Survey Finds Only 36% of US Adults Are Satisfied with Higher Education

An annual survey has revealed that only 36 percent of adults in the United States believe education provided at universities is fine the way it is. The study by New America, a liberal think tank, found it is a 5 percent drop in confidence in higher education from last year.

According to the report “Varying Degrees 2024”, some 39 percent of respondents politically identifying as Republicans said the sector is fine. Among Democrats, 36 percent agreed with the statement, Erudera.com reports.

Most US adults (75 percent) think a postsecondary degree is worth it as it provides a good return on investment. However, this share is still lower compared to 2019, when 80 percent of respondents indicated the same.

More than half of US adults believe higher education positively impacts the country. However, the confidence declined from previous years, decreasing 16 percent from five years ago.

Regarding finances, 28 percent believe a bachelor’s degree is necessary to reach financial stability, while 26 percent think a high school diploma would be enough for their family members to be financially stable.

On the other hand, for 14 percent, an associate degree would help achieve this goal. According to research, an associate degree is worth the investment, even if students have to take out loans.

“While a majority of Americans are unhappy with the way higher education operates, they still recognize the benefits of having a postsecondary credential and still want their children and family members to pursue one,” the report points out.

However, a different study from Pew Research Center, a Washington-based think tank whose findings were published earlier this year, revealed that most Americans question the financial value of higher education, saying that college is worth the money only without taking student loans.

Nearly half of Americans responding to the same survey said they believe it’s less important to graduate from a four-year college in order to find a high-paying job than it was 20 years ago. For 32 percent of respondents, this is nowadays more important, while 17 percent said it was the same 20 years ago.

US college costs have mainly been rising over the past two decades, including tuition and other fees. A Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce report shows the average cost of tuition, housing, and board has increased by 169 percent from 1980 to 2020.

Data by US News & World Report last year showed that the average tuition at private colleges went up 4 percent, meaning the amount reached $40,000 per year. At other colleges which are considered more selective, the average price is even higher. Harvard, for example, expects students to pay about $95,438, including tuition fees and other costs such as food, housing, books, etc.