Americans are reconsidering the college ladder: 63% say the climb isn’t worth the price

For generations, a four-year college degree sat at the centre of the American narrative of mobility. It was the step that signalled aspiration, stability and the possibility of a different future. A new NBC News poll now shows how quickly that belief has thinned. 63% of registered voters say that a four-year degree is not worth the cost, while only 33% believe it still delivers long-term value. Twelve years ago, the picture was reversed. In 2013, according to the All American Economic Survey by CNBC, 53% considered college worth it. Today, confidence has fallen across almost every group.

Part of the shift is explained by the widening gap between the price of higher education and the outcomes it promises. National data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics continues to show that people with higher levels of education earn more and face lower unemployment. Yet the cost of obtaining that advantage has grown faster than wages, savings or public support. Adjusted for inflation, College Board figures indicate that tuition at public four-year institutions for in-state students has roughly doubled since 1995. At private colleges, tuition has risen by about 75%. For many families, the numbers no longer work.

The erosion of trust is not limited to any one political demographic. In 2013, more than half of Republican voters viewed a college degree as a good investment. In the NBC poll, only 22% still hold that view. Democratic voters have also shifted. 47% now believe a degree is worth the cost, compared with 61% a decade ago. Even among people who already hold a degree, fewer than half now say it was financially justified. The pattern is striking: confidence has declined for those with degrees and those without, for older voters and younger ones, and for both major political parties. This is no longer a debate at the margins.

The reasons people give are broadly similar. Tuition has grown faster than earning potential. Student loan debt now affects major life decisions, including housing, family planning and career choice. Many graduates find themselves working in roles that do not require a university credential, or earning too little to manage their repayments. In this context, the idea of the degree as a universal path to stability feels weaker than it once did.

As the four-year route loses some of its appeal, interest in shorter, more targeted pathways has increased. Technical training, vocational courses and two-year programmes have drawn more attention. These options place people into the labour market more quickly and with lower debt. They also fit the needs of sectors facing shortages, such as healthcare, skilled trades and manufacturing. For a growing share of students, the question is no longer “Which university?” but “What is the safest way into stable work?”

The shift in public sentiment is also shaped by the changing composition of the political parties. The Republican Party has gained support from voters without university degrees, while the Democratic Party has become more associated with degree-holders. This sorting influences how each group interprets the value of college. Yet the direction of change is consistent: confidence is falling on both sides.

There are broader implications for higher education institutions. Polls from Gallup over the last decade point to a steady decline in public confidence in universities, driven largely by concerns about affordability. Many Americans now see colleges as distant or inaccessible, and this perception affects more than enrolment figures. It signals a weakening connection between universities and the public they serve.

The long-term consequences of this shift will depend on whether higher education can regain the trust it has lost. Making university more affordable is one part of the challenge. Demonstrating clearer links between degrees, skills and work is another. Above all, institutions will need to address the sense that higher education has drifted away from the daily realities of many families.

The NBC poll does not merely record dissatisfaction. It reflects a country re-evaluating a central pillar of its social contract. When a majority no longer believes that education is a reliable route to opportunity, the effects travel far beyond campuses. They shape how the next generation weighs risk, how families plan for their futures and how society defines the idea of progress itself.