Poll: Public Confidence in Higher Ed Growing

"According to a poll the Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy published Thursday, 47 percent of 1,030 Americans surveyed said they have "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in higher education institutions, with a net positive rating of 33-up 13 percentage points since 2023. Survey respondents reported more confidence in higher education than in the police (44 percent), the medical system (38 percent) and large tech companies (25 percent)."

"While 69 percent of Democrats said they were confident in higher education, only 35 percent of Republicans said the same; just 24 percent of respondents who identify with Trump's Make America Great Again movement expressed confidence. However, the vast majority (78 percent) of people surveyed said a college education is "very" or "somewhat" important for a young person to succeed, including 87 percent of Democrats and 68 percent of Republicans."

Public confidence in higher education has increased, with 47 percent of respondents reporting a great deal or quite a lot of confidence and a net positive rating up 13 points since 2023. Respondents expressed more confidence in colleges than in the police, the medical system, and large tech companies. Other recent polls showed similar upticks, with 42 percent reporting strong confidence versus a low of 36 percent in 2023–2024. Significant partisan divides persist: 69 percent of Democrats express confidence compared with 35 percent of Republicans and 24 percent of MAGA identifiers. Seventy-eight percent say college is very or somewhat important for success, while affordability and perceived partisan slant remain major concerns.

Read at Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs