Preface

America’s higher education system is considered the best in the world. Colleges and universities in the United States have long dominated global rankings, serving as hubs of scientific research and technological innovation and attracting talent from around the world. Their reputation stems from the well-developed infrastructure, sustained investment in research, a commitment to academic freedom, and a diverse and dynamic academic culture. But that reputation—and the foundation that supports it—is at risk of crumbling very quickly.

Despite recent declines in public trust, a few areas of higher education still receive strong bipartisan support. However, since his inauguration in January, President Trump and his administration have wasted no time issuing executive orders and taking actions against colleges and universities, targeting federal funding and contracts, student activism, noncitizen students, and diversity and inclusion efforts on campuses. Institutions across the country, even those that haven’t been directly named in these actions, all feel the brunt of the relentless political pressure.

Central to this unprecedented assault on the higher education sector is the debate about the purposes and value of higher education: What does higher education do for its students and for the nation, and where does it fall short? Critics on the political right—including President Trump and his allies—have long accused colleges of indoctrinating students with liberal ideas, teaching students “un-American” values, and failing to equip students with the skills needed for the workforce.¹ In 2021, then-Senator and now-Vice President JD Vance even called higher education “the enemy” that needs to be attacked “honestly and aggressively.”² Against a backdrop of growing public frustration with the ever-increasing cost of college and ballooning student loan debt, this criticism seems to resonate with many Americans. Public confidence in higher education has declined steadily in recent years.³

Meanwhile, the responses from higher education leaders often come across as inadequate at best or dismissive at worst, which has further distanced institutions from their powerful political critics, as well as the general public. That disconnect was perhaps most visible during the congressional hearing about antisemitism on campus in 2023 when presidents from Harvard, MIT, and the University of Pennsylvania provided evasive responses to House lawmakers, triggering a national backlash and resulting in the resignation of two of those presidents.⁴ It was not until recently, when faced with the steady attacks and existential threats to their mission and identity, that some colleges and universities started to defend themselves more actively, highlighting their role in fostering student success, driving scientific advancement, and contributing to social and economic progress.⁵

Amid the clashing narratives about higher education, Americans have their own perception of what higher education is—both its value and shortcomings—and what it should be. Varying Degrees 2025, conducted in March of this year, surveyed more than 1,600 Americans across the country about their perspectives on the mission of colleges and universities, higher education quality, and the value colleges offer both individuals and society.⁶ Our survey finds that while Americans may be divided on whether colleges and universities are leaning too liberal, a common criticism from conservatives, they see eye to eye on the core functions and value of colleges and universities.

The survey findings this year reaffirm the fact that despite their dissatisfaction with the current state of higher education, Americans still see it as a worthwhile investment. Although Americans may disagree on who should bear the cost of college, the students or the government, there is bipartisan support for more state and federal investment to improve affordability. It is timely to be reminded of this support as Congress just passed a massive legislative package earlier this month, including provisions that would make higher education much less affordable and accessible for low- and moderate-income students for years to come.

This report explores the 2025 survey results in detail, focusing on public perceptions of value and funding in higher education. For the first time, the report also dives into the rich year-over-year data that Varying Degrees has collected for the past nine years, revealing how Americans’ views on these issues have evolved over the last decade.