Survey results released today by Gallup and the Lumina Foundation indicate that 48% of Americans expressed high confidence in community colleges, which notably outpaces the one-third who feel similarly about four-year universities. The study, involving 2,180 U.S. adults from June 3-18, 2024, highlights a growing disparity in public trust towards various higher education pathways.
Political alignment significantly influences perceptions, with Republican-identifying respondents demonstrating markedly lower confidence in both community and four-year colleges compared to those identifying as Democrats and independents. According to the survey, “Republicans show the largest gap with 36% confidence in community colleges versus just 15% in four-year universities.”
The research suggests that this broad preference for two-year over four-year institutions may be attributed to factors such as cost and perceived value.
“58% of Americans trust in the affordability of community colleges, while a mere 11% say the same for four-year universities,” the survey reported. Furthermore, only 18% of Americans believe a four-year degree justifies its cost, compared to 55% who see value in the education provided by community colleges.
This skepticism is underscored by enrollment trends. Since the global pandemic began in 2020, higher education saw its first increase in enrollments in 2023, though the increase was more pronounced in community colleges. Despite this, the total undergraduate count remains over a million below 2018 levels, indicating a persistent reluctance to pursue, or return to, higher education.
Overall, confidence in higher education remains low, with a significant number of Americans skeptical about the direction it is headed.
“Only 36% of adults have high confidence in higher education, a steep decline from 57% in 2015,” the report explained.
Concerns about affordability, educational quality, and political controversies continue to shape public opinion of higher education and with ongoing issues like the student debt crisis and debates over academic content, there remain significant challenges, both financial and ideological.
