Poll reveals growing skepticism toward higher ed as college enrollment declines
Confidence in higher education is decreasing, with a new poll from Gallup and the Lumina Foundation finding that only 36% of adults have a 'great deal' or 'quite a lot' of confidence in American universities.
Confidence in higher education is decreasing, with a new poll from Gallup and the Lumina Foundation finding that only 36% of adults have a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in American universities.
Campus Reform has previously reported that confidence in higher education has been steadily decreasing for almost a decade, with 57% of Americans expressing confidence in universities in 2015 and 48% in 2018.
“Republicans are not alone in having reduced confidence in higher education,” Gallup explains in its report, “as 35% of independents, down from 48% in 2015, and 56% of Democrats, down from 68%, are confident.”
“In the past year, all party groups have shown at least some increase in the percentage with very little or no confidence, and a decrease in the percentage saying they have some,” the report continues.
“It’s so expensive, and I don’t think colleges are teaching people what they need to get a job,” a Republican from Connecticut recently told AP News. “You graduate out of college, you’re up to eyeballs in debt, you can’t get a job, then you can’t pay it off. What’s the point?”
25% of respondents to the Gallup poll described college education as “too expensive.”
For reference, Columbia University’s tuition for 2024-2025 is $71,170, while Harvard University’s tuition is $82,866 and Stanford University’s tuition is $87,225.
41% of those not confident in higher education predicated their reasoning on the “political agendas” they see universities as pushing. 25% believe that universities “indoctrinate” or “brainwash,” while 17% describe universities as “Too liberal/political.”
As Campus Reform has reported, college enrollment—especially among men—has steadily fallen for years.
Campus Reform has contacted Columbia University, Harvard University, and Stanford University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
