Why the Gainful Employment Rule is a Political Winner
Survey
Aug. 2022
Sample Size:
1,000
Demographics:
voters
Topics:
Value
Accountability
Funding
Top Findings:
- The gainful employment rule is broadly popular. More than three-quarters of voters and similar rates of institution leaders support the rule. There’s also intense support among voters for connecting higher education to positive student outcomes, especially related to job prospects (91% support) and loan repayment (90% support), as well as a clear acknowledgment that the federal government needs to do more to protect students from predatory programs (91% support).
- Institution leaders also see the benefits of connecting higher ed to the job market (97% support), ensuring that graduates can earn enough to repay their student loans (90% support), and protecting students from programs that could leave them worse off than when they enrolled (92% support).
- A new earnings threshold has broad public support. 89% of voters and 90% of institution leaders agreed in general that higher education programs receiving federal funds should leave graduates able to get jobs that earn more than the average high school graduate.
- Voters prioritized gainful employment over other higher education reforms. 60% of voters stated that requiring higher education programs to show a track record of graduates getting good jobs before they can receive taxpayer dollars was an important priority, compared to only 43% who said the same about cancelling student loan debt and 51% wanting policymakers to prioritize making higher education free.