In a dramatic shift in American attitudes toward higher education, nearly two-thirds of registered voters say a four-year college degree isn't worth the cost.
Poll Shows Sharp Reversal In Sentiment
A new NBC News poll of 1,000 registered voters conducted from Oct. 24–28, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 points, found that just 33% of Americans say 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.”
However, according to 63% of respondents, it is “not worth the cost because people often graduate without specific job skills and with a large amount of debt to pay off.”
In 2013, 53% said a degree was worth it and 40% said it was not, according to CNBC’s All American Economic Survey.
Tuition Costs Drive Skepticism
The average, inflation-adjusted cost of public four-year college tuition for in-state students has doubled since 1995, according to College Board data cited by NBC News.
Over the same time period, private four-year college tuition has increased by 75%.
Business Leaders Echo Voter Concerns Over College Value
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META), echoes poll participants' worries about graduating with debt while lacking the job skills needed to succeed, calling college “a broken system that starts students in a big hole with no guarantee of a job.”
Zuckerberg, the sixth-wealthiest person in the world, is himself a college dropout.
Earlier, real estate investor Grant Cardone noted that too many graduates compete for scarce jobs in an AI-transformed economy, citing AI disruption, degree oversupply, and student debt as reasons why college degrees no longer justify their cost.
Financial advisor Dave Ramsey also questioned whether prestigious universities justify higher tuition costs.
Vocational Training Emerges As Preferred Alternative
Interest in technical, vocational and two-year degree programs has increased, according to the poll conducted.
A separate study found 93% of Americans believe trade apprenticeships offer better job stability than traditional four-year degrees, reflecting a growing preference for skills-based training.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
