Executive Summary

Varying Degrees is an annual survey about Americans’ perspectives on education after high school.¹ Now in its seventh year, Varying Degrees continues to ask Americans for their opinions on critical questions related to the value of educational opportunities after high school, how higher education is funded, and how we hold colleges and universities accountable for that funding. The survey this year, with a sample size of 1,497 adults, for the first time explores Americans’ perspectives on the benefits that education after high school can bring to individuals and society at large, and whether they think students can equitably access college and succeed in obtaining their degrees.²

As in previous years, this year’s findings show that while Americans acknowledge the value of education after high school, they do not believe it is affordable for everyone who wants to enroll, and want to see change in higher education. Seven in ten Americans believe that their close family members need to complete at least some amount of education beyond high school to ensure financial stability: nearly 40 percent think the minimum level should be at least a bachelor’s degree. At the same time, only about half think Americans can get a high-quality education after high school that is also affordable, and that education after high school is affordable to anyone who wants to pursue it.

Other key findings include:

• A majority of Americans believe that individuals with undergraduate credentials (i.e., certificate, associate, or bachelor’s degrees) earn more and enjoy greater financial stability. Furthermore, more than 70 percent think that individuals with undergraduate credentials contribute to greater civic engagement, lower unemployment rates, and better public health within their communities.
• Six in ten Americans believe that the government is responsible for funding education after high school because it is good for society. However, this question continues to show the rift between Democrats and Republicans: while as much as 78 percent of Democrats agree that the government should fund education after high school, only 36 percent of Republicans think so.
• Eighty-five and 66 percent of Americans, respectively, think community colleges and public four-year colleges are worth the cost. More than 80 and nearly 70 percent, respectively, would be comfortable supporting community colleges and public four-year colleges with tax dollars.
• Nearly 80 percent agree that programs should lose eligibility for federal financial aid if they consistently leave students deeply in debt relative to their earnings, or if they consistently fail to help graduates earn more than those who complete only a high school diploma. Four in five Americans agree with recouping money from institutions for borrower defense discharges.
• Three-fourths of Americans believe that federal and state government and colleges and universities should work to ensure that students from historically underrepresented backgrounds have access to higher education opportunities. Nine in ten Americans agree that colleges and universities should ensure adequate support services are provided to those students who need them, and 78 percent of Americans agree that all students benefit when colleges and universities reflect the racial diversity of the United States.