Views on College Importance Have Dropped

The share of Americans who consider a college education to be very important has fallen to its lowest point since 1978.

Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in College Applications

Views on College Importance Have Dropped

Live Poll

Do you believe a college degree is still worth the cost for your household?

Only 31 percent of American adults now consider a college education very important, marking a four-percentage-point decrease from last year. This figure represents the lowest level of public approval for the importance of higher education recorded since the question was first asked in 1978.

Why it matters

Rising public concern regarding the high cost of tuition is significantly influencing the shifting sentiment toward the value of higher education. This decline reflects a broader transformation in how families weigh the potential financial return of a degree against its current price tag.

Current polling shows 31 percent of Americans view college as very important, while 39 percent rate it as fairly important and 29 percent deem it not too important. These figures contrast sharply with 2013, when 70 percent of adults rated it as very important.

The players

Gallup

Gallup is a global analytics and advisory company known for conducting public opinion polls and social research on a wide variety of topics.

The details

Gallup researchers gauged public sentiment across the United States to understand current attitudes toward degree programs. While a significant portion of the population remains supportive, the surge in those labeling college as not too important, now at 29 percent, highlights growing skepticism among potential students and their families.

1978 marked the first year this question was included in the survey.
In 2013, 70 percent of American adults considered college very important.
2025 served as the prior year for this latest polling comparison.
Poll results were published in October 2026.

Culture Shift

This decline follows the 2013 Gallup college importance poll results, marking a clear departure from the high valuation of degrees previously held by a majority of the population. It reflects a wider cultural move away from the assumption that a traditional four-year degree is essential for success.

Families may increasingly prioritize vocational training or workforce entry over traditional academic paths to avoid rising costs. This shift requires students to conduct more rigorous financial analysis before committing to long-term educational debt.

The takeaway

The sustained decrease in perceived value suggests that the college premium is being actively re-evaluated by the average household. Prospective students should conduct a thorough cost-benefit analysis of their specific degree program before enrollment.