Confidence in higher education among U.S. adults has slipped again after showing signs of recovery last year, according to Lumina Foundation/Gallup’s latest annual survey.
The poll found that 38% of Americans now have “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in higher education, down from 42% in 2025. Meanwhile, one-quarter of respondents reported “very little” or no confidence at all. The findings continue a broader decline in public trust that Gallup has tracked over the past decade.
Why Confidence Is Declining
Gallup found that Americans continue to cite the rising cost of college as the leading reason for their declining confidence in higher education. The concern comes as the price of earning a degree remains one of the biggest financial decisions many families face.
In fact, 61% of families removed a college from consideration — even after reviewing their financial aid package — due to cost, according to Sallie Mae’s “How America Pays for College” report. Families continue to rely on a combination of income, savings, scholarships and loans to cover education expenses, while many students graduate with debt that can take years to repay.
[Read: Is College Worth the Cost? Factors to Consider.]
Beyond affordability, respondents pointed to concerns that colleges are advancing political agendas, while others questioned whether a college degree delivers sufficient quality or value.
“Today’s Gallup findings are not a referendum on whether a college education still matters in today’s job market,” says Mamie Voight, president and CEO at the Institute for Higher Education Policy. “The results signal that a growing share of Americans are unsure if the returns to a college education are worth the investment.”
The survey also found that confidence declined most among Democrats this year, though Republicans have experienced the largest long-term drop since 2015.
Despite these attitudes, Jeff Strohl, research professor and director at Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce, says families are still largely choosing to pursue college.
“Declining public confidence is part of a long-term trend driven by parents and students questioning costs and graduation rates,” he says. “However, we have not seen these concerns translate into major declines in enrollment.”
How AI and Politics Are Shaping Public Perception
Questions surrounding artificial intelligence and an increasingly polarized political climate are also contributing to uncertainty about higher education’s role.
“The uncertainties of AI have everyone questioning what the future will bring, including whether or not college will be important for obtaining work, economic mobility and career success,” Strohl says. “However, the critical thinking and good judgment developed in college will serve students well regardless of what they do when they leave school.”
At the same time, he says, colleges face growing pressure to maintain their academic independence while demonstrating that their research and teachings remain grounded in evidence rather than ideology.
What Colleges Can Do to Rebuild Trust
“Confidence is earned through evidence, not simply reputation,” Voight says. “Rebuilding public trust in higher education will come from institutions and policymakers committing to real transparency around outcomes so students and families have clear, reliable information about different postsecondary pathways.”
[Read: The Cost of Private vs. Public Colleges.]
Strohl says restoring public confidence will likely take years.
“While our (CEW) data demonstrates that a college degree is the primary route to economic opportunity, colleges need to embark on efforts to continually demonstrate the returns to postsecondary education,” he says.
That includes improving graduation rates, expanding work-based learning opportunities and strengthening partnerships with employers so students are better prepared for careers after graduation.
“Colleges need to double down on providing support that helps ensure students can be successful in school and in work, even in the face of an uncertain economy,” Strohl says.
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U.S. Adult Confidence in Higher Ed Drops Again originally appeared on usnews.com
