Survey results: value of college degree—relative to its cost—and should public higher education be free

The APM Research Lab, in collaboration with APM Reports’ Educate team and The Hechinger Report, conducted a survey to see what Americans believe about the value of college degree—relative to its cost—and whether they felt that public higher education should be free. A nationally representative survey of 1,003 American adults (18+) was conducted between November 27-December 2, 2018.

Survey respondents were asked these two questions:

1. Would you support or oppose making tuition at public colleges and universities free for anyone who is qualified to attend?
2. These days, would you say that getting a four-year college degree is worth the cost, or not?

KEY FINDINGS:

• All together, 72 percent of Americans say they would support free tuition at public colleges and universities for qualified applicants.
• Support for free college tuition is particularly strong, reaching 80 percent or higher, among women, those age 18 to 44, Latinx and non-Hispanic Black respondents, Democrats, part-time workers, and parents with a child (under age 18) living at home.
• Despite the widespread desire for free college, a majority of Americans agree that college is worth its current high price tag: Nearly 6 in 10 Americans—regardless whether they attended college or not—say the cost of college is worth the investment.
• However, 36 percent of Americans say that college is not worth the cost. When this group was asked to choose which of two responses was closer to why they believe this, the majority (60%) said, “people often graduate without specific job skills and with a large amount of debt.” Alternately, 36 percent of the group who believes college is not worth it agreed with this statement, “you can get a good job without a four-year degree.”
  
  

  READ THE FULL REPORT BY APM RESEARCH LAB