Historical Gallup tracking shows that the share of U.S. adults viewing a college degree as very important fell from 70 percent in 2013 to less than one-third. Over the same decade, those viewing higher education as not too important surged from 6 percent to nearly 30 percent, though "fairly important" remains the leading response. Every major demographic group across gender, ethnicity, and political affiliation experienced double-digit declines. These changing attitudes reflect widespread skepticism regarding high tuition costs, economic inequality, and insufficient diversity on campus.
Key points
Growing doubts over whether degrees justify heavy time and financial burdens have eroded…: Growing doubts over whether degrees justify heavy time and financial burdens have eroded higher education's perceived value.
Post-Great Recession unemployment challenges and rising economic inequality have fueled b…: Post-Great Recession unemployment challenges and rising economic inequality have fueled broader skepticism among prospective students and families.
Criticism cuts across ideological lines, with Democrats and Independents highlighting sev…: Criticism cuts across ideological lines, with Democrats and Independents highlighting severe cost barriers alongside concerns over insufficient diversity.
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Quick post today, as I travel across several American cities:
United States attitudes towards higher education soured yet again, according to a new Gallup poll. The main question asked this time was “How important is a college education today — very important, fairly important or not too important?” It’s one Gallup has asked regularly for decades.
Here are the results, measured against annual reports dating back to the late 1970s:
Look at that sheer plummet from 2013! The “very important” answer is less than half what it was just thirteen years ago. It went from a supermajority to not even one third of the responses. As the article observes, “As recently as 2013, more than twice as many U.S. adults (70%) said college was very important.” (Shameless note: 2013 is also the year of peak enrollment. Another bit of evidence for peak higher ed?) And the rapid takeoff of “not too important” shot up from 6% to nearly 30%, representing a five fold increase.
At the same time the leading response – not a majority, but the greatest number –…
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