A new Gallup survey finds Americans growing more skeptical of higher education, with declining confidence tied to rising tuition, political tensions and uncertainty about the future role of artificial intelligence.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
After a brief rebound in 2025, Americans’ confidence in colleges and universities has slipped once more, according to new polling that highlights persistent concerns about affordability, institutional priorities and the evolving job market.
Data from a Gallup survey conducted with the Lumina Foundation shows that 38% of U.S. adults now report having either a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in higher education, down from 42% the previous year. Meanwhile, those expressing “very little” or no confidence rose slightly, from 23% to 25%.
The shift effectively reverses much of the modest improvement seen in 2025 and aligns with a longer-term downward trend in public trust toward colleges and universities.
Chance Layton, communications director for the National Association of Scholars, attributed the decline to familiar issues. “Any decline is likely for the same reasons we’ve seen confidence declines over the last decade: increased costs and poor results; over-politicization and moral vapidness,” he told Just the News.
Political Divides Deepen Perceptions
Confidence dropped across all major political affiliations, though the magnitude varied. Democrats experienced the most significant one-year decline, with confidence falling by 11 percentage points. Republicans and independents saw smaller decreases of 2 and 3 points, respectively.
Despite that recent shift, Republicans have undergone the steepest long-term decline, with confidence levels down 33 percentage points since 2015.
Some analysts point to ongoing policy changes under President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Linda McMahon as a factor influencing Democratic sentiment. These reforms have included federal actions related to diversity, equity and inclusion programs, Title IX enforcement, restructuring of student aid, and reductions in federal education oversight.
Layton suggested that partisan dynamics are shaping public attitudes. “Recent declines from the left-side of our political spectrum are more than likely a political sentiment born of the fact that current education reforms are led by Republicans,” he said. “In our hyper-partisan politics, the cure to restore trust in higher education will be strongly disliked by the political left.”
He added that if current reforms prove effective, they could eventually rebuild confidence among conservatives. “If the policies pursued by Trump, McMahon and other administration officials last and succeed, we may end up in an environment where Republicans begin to regain trust in higher ed’s social contract while leftists disavow it,” Layton said.
Changes tied to these policies have already reshaped campuses nationwide. Over the past 17 months, at least 400 institutions have eliminated, closed or renamed DEI programs, particularly in states such as Florida, Ohio and Texas where legislation restricts such initiatives.
Rising Costs Continue to Weigh on Perceptions
Beyond politics, the financial burden of attending college remains a central concern. According to a Forbes analysis published in May, the average annual cost of attending an in-state public university—including tuition, housing and meals—has climbed to about $30,990. A decade ago, that figure was roughly $24,500.
These rising expenses have intensified scrutiny over whether a degree delivers sufficient value.
Among respondents who still express confidence in higher education, 33% cited the development of critical-thinking skills as a key benefit—an increase from 24% in 2025 and 19% in 2024. Nineteen percent pointed to improved job prospects, up slightly from last year but still below 2024 levels. Another 30% said colleges help individuals become more informed, a figure unchanged from the previous year.
Educational attainment continues to influence perceptions. Individuals with postgraduate degrees report the highest confidence levels, followed by those with bachelor’s degrees and then those without college credentials. However, confidence declined by 5 percentage points across all education groups between 2025 and 2026, effectively wiping out gains made the year before.
AI Adds New Uncertainty About Degree Value
The rapid rise of artificial intelligence is introducing fresh doubts about the long-term importance of a college education. As AI tools become more integrated into workplaces, many Americans are questioning whether traditional degrees will remain essential.
Gallup included a new question this year asking respondents how AI might affect the importance of college degrees over the next five years. Seventeen percent said degrees would become “much less” important, while 29% predicted they would be “somewhat less” important. Another 33% expected no change.
On the other side, 11% believed degrees would become “somewhat more” important, and 9% said “much more” important. Overall, 46% of respondents anticipate a decline in the importance of degrees due to AI, compared with 20% who expect an increase.
Perceptions varied significantly depending on existing attitudes toward higher education. Among those who already trust colleges, 32% said AI would reduce the importance of degrees. That figure doubled to 64% among those who lack confidence.
Educational background also played a role. Nearly half—49%—of adults without a college degree believe AI will diminish the value of degrees, compared with 39% of college graduates.
These findings suggest that technological change is reinforcing skepticism among those already uncertain about the benefits of higher education.
Survey Details and Broader Implications
The Gallup poll was conducted via telephone interviews with a random sample of adults aged 18 and older across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The margin of error ranged from plus or minus 4 to 5 percentage points.
Taken together, the results indicate that higher education’s brief recovery in public confidence has stalled. Longstanding concerns about cost, political influence and outcomes remain unresolved, while emerging questions about artificial intelligence are adding new complexity to the debate over the future value of a college degree.
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