NBC News Poll: dramatic shift, Americans no longer see 4-year college degrees as worth the cost
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Anonymous
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Remember when some colleges outrageously hit $35K tuition in the 90s?
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/poll-dramatic-shift-americans-no-longer-see-four-year-college-degrees-rcna243672 Almost two-thirds of registered voters say that a four-year college degree isn’t worth the cost, according to a new NBC News poll, a dramatic decline over the last decade. |
Anonymous
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Just 33% agree a four-year college degree is “worth the cost because people have a better chance to get a good job and earn more money over their lifetime,” while 63% agree more with the concept that it’s “not worth the cost because people often graduate without specific job skills and with a large amount of debt to pay off.”
In 2017, U.S. adults surveyed were virtually split on the question — 49% said a degree was worth the cost and 47% said it wasn’t. When CNBC asked the same question in 2013 as part of its All American Economic Survey, 53% said a degree was worth it and 40% said it was not. |
Anonymous
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Links to CB research https://research.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/Trends-in-College-Pricing-and-Student-Aid-2025-final_0.pdf
when adjusted for inflation, College Board data shows that the average, inflation-adjusted cost of public four-year college tuition for in-state students has doubled since 1995. Tuition at private, four-year colleges is up 75% over the same period. |
Anonymous
| I think that skills-based hiring, not the few "who you know, liars selling to liars" jobs, will switch to independent testing / certification, and employers wont care about college degrees. People who aren't deep in debt will be more satisfied with lower pay, and won't be as risky. |
Anonymous
| And yet … applications to college continue to surge. |
Anonymous
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Sounds like a MAGA talking point.
MAGA elite is against college for others while they send their own kids to elite schools and attended elite schools themselves… Examples Hannity Stephen Miller Barron Trump Tiff Trump Don Jr Ivanka Vance Vance’s wife Josh Hawley I’ll be paying for the four-year degrees, thanks. |
Anonymous
| Between grade inflation, equity grading, and accommodations, employers will need to start verifying skills with their own testing processes anyway. And if you have it, you have it. |
Anonymous
| If OPand others want to leave the field, bye. More seats for others. |
Anonymous
Because the kids who graduated in 2020-2026 are part of the post 9-11 baby boom, with enormous graduaing classes. Class of 2026 is the peak of the baby boom. Every class after that gets smaller. By the time we get to the pandemic babies, we won't have enough students to fill all our colleges |
Anonymous
Sounds like you keep beating the same drum over and over again no matter what the thread title is on this board. Does it ever get tiring for you? I know it does for a lot of the readers on this board. |
Anonymous
| Good article. Just reflects the reality of our world. People need good paying careers and jobs. That's what matters. That's why there is such a boom, for those that go to college, to go into fields like Engineering for which there is more of a direct correlation to degree and high paying careers including higher pay out of college. Hence, why the Top Engineering Colleges apps are booming. |
Anonymous
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Yeah, I have high schoolers and we aren’t falling for the MAGA elite, “go to trade school and become a plumber” talking point.
So many MAGA and low income will fall for it so they can live out tbeir dream as Harvard educated white nationalists. Have the poor people out of management or professional careers. My kids are going to college. Maybe an affordable one, but a college. If they wanted to become plumbers, I would still recommend community college programs because a few business classes and advanced math never hurt anyone. |
Anonymous
A lot of employers do this today and they start with … college grads. What better way to help to start the filter on those who “have it”? |
Anonymous
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I think you should have to answer the following before you post in this thread:
A) Did you graduate from a 4-year college B) Are you encouraging your kids to apply to 4-year colleges, and do you hope they are admitted For me, the answers are yes and yes. I’ve been on probably 40 search committees in my lifetime, across three industries. All of these were for what any reasonable person would consider to be a good job with a good salary and good benefits. Each of these jobs required a B.A. I know there are lots of fulfilling, interesting, helpful, good-paying jobs out there that do not require a college degree, and of course I think trade work and skilled labor are immensely valuable. But if we’re going to be honest, I would think the vast majority of us on this thread hope that our kids are admitted to a good, 4-year institution, because that will lead to good employment prospects, and even good social and romantic prospects. |
Anonymous
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