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Americans still generally value higher education and support more investment from the state and federal government to make it more affordable, according to a new report from New America.
“Varying Degrees 2024” — authored by senior policy analyst Sophie Nguyen, director Rachel Fishman, and program associate Olivia Cheche, all with the Education Policy Program at New America — is based on a nationally representative survey. It explores how Americans have evolved their opinions of higher education’s value over time. It sampled 1,705 adults to gauge Americans’ confidence in the current state of higher education, addressing issues such as affordability, funding, and accountability.
The annual survey, now in its eighth year, found that 36% of Americans think higher education is fine how it is with more than 70% of Americans still wanting their children or family members to earn at least some postsecondary education.
About 75% think higher education offers a good return on investment and say the value of an associate and a bachelor’s degree is worth it even if students need to borrow to attend.
“Our year-to-year findings show that 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,” read the report. “And they want to see more investment from the state and federal government to make college more affordable.
“Even if Americans have lost confidence in the overall state of higher education, they still want more investment from the government to make college more accessible and affordable. Policymakers and college administrators need to keep this complexity in mind as they are working to restore public trust in the system.