What Americans Really Think of Higher Ed: Insights from New America's Varying Degrees 2024

Despite media narratives of declining confidence in higher education, new survey data reveals 80% of Americans view college costs - not value - as the primary barrier to enrollment. While only 36% think higher education is "fine how it is," bipartisan support remains strong, with a majority of both Democrats and Republicans favoring increased government funding for affordability.

On this episode of Changing Higher Ed® podcast, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Kevin Carey, Vice President for Education and Work at New America, and Sophie Nguyen, Senior Policy Manager with the Higher Education team at New America, a nonpartisan think tank focused on social and technological issues, including education. The discussion centers around  New America’s annual “Varying Degrees” survey, which examines how Americans perceive higher education.

Carey and Nguyen argue that, contrary to the media narrative, Americans have not actually lost faith in the value of higher education. They attribute the decline in enrollment not to a loss of confidence but rather to demographic shifts, the economic recession, and the unique nature of the pandemic.

They also highlight the partisan divide in perspectives on higher education, noting that Republicans have become more skeptical of higher education than Democrats, likely due to a changing composition of the two parties' constituencies in terms of educational attainment.

The conversation concludes with practical advice for college leaders on navigating these challenges, emphasizing the need for clear communication about the value of higher education, acknowledging student and parental concerns about affordability and career pathways, and continuing to advocate for higher education in the face of political and social shifts.

What Higher Ed Leaders Will Gain From This Podcast

Here are some insights, facts, and trends you’ll hear discussed:

• Americans do not hate higher education. While confidence in higher education as an institution is declining, this is consistent with declining American confidence in all institutions. Americans still largely believe in higher education.

• Americans’ opinions on higher education have remained relatively stable over the years, even amidst significant events like the pandemic. This finding counters media narratives suggesting a dramatic shift in public opinion.

• A majority of Republicans believe that the government should invest more money to make higher education more affordable. This suggests that there is a bipartisan consensus on investing in higher education.

• There has been a partisan realignment around higher education, with Democrats increasingly becoming the party of education. This is likely due to an increase in the number of people with college degrees among Democrat voters.

• The decline in college enrollment is mainly driven by demographic decline, not by a decline in demand for higher education.  The number of college-age people in America peaked in the late 2010s and has been declining since.

• The pandemic recession did not lead to an increase in college enrollment as previous recessions have. This is because the pandemic recession was brief, and the economy quickly rebounded.

• The labor market has been very strong for non-college graduates in the middle and lower parts of the wage scale. This may be a factor in the decline in college enrollment.

• Many parents who say they do not want their children to get a four-year degree actually do want their children to go to college for job training. They may not realize that most job-related training in the United States happens at colleges.

• Colleges need to communicate the value of a liberal arts education to