Americans think student loans should be prioritized, simplified

The Ipsos Consumer Tracker asks Americans questions about culture, the economy and the forces that shape our lives. Here's one thing we learned this week.

Why we asked: The new budget bill suggests some sweeping changes to how student loans work and how they will be managed. Meanwhile, repayments of existing loans have been kickstarted, and I have a kid about to be a senior in high school and OHMYGOD the Facebook groups are bonkers!

What we found: There a lot of points of commonality when it comes to higher education in America. A majority across party lines (53%) say that education is “still the great equalizer” and that the government should prioritize making college more affordable (70%). A majority across party lines (61%) agree that the federal government should provide no-interest loans to students of accredited colleges, universities or trade schools. This is not a thing that happens currently, however federal loans are generally lower-interest than loans from private lenders. A majority across party lines (61%) also agree that the process is too complicated. Any member of any of these Facebook groups will tell you this is just objectively true, and while many Americans don’t have an opinion on the topic, it’s telling that almost no one disagrees. 

In the new budget, the proposal is that loans will be capped regardless of how many children you have in college. For example, if you’re capable of paying back $200,000 in loans for your four kids, you’ll still be capped at a much lower figure. But if you only have one kid in college, you’ll be capped at the same level, which is not a particularly great economic incentive to have more kids (at least if you plan to send them to college). The part we agree on is that the cap should be related to how much you can borrow, which most (54%) of Americans think is fair.

Among those that currently have student loan debt, 58% say it makes it hard to pay their other bills each month, including 44% of those making $125,000 or more.

More insights from this wave of the Ipsos Consumer Tracker:

Despite overall uncertainty, we are somewhat confident in spending

If AI use at work is growing, we don't know it.

Our views on gender are consistent, but are we less willing to talk about it?

The Ipsos Vibe Check: Here's how Americans feel about the government this week

The Ipsos Care-o-Meter: What does America know about vs. what does America care about