Vast majority of Americans believe students deserve an equal opportunity to pursue higher education

Washington, DC, July 11, 2022 –

This Public Agenda/USA Today/Ipsos Hidden Common Ground poll examines Americans’ opinions on the value of higher education and the public college and university system in the United States. It finds that Americans believe making a decent living should not depend on having a college degree. At the same time, Americans believe all high school graduates deserve an equal opportunity to get a college education, no matter their race, ethnicity or income.

Please visit www.publicagenda.org to read the full report and www.usatoday.com to read the full article.

Detailed Findings  

1. Overall, most Americans believe there are many ways to succeed in today’s work world, not just with a college education.  

• Nearly three quarters (74%) of Americans believe there are many ways to succeed in today’s work world without a college education. White people (78%) are slightly more likely to believe this than Hispanics (70%) and Black people (67%).  
  • Those without a college degree (80%) are also more likely to agree than those with a college degree or more (67%).  
• Two-thirds (67%) of Americans believe that there are many people who are qualified to go to college but do not have the opportunity to do so, and 61% think it would be worthwhile for their state government to invest more in public colleges, universities, and community colleges.  
  • Democrats (75%) are much more likely than Republicans (46%) and independents (57%) to think it would be worthwhile for their state government to invest more in public colleges, universities, and community colleges.

2. Almost all Americans agree that people should be able to make a decent living without a college degree. That said, they also feel a college education can help working adults advance their careers.

• Ninety percent of Americans say people should be able to make a decent living without having to get a college education, and 89% say all high school graduates — regardless of their race, ethnicity, or income — deserve an equal opportunity to get a college education.  
• The majority of Americans (86%) also agree that getting a college education can help working adults advance their careers.  
  • Those with higher household incomes are more likely to agree with this: 91% among those making $100,000 or more compared to 87% of those making $50,000-$99,999 and 81% of those making under $50,000.  

3. Few Americans believe public education systems in the United States are receiving too much funding. 

• Less than 10% of Americans believe early childhood education (9%), K-12 public schools (9%), and public two-year community colleges (7%) are receiving too much
• Americans are more split when it comes to funding for public four-year colleges, with 35% saying they receive too little, 32% saying they receive the right amount, and 17% saying they receive too much funding. 
  • Republicans and independents are most likely to believe schools are receiving too much funding: 33% of Republicans and 28% of independents say flagship state schools receive too much funding, compared to 20% of Democrats and 17% of apoliticals.

4. Americans say public two-year community colleges are the most cost-effective way to help students get an education.  

• Over half of Americans (57%) believe public two-year community colleges help students get an education in a timely, cost-effective manner. Meanwhile, only 28% say the same about public four-year state colleges and 20% about their state’s most prominent and selective public university.  
  • Older Americans are most likely to feel this way, with 67% of those ages 55 or older saying public two-year colleges are cost-effective versus only 47% of those ages 18-34.  
• Americans are also more likely to believe that public two-year colleges are a worthwhile investment of public funds (43%) than public four-year colleges (32%) because they increase opportunities for low-income students and students of color.  

5. The majority of Americans say student debt is a serious problem and that there isn’t enough financial aid for both low-income and middle-income college students. 

• Fifty-nine percent of Americans say student debt is a serious problem, with 82% saying it is a problem overall.  
• Three-quarters (78%) of Americans believe low-income students being unable to afford college because financial aid does not adequately cover the cost of attending is a problem, and 76% say it is also a problem that middle-income students are unable to afford college because they or their parents earn too much money to qualify for financial aid.  
• Over half (55%) of Americans believe liberal, politically correct colleges where conservatives cannot speak freely is a problem. Republicans (71%) are most likely to believe this, followed by half (51%) of independents but 44% of Democrats and 42% of independents agree as well.  
• American support student loan forgiveness, whether it is a significant portion of government student loans for college graduates who have excessive debt (59%) or for all college students, regardless of income (50%) or to forgive.  

6. When it comes to funding public colleges and universities in their state, Americans prefer the students have some financial respobility but with help from the state.

• Thirty percent of Americans want the public colleges in their state to be mostly funded by the state government with some contribution from students and families while 31% want it funded equally by the state government and students and families.  
  • Republicans are more likely to say the funds should come equally from the state government and students/families.  
• Only 17% want public college and universities to be funded entirely by the state government and 7% want them to be entirely by students and families.  
  • Republicans (12%) are four times as likely as Democrats (3%) and twice as likely as independents (6%) to say students and families should be the only ones funding public colleges and universities.  

7. Americans believe colleges and students share the blame for a student not completing their college degree or certificate in a reasonable amount of time and that public colleges and universities should prioritize making tuition and other college expenses more affordable. 

• Nearly half (46%) of Americans say making tuition and other college expenses more affordable should be one of the top priorities for public colleges and universities. Forty-four percent say making sure that all students have an equal opportunity to get a college education, no matter their race, ethnicity, or income, should also be a priority.  
  • Those Americans with only some college education (57%) are more likely to believe making tuition and other college expenses more affordable should be a priority than those with a college degree or more (40%).  
• Three in five Americans say colleges and students share the blame for a lot of college students not completing their degrees or certificates in a reasonable amount of time.  

8. Ultimately, Americans would like to see K-12 public schools improve so that all students graduate high school ready for college and to see public colleges and universities be clear about the debt their students are taking on.  

• Over four in five (85%) Americans support requiring public colleges and universities to clearly inform students about how much debt they will be taking on.  
• Eighty-eight percent also support improving K-12 public schools so that all students graduate from high school ready for college or work.  
• Over two-thirds (68%) of Americans support making community colleges free.  

About the Study

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted between May 3-6, 2022, on behalf of Public Agenda and USA Today. For this survey, a sample of 1,662 adults age 18+ from the continental U.S., Alaska, and Hawaii was interviewed online in English. The sample includes 694 Democrats, 378 Republicans, 388 Independents, and 202 apolitical Americans.

The sample for this study was randomly drawn from Ipsos’ online panel (see link for more info on “Access Panels and Recruitment”), partner online panel sources, and “river” sampling (see link for more info on the Ipsos “Ampario Overview” sample method) and does not rely on a population frame in the traditional sense. Ipsos uses fixed sample targets, unique to each study, in drawing a sample. After a sample has been obtained from the Ipsos panel, Ipsos calibrates respondent characteristics to be representative of the U.S. Population using standard procedures such as raking-ratio adjustments. The source of these population targets is U.S. Census 2019 American Community Survey data. The sample drawn for this study reflects fixed sample targets on demographics. Posthoc weights were made to the population characteristics on gender, age, race/ethnicity, region, and education. Party ID benchmarks are from recent high quality telephone polls.

Statistical margins of error are not applicable to online non-probability polls. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error and measurement error. Where figures do not sum to 100, this is due to the effects of rounding. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points for all respondents. Ipsos calculates a design effect (DEFF) for each study based on the variation of the weights, following the formula of Kish (1965). This study had a credibility interval adjusted for design effect of the following (n=1,662, DEFF=1.5, adjusted Confidence Interval=+/-4.4 percentage points).

The poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 4.6 percentage points for Democrats, plus or minus 6.2 percentage points for Republicans, plus or minus 6.1 percentage points for Independents, and plus or minus 8.4 percentage points for apolitical individuals.

For more information on this news release, please contact:

Chris Jackson

Senior Vice President, US Public Affairs

+1 202 420-2025

[email protected]

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