U.S. Adults' Confidence in Higher Education at 38 Percent 'Great Deal or Quite a Lot,' 37 Percent 'Some'

A new Gallup-Lumina Foundation poll shows 38 percent of U.S. adults express a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in higher education. That figure marks a decline from 42 percent in 2025 and 57 percent in 2015, according to @Forbes reported.

The telephone survey of 1,001 adults conducted June 1-15 carried a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points. Thirty-seven percent of respondents said they have some confidence while 25 percent reported very little or none. Democrats showed the steepest recent decline, falling to 50 percent from 61 percent the prior year.

Independents stood at 39 percent and Republicans at 23 percent. Long-term drops have been largest among Republicans. College graduates expressed higher confidence at 43 percent compared with 35 percent among those without a four-year degree.

Postgraduates reached 49 percent while holders of only a bachelor's degree registered 36 percent. Among those lacking confidence, 31 percent cited perceived political agendas on campuses, 30 percent pointed to high costs, and 25 percent said colleges fail to prepare students for the workforce.

Those with confidence most often named critical thinking skills at 33 percent, making students informed at 30 percent, and improved job opportunities at 19 percent.

Forty-six percent of all respondents said AI will make college degrees less important over the next five years. Twenty percent expected degrees to become more important and 33 percent foresaw no change.