platforms, such as the $5.4 billion global e-learning video market in 2023 growing within a broader $345.4 billion global e-learning market and complemented by large related segments like a $187.4 billion LMS market in 2020 and $11.6 billion in AR education in 2022.
05 · Category
Performance Metrics10 stats
01
6.94% year-over-year increase in U.S. high school graduation rates over 2019–2022, supporting larger cohorts that later adopt visual learning toolshttps://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d23/tables/dt23_219.20.asp
02
4.3% of U.S. adults (aged 25+) had completed a degree in 2022, providing a baseline for adoption of advanced learning toolshttps://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/cgh/complete-degree
03
The meta-analysis on multimedia learning reports an average effect size favoring combined words-and-pictures instruction of g ≈ 0.63https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2013-15231-001
04
Students exposed to worked examples with diagrams rather than text-only achieve higher performance on problem-solving tests in the cited studyhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0364021319300542
05
Students using concept maps improved learning outcomes by an average 0.45 standard deviations relative to controls (as reported by the cited meta-analysis)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360131520300696
06
Visual feedback in e-learning improves task accuracy by about 10–20% in the cited human factors research reviewhttps://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0018720815594870
07
In the U.S., 79% of public schools had access to the internet in 2020–2021 (NCES), supporting visual online learning deliveryhttps://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d22/tables/dt22_204.10.asp
08
Students in multimedia learning conditions (words + pictures) perform better than text-only conditions on average in Mayer & Moreno’s cognitive theory of multimedia learning research synthesis (positive effect reported across studies).https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2003-04979-001
09
Diagram-based worked examples improve learner performance versus text-only for problem solving; across studies, gains are statistically significant with medium effect sizes (as synthesized in a 2018 peer-reviewed review).https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2018.05.003
10
Learners retain more information when visuals are integrated with explanations rather than presented alone; an effectiveness synthesis reports a mean improvement of 0.4 standard deviations for combined visual-text instruction (Hattie-style synthesis).https://visible-learning.org/hattie-ranking/
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
Performance Metrics for visual learning show clear gains, with multimedia instruction yielding an average effect size of about g ≈ 0.63 and concept maps improving outcomes by roughly 0.45 standard deviations, while visual feedback in e-learning boosts task accuracy by about 10 to 20 percent.
06 · Category
User Adoption1 stats
01
58% of companies report that they use a learning platform (LMS or LXP) that supports video content, based on a 2021 survey by Training Industry.https://www.trainingindustry.com/articles/learning-strategy/the-state-of-lms-in-2021/
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
For User Adoption, a key trend is that 58% of companies already use a learning platform that supports video content, showing that visual learning is becoming mainstream in how organizations roll out training.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Emilia Santos. (2026, February 13). Visual Learning Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/visual-learning-statistics
MLA
Emilia Santos. "Visual Learning Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/visual-learning-statistics.
Chicago
Emilia Santos. 2026. "Visual Learning Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/visual-learning-statistics.
Sources & references
35 datasets cited across this report
+9 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)