A new Gallup poll shows Americans’ confidence in higher education has declined: just 38% of U.S. adults say they have a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in the nation’s colleges and universities.
Where attitudes stand now
The poll, conducted by telephone in June with a random sample of roughly 1,000 adults across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., found a mix of views:
- 38% report a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in higher education.
- 37% say they have “some” confidence.
- 25% report “very little” or “none.”
Those numbers mark a modest drop from last year, when 42% of respondents indicated high confidence. The change is starker when compared with more than a decade ago: in 2015, Gallup recorded 57% of Americans expressing strong confidence in higher education.
State-level snapshot: Utah voters
Separate polling in Utah highlights a split between local and national views. A Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics survey found that 67% of Utah residents reported a “great deal” or “a fair amount” of confidence in the state’s colleges and universities. That support is lower when Utahns are asked about institutions nationally: 53% said they felt similarly about colleges and universities across the country.
| Measure | Share reporting |
|---|---|
| Strong confidence in U.S. higher ed (Gallup) | 38% |
| Some confidence | 37% |
| Very little or no confidence | 25% |
| Strong confidence in U.S. (2015) | 57% |
| Utah: strong confidence in state institutions | 67% |
| Utah: strong confidence in national institutions | 53% |
What the numbers suggest
The Gallup findings point to growing public skepticism about higher education over the past decade. The share of Americans reporting very little or no confidence rose from 10% in 2015 to 25% in the current poll. That shift may affect public support for university funding, policymaking debates about campus priorities, and how families evaluate the return on investment of a college degree.
“Confidence in higher ed”
Political and demographic differences underlie some of the variation in responses. For example, state surveys show residents can feel more positive about local institutions than about higher education nationally. The Gallup release also notes political divides: a substantial share of Republicans report little confidence in colleges, though the full poll breakdown was not provided in the available source material.
For parents and students planning next steps, the trend matters because public perception can shape policy and funding decisions that affect tuition, financial aid and campus programs. Institutions are likely to emphasize outcomes and accountability as they seek to rebuild public trust.
The Gallup poll provides a snapshot of sentiment in June; future surveys will show whether the recent dip represents a lasting realignment or short-term fluctuation in attitudes toward American higher education.
