Overview
- Only 35% of U.S. adults now call a college degree “very important,” down from roughly three-quarters in 2010.
- Republicans show the steepest erosion, with 20% saying college is very important compared with 42% of Democrats.
- Most still see some value, with 40% rating college as “fairly important” and 24% saying it is “not too important.”
- Economic returns endure: households led by someone with a bachelor’s degree have a $132,700 median income versus $58,410 for high-school–led households, per Census data.
- Coverage cites tuition and debt pressures, a softer job market and AI concerns, and rising interest in skilled trades as key reasons for the shift.