Public Faith in Degree Value Hits Record Low in Latest Gallup Data

By Johanna Alonso · Inside Higher Ed · 2026-10-02

Inside Higher Ed reports that just 31 percent of Americans now view a college education as very important, marking a historic decline in public sentiment. This figure represents a sharp departure from 2013, when 70 percent of the population held the same level of conviction regar

Inside Higher Ed reports that just 31 percent of Americans now view a college education as very important, marking a historic decline in public sentiment. This figure represents a sharp departure from 2013, when 70 percent of the population held the same level of conviction regar